Imogen's viewpoint

[chloe1]

I was discussing Enid with some friends recently and the usual questions were asked about her character, how she treated her children etc. Someone recalled reading newspaper articles (we were guessing 20 years ago) when Imogen wrote a really damning description of her childhoods and I can also remember documentaries around the same time where her old staff were discussing her being cruel to animals.

I know Imogen is a friend to the Enid Blyton society and I do not want to offend in anyway but I was interested in how and why Imogen seemed to soften her story over the years.

[Julie2owlsdene]

Sorry, Chloe, but when you say - according to her old staff - who was cruel to the animals? Are you meaning Enid?

[chloe1]

Sorry - that sounded a bit exagerated. There was a documentary on a while ago and they had an old housekeeper? who claimed that Bobs the dog would get locked in the shed and that she still wrote about him years after he died. - she also said something about playing tennis naked I think - it was quite a long time ago and I really dont remember specifics. I think it was out at the same time as the newspaper reports about Imogen but might have been later. The whole thing was very negative about Enid. I think it was here that they also said that Enid had a lesbian affair with Dorothy but I have read so much about her over the years I cant be sure.

[Julie2owlsdene]

Right, thanks for that. I think we all know that Enid still went on writing about Bobs, and Letters from Bobs long after he died. I've also heard about the tennis etc, but I guess what Enid did in her own garden was up to her! Maybe it was his kennel Bobs was locked into. I guess we'll never know now. Pity Enid didn't want Bobs grave to be recognised, I'd love to have seen it at Old Thatch when we visit in June.

[Anita Bensoussane]

I know Imogen is a friend to the Enid Blyton society and I do not want to offend in anyway but I was interested in how and why Imogen seemed to soften her story over the years.

I think Imogen Smallwood felt she'd had her say in her book, A Childhood at Green Hedges, and that writing it was something of a catharsis. As far as I know she hasn't retracted anything she wrote, but in more recent interviews and talks she has tended to focus on Enid Blyton as a writer rather than as a mother. Imogen has always respected Enid's writing, especially the freshness of her early work, and she also set up the Enid Blyton Trust for Children in memory of the charity work that Enid Blyton (through her magazines) encouraged children to do.

[chloe1]

Thanks Anita that was helpful - I have never read Childhood at Green Hedges (I didnt realise it existed)although I did also read what I think were extracts from it at the time in newspapers.

Julie - I think it was a channel 4 doc that must have been inspired by Imogens book. They took every negative or shocking aspect they could find and it was unpleasant viewing - especially as I had never heard anything about any of the allegations before. I am glad with the recent film that they tried to explain the reasons and events behind Enids more difficult ways.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Thanks Anita that was helpful - I have never read Childhood at Green Hedges (I didnt realise it existed)although I did also read what I think were extracts from it at the time in newspapers.

A Childhood at Green Hedges was published in 1989 but it has been out of print for a while now and is becoming quite hard to find.

Julie - I think it was a channel 4 doc that must have been inspired by Imogens book. They took every negative or shocking aspect they could find and it was unpleasant viewing - especially as I had never heard anything about any of the allegations before.

I think the programme you're referring to is Secret Lives, Chloe, which was broadcast in 1996. There's some information about it in the following thread:

http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/foru ... ube#p79448" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Katharine]

I was watching a copy of Imogen's book on e-bay last week and it went for £26, plus p & p. I've seen a few others listed, but didn't see how much they sold for, but I think the start price is usually about the £12.pp mark, so it's out there, but not cheap.

I vaguely remember the Channel 4 programme, I can't think why I didn't record it at the time.

[chloe1]

I am so surprised at the time difference between Imogens book and the documentary. I knew the articles I read were from when I was at primary school because I can remember talking about them in class but I always thought Secret Lives (yes it was this) was only a year or so later - obviously I was too busy being a teenager inbetween to notice time passing.

Thanks Anita - you have been really helpful

[Anita Bensoussane]

1996 was the date given in an article in Green Hedges Magazine but I too have been wondering whether that's right because, like you, I had thought (though I could well be wrong) that I had watched the programme a few years earlier than that.

[Katharine]

1996 was the date given in an article in Green Hedges Magazine but I too have been wondering whether that's right because, like you, I had thought (though I could well be wrong) that I had watched the programme a few years earlier than that.

I always assumed the programme was broadcast around about 1997 as it was her centenary year. Or was there another programme around about that time. I'm annoyed with myself for not taking more interest at the time, but back then my collection of Enid Blyton books had been packed away in the loft as we didn't have a lot of room. I even remember my mother reading one of the biographies (probably the Barbara Stoney one) and I never bothered to read it!

[Eddie Muir]

I watched and recorded Secret Lives on 16th December 1996 when it was shown on Channel 4 Televison. I still have the VHS video. As far as I know, this was the first time it was broadcast, but I could be wrong!

[Katharine]

I watched and recorded Secret Lives on 16th December 1996 when it was shown on Channel 4 Televison. I still have the VHS video. As far as I know, this was the first time it was broadcast, but I could be wrong!

Sounds a pretty definite date to me, I just had a feeling for some reason I'd watched it in the summer. Either they repeated it the following year, or I'm just confusing memories - the latter being the more likely one. Maybe you could copy it and set up a stall at the next Enid Blyton day and flog some pirate copies

[Anita Bensoussane]

I keep remembering a conversation I had at the end of 1992, when I met up with two friends of mine (sisters) who had been my "Blyton buddies" when we were children. We were talking about Enid Blyton and Gillian and Imogen, and a few of the things mentioned in the Secret Lives programme came up in conversation. However, it's perfectly possible we'd come across those things elsewhere - perhaps in a magazine article or on a TV programme about authors, or in a review of Imogen's book.

[zaidi]

I really don't understand what does Chloe 1 is saying about playing tennis naked ,Enid is not mad to do so.