Enid autograph

[Briane]

http://www.avg.org.uk/enidblyton.jpg

Does this look a genuine autograph?

It is in fountain pen and blue ink.

Thank you in anticipation.

[Tony Summerfield]

Yes, Briane, that's fine, definitely genuine. It is on a page from an autograph book, I have seen it before somewhere, but normally you find these slips pasted into Enid Blyton books.

[Briane]

Thank you Tony - I feel happier now.

[Daisy]

I have one stuck in my autograph album but the picture on it is Josie, Click and Bun.

[Lucky Star]

A very nice thing to own. Is it up for sale of have you just bought it Briane?

[Briane]

Sorry its not for sale.

I collect rarish autographs, such as:-

Buddy Holly (obtained in person when I was 12 in 1958 at Newcastle, UK.)
Paul Anka (obtained in person when I was 14 in 1960 at Newcastle, UK.)
Paul Robeson (obtained at Newcastle, UK March 1949)
Neil Diamond (thro' band member)
Gracie Fields & George Formby
Edith Evans, Sybil Thorndike, John Gielgud, Rex Harrison
Stanley Matthews, Stan Mortenson & Harry Johnstone (Blackpool FC)
Tom Finney, Nat Lofthouse, Bobby Robson, Bobby & Jackie Charlton (Footballers)
Fred Perry, Angela Mortimer, Ann Jones, Virginia Wade (Wimbledon Champions)
Len Hutton, Fred Trueman, Colin Cowdrey, Dickie Bird (Cricket)
Anna Neagle, Alec Guinness, Anthony Quayle, Flora Robson, Judi Dench
Frankie Vaughan, Dickie Valentine, Beverley Sisters, Alma Cogan, Jimmy Clitheroe, Vera Lynn (collected when I was a young boy)
Roger Bannister, Linford Christie, Seb Coe, Kelly Holmes, Jonathon Edwards (Athletics)
John Barbarolli, Malcolm Sargent, Vic Oliver, Ivor Novello

I'm now pleased to add Enid Blyton to my family of autographs.

[Ming]

Where did you get the Enid Blyton autograph from, it's very nice.

[Briane]

I got the autograph from word of mouth.
People know I collect autographs and I was put onto the seller.
I felt confident it was original, but then read about the "IOW forger",
which temporarily concerned me. Phew!!!

[Rob Houghton]

Sounds like you have a good collection of autographs. I'd love one of Enid, but one's never come my way. The only ones I have are Ginger Rogers, Doris Day and Deanna Durbin...

[Eddie Muir]

Buddy Holly (obtained in person when I was 12 in 1958 at Newcastle, UK.)
Paul Anka (obtained in person when I was 14 in 1958 at Newcastle, UK.)
Paul Robeson (obtained at Newcastle, UK March 1949)
Neil Diamond (thro' band member)
Gracie Fields & George Formby
Edith Evans, Sybil Thorndike, John Gielgud, Rex Harrison
Stanley Matthews, Stan Mortenson & Harry Johnstone (Blackpool FC)
Tom Finney, Nat Lofthouse, Bobby Robson, Bobby & Jackie Charlton (Footballers)
Fred Perry, Angela Mortimer, Ann Jones, Virginia Wade (Wimbledon Champions)
Len Hutton, Fred Trueman, Colin Cowdrey, Dickie Bird (Cricket)
Anna Neagle, Alec Guinness, Anthony Quayle, Flora Robson, Judi Dench
Frankie Vaughan, Dickie Valentine, Beverley Sisters, Alma Cogan, Jimmy Clitheroe, Vera Lynn (collected when I was a young boy)
Roger Bannister, Linford Christie, Seb Coe, Kelly Holmes, Jonathon Edwards (Athletics)
John Barbarolli, Malcolm Sargent, Vic Oliver, Ivor Novello

That's a very impressive list of autographs, Briane. I'm especially envious of the fact that you not only have Buddy Holly's signature, but that you also managed to meet him. I have been a big fan since I first heard That'll Be The Day by Buddy and the Crickets in 1957, but I was never fortunate enough to see him live on stage or meet him. You are extremely lucky!

[Briane]

Buddy Holly - I will never forget the day.
It was a Saturday in late February about midday, myself, a school friend and 4 girls were waiting outside Newcastle City Hall. Suddenly the door opened and out came Buddy; signed all our autograph books, and then went walking into Newcastle city centre.
A couple of years ago I stayed in the Wolcott Hotel in New York City, and found they had a Buddy Holly Conference Centre; on making enquiries it transpired that Buddy stayed at the hotel and the Conference centre was his recording studio in NY.

[Eddie Muir]

Did you see Buddy on stage, Briane or was it just a bit of luck that you were outside City Hall in Newcastle when he came out?

I have two books about the 1958 Buddy Holly and the Crickets UK Tour: Buddy Holly & the Crickets - The UK Tour by Jim Carr and Buddy in Britain by John Firminger. Buddy and the Crickets actually did two shows at the Newcastle City Hall on Thursday, 6th March 1958. Perhaps your memory is playing tricks when you mention a Saturday in late February.

Here is a full list of the UK Tour dates (numbers on the left refer to dates in March 1958). Buddy and the Crickets actually arrived in England (London Airport) on Friday, 28th February and their first shows were at the Trocadero in London on the following day. The group returned to the States directly after their final show at the Gaumont Theatre in Hammersmith on Tuesday, 25th March 1958. This was to be Buddy's one and only British Tour as, I'm sure you know, he died in a plane crash on 3rd February the following year.

1 - Trocadero - Elephant & Castle, London (2 shows)
2 - Gaumont State - Kilburn, London (2 shows)
3 - Gaumont Theatre - Southampton, Hampshire (2 shows)
4 - City Hall - Sheffield, Yorkshire (2 shows)
5 - Globe Theatre - Stockton-On-Tees, Durham (2 shows)
6 - City Hall - Newcastle-On-Tyne, Northumberland (2 shows)
7 - Gaumont Theatre - Wolverhampton, Staffordshire (2 shows)
8 - Odeon Theatre - Nottingham, Nottinghampshire (3 shows)
9 - Gaumont Theatre - Bradford, Yorkshire (2 shows)
10 - Town Hall - Birmingham, Warwickshire (2 shows)
11 - Gaumont Theatre - Worcester, Worchestershire (2 shows)
12 - Davis Theatre - Croydon, London (2 shows)
13 - Grenada Theatre - East Ham, London(2 shows)
14 - Grenada Theatre - Woolwich, London (2 shows)
15 - Gaumont Theatre - Ipswich, Suffolk (3 shows)
16 - De Montfort Hall - Leicester, Leicestershire (2 shows)
17 - Gaumont Theatre - Doncaster, Yorkshire (2 shows)
18 - Ritz Theatre - Wigan, Lancashire (2 shows)
19 - Regal Cinema - Hull, Yorkshire (2 shows)
20 - Philharmonic Hall - Liverpool, Lancashire (2 shows)
21 - Granada Theatre - Walthamstow, London (2 shows)
22 - Gaumont Theatre - Salisbury, Wiltshire (2 shows)
23 - Colston Hall - Bristol, Gloucestershire (2 shows)
24 - Capitol Cinema - Cardiff, Glamorgan (2 shows)
25 - Gaumont Theatre - Hammersmith, London (2 shows

[Lucky Star]

They sure kept busy schedules in those days. No days off that I can see there and two shows a day. Elvis had a similarly punishing scedule in those days althought, sadly, he never came over here.

[Briane]

No I did not see the show as I was only 12.
In the past I have normally said "late February/early March", but an article I read said February 26???
Was I there at midday on a school day or did we go straight from finishing school?
No playing hooky (stopping off school) in those days.
What I do remember is, outside the City Hall was quiet with just the 6 autograph collectors;
no crowds coming or leaving the venue, and it was daylight.

Memory is not what it was; although it was 52 years ago!!!!

[Eddie Muir]

Memory is not what it was; although it was 52 years ago!!!!

My memory is not what it used to be either, Briane, although I have a better recollection of events from the distant past than I do for what was happening last week! Anyway, I really envy you for having the good fortune to meet Buddy Holly and to get his autograph. Over the years I have met various rock stars and have one or two autographs and photographs but, like you, I was too young to attend one of Buddy and the Crickets shows and my pocket money wouldn't stretch to travelling to the nearest venues to Brighton where I live (such as Croydon). I was 14 at the time! I did however see Buddy and the Crickets perform Maybe Baby live on the BBC Television Show, Off the Record in March 1958. I have a very vivid recollection of that performance on our old grainy black and white television set!