The Cherrys by Will Scott

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Aurélien
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Re: The Cherrys by Will Scott

Post by Aurélien »

:D Thank you for the interesting information on St. Denis Bay that you posted above, 'jayann'.

For several years, I've been hoping for data and insights about the 'Cherrys' series that only Will Scott's descendants are in a position to have.

Thus I'm looking forward to your future posts, as I'm sure are several others here. :D

'Aurélien Arkadiusz' from far distant Kiwiland.
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Re: The Cherrys by Will Scott

Post by Lenoir »

Yes, thank you for the information ‘jayann’. I am interested in getting the book The Life of Will Scott sometime. Should be interesting.
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Re: The Cherrys by Will Scott

Post by jayann »

Thinking about how far 'St Denis Bay' is an idealized Herne Bay has made me realize the extent to which WS's descriptions of St D Bay represent his views of, and concerns about, his adopted town. In the Cherrys by the Sea, for example, he promotes the idea of offering year-round attractions and entertainments at the resort - and he always felt passionately about that subject. In the 1920s he had argued that a 'A modern and up-to-date Theatre Cinema capable of accommodating...upwards of 1,200 people' should be built if the town were to prosper, and as late as September 1963 he recorded his worries that the wet and windy summer meant that the town had had a 'poor year' and he wondered how the pier could attract enough revenue to be maintained. He sometimes found himself at odds with the town's council over such issues, and critical observations about councils are to be found in his children's fiction. Captain Cherry was much more of a 'committee man' (such as in The Cherrys and the Galleon) than WS who tended to put his thoughts into newspaper articles (and fiction).
Neither did WS hold back from mentioning the menacing aspects of the seaside in winter. The Cherrys by the Sea was written in the months following the devastating east coast floods of 1953, and he mentions the 'big, angry' winter waves, and the fact that the St Denis Bay sea wall is being strengthened. There are, of course, physical characteristics of St Denis Bay that are fictional - such as the caves at the bottom of the cliffs under the 'Pavilion' - but WS's views on Herne Bay are discernible in his stories. As with St Denis Bay, he really believed that, despite any problems, Herne Bay was a 'Children's Paradise'.
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Aurélien
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Re: The Cherrys by Will Scott

Post by Aurélien »

Thank you, 'jayann' for your valuable reflections and insights on Will Scott's construct of St. Denis Bay. The thought that you have put into your post above is much appreciated. :D It certainly seems to me that the author's love for his adopted hometown of Herne Bay is reflected in many of the details of his enthusiastic approach to the Cherrys' 'happenings' at his fictional seaside resort town.

Are you (and perhaps also your sister) willing to share what you know about how 'Market Cray' was developed from Will Scott's own hand-drawn sketch-maps? It would, for example, be interesting to know which elements were likely borrowed from which real (Kentish?) locations.

And how the author managed to get from artist, Lilian Buchanan, such extraordinarily careful dovetailing or melding-together of detail in her several maps, dustjacket-illustrations, and line-illustrations throughout the entire 14-book series has always been a mystery to me. Even as a child I noticed that her brilliant artwork, supporting Will Scott's text, helped make the reading of each book richly rewarding.

'Aurélien Arkadiusz' :D
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Re: The Cherrys by Will Scott

Post by jayann »

Thank you for more thought-provoking questions.
The Lilian Buchanan illustrations are indeed wonderful - we could not have imagined the Cherry family looking any other way.She conveyed so successfully, not only the different personalities, but also the pleasure and excitement experienced by those caught up in the 'happenings'. As for the maps, I have two WS 'Cherry' maps, one from the beginnings of the series and one preliminary sketch for the 'Cherrys and the Blue Balloon', which I will look at and think about. WS always worked very closely with illustrators, including for example, Albert Bailey who did many of the illustrations for the Giglamps stories in Pan[ and The Passing Show.
Market Cray is quite complicated in concept - there were a number of reasons for it having the characteristics it did. There are certainly 'locations' and details relating to Market Cray that were based on real places. I will make a list of those that I know and,possibly, make a folder of pictures that I can provide a link for. This might take some time. I can feel another book coming on, entitled something like 'On the Trail of the Cherry Books'!
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Re: The Cherrys by Will Scott

Post by Aurélien »

:D A book about Will Scott's 'Cherrys' series would be great, 'jayann', especially if the size and format allows illustrations of a good size and clarity.

I am very much looking forward to your information on the crafting of 'Market Cray', as well as to further revelations about St. Denis Bay,

'Aurélien Arkadiusz' 8)
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Re: The Cherrys by Will Scott

Post by jayann »

Herne Bay locations used by Will Scott in the Cherry books

1.River House,
The exterior of River House, Market Cray, was based on Batesholme Children's Convalescent Home, High View Avenue, Herne Bay - situated almost directly opposite WS's home ('Windermere'). It is possible that 'Long Meadow', across the river from River House, was inspired by the playing field that adjoined Batesholme, facing 'Windermere' - which the Scotts regarded as a kind of 'village green'. Batesholme was demolished some years ago and houses cover the site now. My mother and aunt used to go to parties there, and, like the Scotts, Batesholme residents used to decorate a car or van for the Herne Bay Carnival Day procession (please click on this link to see a Carnival Day picture with 'River House' in the background: http://sdrv.ms/15nMP1X).
I will gradually add to the folder.
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Re: The Cherrys by Will Scott

Post by Aurélien »

:D Thank-you, Jayann. Looking forward to hearing more.

'Aurélien Arkadiusz'
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Re: The Cherrys by Will Scott

Post by jayann »

More Herne Bay locations used by Will Scott in the Cherry books:

'Old Thatch', Market Cray, was based on 'Tinker's Thatch', Thornden Wood Road, Herne Bay - one of the oldest surviving buildings in the HB area. A version of this building appears several times in WS's fiction for children and almost certainly inspired the name 'Tinker's Revel' used in WS's 'Disher' mystery, Shadows (1928).

'Hotel' with turret, Jubilee Hill, St Denis Bay: based on the Hotel St George, Western Esplanade, Herne Bay - now demolished, it was a favourite spot for WS's evening drink. He visited 'The George' on the evening of D-Day and left a memorable description of the atmosphere there.

Building with a flag on the roof, marked CAFE, on the Promenade: based on the 'Red Shelter', West Beach, Herne Bay, this survives and is now the club house for a group of anglers.
I have not put photos of these locations on the link yet but will do so. Sorry if this is a bit piecemeal at the moment!
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Re: The Cherrys by Will Scott

Post by Aurélien »

More intriguing information, Jayann. Thank you for those details. :D I'm looking forward to being able to click on links to those photos.

One wonders, too, which real-life elements were included in WS's 'Market Cray' geography......

'Aurélien Arkadiusz' 8)
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Re: The Cherrys by Will Scott

Post by jayann »

Market Cray was a mixture of things. The suburban setting (the name is reminiscent of St Mary Cray in suburban north Kent) was chosen deliberately to show that extraordinary adventures could take place in 'ordinary' surroundings. In to this 'suburban' setting WS brought real-life elements such as the Herne Bay buildings and locations I have begun to list - and elements such as the river, which reflected his love of the Thames and of the Windrush. He came to know and love the Windrush after his elder daughter and her family moved to Oxfordshire in the late 1940s. My grandparents had happy holidays with them. The dedication in the Cherrys of River House refers partly to those holidays and partly to visits that the family (including my cousin Michael) made back to Kent. The course of the Windrush is explored in WS's children's book The Great Expedition (1962). I think there is little doubt that WS used his children's fiction to 'relive' happy times.
I hope this begins to answer your question - I'm not sure that it does!
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Re: The Cherrys by Will Scott

Post by Aurélien »

:D Thank you, Jayann. 'Tis a great beginning on Will Scott's 'Market Cray' setting of many of his Cherrys tales.

'Aurélien Arkadiusz'
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Re: The Cherrys by Will Scott

Post by Lenoir »

I bought 'The life of Will Scott' by Judith Ford - the kindle version which I can read with my Kindle for PC application (I don't have a kindle).
I've read a few parts so far and it's interesting to read about his early life and how life was back then when he was a boy in the early years of the 1900s. It describes Leeds as a smoky industrial place, bad enough that it affected the amount of sunshine received.
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Re: The Cherrys by Will Scott

Post by jayann »

WS's childhood experiences were certainly very different from those of the Cherry children. He had no garden, no pleasant surroundings, no brothers and sisters, and at times, no close friends. But he did have adventures of a sort (very often of a solitary character) - mostly concerned with the Leeds' music halls, visiting fairs, and with discovering various aspects of his native city. He learnt that you could find inspiration in everyday, 'ordinary' things (he learnt that nothing, and nobody, was ever 'ordinary'). In later life he must have found great pleasure in writing about a group of children enjoying adventures together.
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Re: The Cherrys by Will Scott

Post by Fiona1986 »

I finally got around to rereading Cherrys to the Rescue this week. None of it was familiar to be so I must have only read it once as a child. I worried it would seem tame as it wasn't a real mystery/adventure but the way it worked out with the uncle starting the happening without telling anyone, then the inclusion of the fat and thin boys plus the mist it ended up more real than I expected.

My mum was disappointed though as she had gone childhood memories and it didn't really live up to then as she felt nothing happened. I'd better not let her reread any Blytons in that case!
"It's the ash! It's falling!" yelled Julian, almost startling Dick out of his wits...
"Listen to its terrible groans and creaks!" yelled Julian, almost beside himself with impatience.


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