The Enid Blyton Society

Tony Summerfield wrote:At a wild guess I rather doubt that Silas Marner would have been the prize book!!

So would I - although the news report on Midlands Today told us how children's book prizes - such as Silas Marner - were often given out for competitions, and always accompanied by a letter by a famous author...!!!

Rather a complicated theory, in my opinion. I'm sure they would have been used to accompany the signed books Enid gave away every fortnight in her magazine.

The info may be tucked away in one of the Enid Blyton Magazine's Rob!

Yes, as you say Tony, it is just the facsimile Prize Letter sent out to winners of various competitions, with the approriate child's name added by someone else. Have had many over the years, and add maybe £10 maximum to the price of a lovely book as nice little item of ephemeral interest. Surely someone must have told this lady it isn't an original hand-written letter, with a Blyton signature! I have one at the moment, to Jennifer!

typo sorry! appropriate!!!

Rob Houghton wrote:

Tony Summerfield wrote:At a wild guess I rather doubt that Silas Marner would have been the prize book!!

So would I - although the news report on Midlands Today told us how children's book prizes - such as Silas Marner - were often given out for competitions, and always accompanied by a letter by a famous author...!!!

Rather a complicated theory, in my opinion. I'm sure they would have been used to accompany the signed books Enid gave away every fortnight in her magazine.

I was only joking here, as the only book prizes sent out would have been Enid Blyton books, and probably only Newnes' books with Sunny Stories and Evans' books with Enid Blyton's Magazines. Looking at early Sunny Stories as I have been recently a huge number of books were sent out as prizes every week and the names and full addresses of all the prize winners were included in the magazine. In an early EBM I read that there were 250 copies of the Animal Lovers' Book sent out as prizes for the Coronation Comp.

None of these books would have been sent out by Enid Blyton herself as by and large her only visits to the office were confined to board meetings. I have the minutes of these meetings in our archives and some of them make quite interesting reading - normally discussing topics such as the use of colour in EBM.

Tony Summerfield wrote:

Rob Houghton wrote:

Tony Summerfield wrote:At a wild guess I rather doubt that Silas Marner would have been the prize book!!

So would I - although the news report on Midlands Today told us how children's book prizes - such as Silas Marner - were often given out for competitions, and always accompanied by a letter by a famous author...!!!

Rather a complicated theory, in my opinion. I'm sure they would have been used to accompany the signed books Enid gave away every fortnight in her magazine.

I was only joking here, as the only book prizes sent out would have been Enid Blyton books, and probably only Newnes' books with Sunny Stories and Evans' books with Enid Blyton's Magazines.

I knew you were only joking, of course, but the reporter on Midlands Today wasn't! It was reported that back in the 1950's it was extremely common (in fact normal) for book prizes (from children's competitions) to be accompanied by a letter from a 'famous children's author' and it was seriously suggested that this book (Silas Marner) was probably a book prize, and the author selected to write the congratulations letter on this occasion was Enid Blyton. I think it was the book seller who aired his knowledge on this and suggested this is why the letter is in Silas Marner. I can't find a link to the original news item, unfortunately.

Hope this link to the original Midlands Today report works okay - It explains a little more and interviews the 'finder' and the bookseller.

https://www.facebook.com/midlandstoday/ ... 179434761/

Great link & video, Rob! A lovely story. At least Enid got some publicity out of it!

Rob Houghton wrote:Hope this link to the original Midlands Today report works okay - It explains a little more and interviews the 'finder' and the bookseller.

https://www.facebook.com/midlandstoday/ ... 179434761/

Yes, the link works fine, Rob. Thanks as I couldn't find it on BBC iplayer catch up when I tried. To say that it is factually inaccurate is an understatement! I had another very nice email from the lady who runs the BBC website, and she was told by the TV people that they had contacted me and I was unable to verify the authenticity until I had seen the actual letter. This was a blatant lie as I had no contact from them at all and apparently Dominic Winter the auctioneer who was approached actually told them to contact me.

I will check out EBM to see if I can find the name Mary Enid Bowles.

Rob Houghton wrote:

Tony Summerfield wrote: Talking of utter tosh, how can a bookseller say that there were no book signings done in those days!

I guess it depends what sort of boos they sell...boos you'd say to a goose, boos you'd utter at a bad theatrical performance, or boos to scare someone?

Not sure I understand, Rob...

You didn't see Tony's post until after he altered it, Nigel!

[quote="Moonraker"]

It was just a daft remark of mine. Sneaky Tony!

Hmmm! We are being controlled from a higher place!!!

Oh, I see. Possibly a misuse of admin powers, methinks.

This thread has a mind of its own!!!

Moonraker wrote:Oh, I see. Possibly a misuse of admin powers, methinks.

I am not sure that altering my own post can be called a misuse of admin powers, and that is all I did!