Letters from Bobs

[Julie2owlsdene]

Just finished reading the first of these little books. I was quite interested in one of the letters dated 24th May, 1933. Bobs says it was his birthday, and that the flags were all out. Enid writes, the flags were out because it was Empire Day.
A day I have to confess I didn't know anything about, until I took a look on Google. Apparently the very first Empire Day was 24th May, 1902, and ran until the 50's.

[Lucky Star]

Another old tradition gone west. Although to be fair as Britain no longer has an empire it was probably redundant anyway. I have always thought that a proper celebration should be made of St. Georges Day. I wonder if Enid ever mentioned that day in her writings. I dont believe that I have ever come across any such reference.

[Anita Bensoussane]

When I first read about Empire Day in an Enid Blyton book (The Teacher's Treasury), I Googled it to find out more. In the 1950s it became Commonwealth Day, which is still celebrated on the second Monday in March. Can't say I've ever noticed anyone celebrating it - I think it's even less well-known than St. George's Day!

Anita

[Rob Houghton]

As Anita says, in 'The Teacher's Treasury' part 2 there is a play by Enid called 'The Union Jack', which she describes as 'a play for Empire Day in one act'. it explains how the Union Jack got to look like it does, and goes on to show how it is still flown in Australia and New Zealand and Canada etc and tells us that 'the sun never sets on the Union Jack'!

Enid finishes the play with a very patriotic song, which Enid says 'can be sung, with a little adaptation, to the tune of 'The British Grenadiers' :

Now let us all salute the flag
On which are countries three,
The flag of Britons great and small
that waves on land and sea.
And let us bring to mind the men
Who helped our flag to make,
The Saints and soldiers and the Kings
Who fought for England's sake.

May the flag forever fly
In honour far and wide
And be for ever fown the years
Our nation's love and pride.

On this our Empire Day we'll sing
Of deeds of long ago
And praise the men who helped to make
The flag we're proud to know.
The men who left their homes behind
And far from England sailed
The Men who bravely fought and won
The men who fought and failed.

May Britain always proudly keep
Her good and mighty name,
And loyal may her Empire be
And one with her in fame.
For loyal daughters, sturdy sons
May Britain never lack,
And proudly down the future, fly
The glorious Union Jack

[Moonraker]

Of course, our national flag should be known as the Union Flag. It should only be referred to as the Union Jack when it is flown as a jack (a small flag flown at the bow of a ship).

Note that the wide white stripe should be at the top in the top left hand part - very often you see it at the bottom, which is a sign of distress!

[Julie2owlsdene]

Note that the wide white stripe should be at the top in the top left hand part - very often you see it at the bottom, which is a sign of distress!

I didn't know that. What a fantastic site this is, that we learn so much through our favourite author

Isn't the flag the same upside down.

[Moonraker]

Isn't the flag the same upside down.

Technically it is! However, when the flag is hung the wrong way round, that is to say back to front, it is known as being flown upside down.

[Julie2owlsdene]

[quote="Moonraker"
Technically it is! However, when the flag is hung the wrong way round, that is to say back to front, it is known as being flown upside down.[/quote]

Understood

Almost finished reading these three little books. I'm finding it quite sad to think, that poor Bobs, died in November 1935, and Enid wouldn't mark his grave, but continued to write letters from him for many years. The children who read his weekly letters, believed him to be alive, and at Christmas sent him presents and chocolates at Easter. Was this unkind of Enid to deceive these children, is this way?

She's makes reference to Sandy, too, and Sandy I believe from reading Imogen's book, was, as she puts it, dispatched with a puppy, for chasing a farmers ducks. In Enid's biography, Sandy is put to just disappear. I also find this so sad, that Enid being such a dog lover, could allow her precious pets to escape from the garden in this way to face such a dreadful fate.

[Rob Houghton]

I do love the 'Bobs' books, though, because they give us a glimpse (albeit a rather fictionalised one!) of life at Old Thatch. Whether its fiction or not, its the only glimpse we're going to get!

[Ming]

I always found it pretty mean of Enid to deceive her readers like that, about Bobs being alive. I don't know if it's just me, but if I was someone living in Enid's time, I would prefer to know the truth.

[Boodi]

I always found it pretty mean of Enid to deceive her readers like that, about Bobs being alive. I don't know if it's just me, but if I was someone living in Enid's time, I would prefer to know the truth.

Is it not a form of "poetic license"? Although a real Bobs had existed, he ultimately became a fictional character and thus perhaps for this reason Enid did not consider that she was deceiving anyone. However, I have to admit that I have never read any of the Bobs "Letters", so I stand open to correction!!!

[Anita Bensoussane]

I do love the 'Bobs' books, though, because they give us a glimpse (albeit a rather fictionalised one!) of life at Old Thatch. Whether its fiction or not, its the only glimpse we're going to get!

I like that aspect of the books too. A few of the Brer Rabbit stories are also set at Old Thatch. In "Bobs Meets Brer Rabbit Again" (Brer Rabbit's a Rascal), Bobs says that he and Sandy will get their Mistress (ie. Enid!) to cook Brer Rabbit for their dinner as he has been eating cabbages from the garden of Old Thatch!

I always found it pretty mean of Enid to deceive her readers like that, about Bobs being alive. I don't know if it's just me, but if I was someone living in Enid's time, I would prefer to know the truth.

Is it not a form of "poetic license"? Although a real Bobs had existed, he ultimately became a fictional character and thus perhaps for this reason Enid did not consider that she was deceiving anyone.

I tend to view things the same way as Boodi. Bobs had to some extent become fictionalised in Enid's writings, taking on a character and "voice" of his own, so the fictional Bobs didn't necessarily have to die with the real Bobs.

Anita

[Moonraker]

In much the same way as my old friend Barney will live on through the website after he has lef us, I hope......

[Lucky Star]

In much the same way as my old friend Barney will live on through the website after he has lef us, I hope......

That occurred to me as well.

I agree with Anita that Bobs became a character to children in the same way as Buster or Timmy and so it would not have done for real life to intrude in the ugly form of Bobs' death. As an adult I would rather know the truth but if a child enjoys the Letter from Bobs then why spoil their pleasure by telling them he's dead?

[Julie2owlsdene]

As an adult I would rather know the truth but if a child enjoys the Letter from Bobs then why spoil their pleasure by telling them he's dead?

I suppose that is one way of looking at it. ( I still think Enid could have marked his grave though)