Lucas - Five Have a Mystery to Solve.

[Lucky Star]

Thanks Gordon James for letting us know the story of your uncle. As others have said I am very sorry to hear that he is unwell and hope he is as comfortable as possible. It's really lovely to hear about a real life character from our favourite books. Please give him our warmest regards.

[Fiona1986]

I know everyone's already said it, but thanks for taking the time to share your Uncle's story with us. It's lovely to hear about the real life Lucas. I, too, am sorry to hear of his illness and hope he is as comfortable as he can be.

[Gordon James]

Wow, I didn’t expect to see such responses about Lucas/Johnny so quickly and with such genuine consideration and compassion. There has been a question as to whether the illustration looks like my uncle in his formative years- the answer is yes it does. I will see if I can get a photo of him on the course in the 50's an post it . Another comment was about a Q&A session, I’m not sure how this would work, maybe I will take it up with Tony Summerfield and organise it that way. I have spoken to my uncle about the blog and it has really given him a much needed lift. In the last week he has been up to the Golf Course to take in the views of Poole Harbour and Brownsea Island, its still his favourite place.

[Ming]

I would love to see a photograph of him, please do post one if you can.

[Moonraker]

One of the special things about Five Have a Mystery to Solve, is that Enid confirms it is set in a real place and names real people. It has been fascinating to hear of Gordon, and really surprising to find he is alive! I do hope he is as comfortable as he can be, and that he is taking comfort in the fact that he is in our thoughts.

[Katharine]

I was interested to hear that the drawings were a good likeness for your uncle. Obviously Enid's description must have been an accurate one.

I'm glad to hear our comments have given him a much needed lift, and I echo the other comments about being sorry to hear he is unwell and hope he is as comfortable as possible.

[Maggie Knows]

Lucas is my surname so not surprisingly the Lucas character was a favourite of mine.

I am sorry to hear your Uncle is unwell, and I hope he gets better soon.

I guess your Uncle he must have been in his mid-to-late 30s when the book was written? I always had the impression he was older than that, so your information is interesting, thanks.

[Moonraker]

I always had the impression he was older than that, so your information is interesting, thanks.

Yes, I thought that too. I must re-read that volume soon...

[Enikyoga]

Hi Lucas is real, and his character is based on my uncle Gordon James (known as Johnny James) to Enid and others at the Isle of Purbeck Golf Course in Swanage, Dorset. My Uncle worked as a green keeper on the course that Enid owned with her husband, he use to caddy for them both on a regular basis, incidentally my uncle still has the putter that Enid gave him many many years ago!

I decided to use my uncles real name as my log on as I thought those that follow the Famous Five would like to know a little more about Gordon. To confuse everyone a little more my uncle is known as Billy to his family and Johnny on the course, this often caused confusion for me as a child. Often we would walk through the town of Swanage and my uncle would be greeted by friends by the name of Johnny, Gordon or Billy depending on which part of Swanage you lived in.

My Unlce is now 81 and unfortunately not very well as he has been diagnosed recently with Lung Cancer, so this really I guess is my opportunity to reunite Billy with some fond memories, and hopefully for those that read this a real sense of the man. For those that would like to know Billy is nut brown and does have a love of the country side and the animals, he is the most kind hearted, selfless man you could wish to meet and whilst he has little precious time to spend with his friends and family he remains optmistic, positive and still puts others first, as he as always done throughout his life.

Gordon James' nephew's above information makes the EBS forum as a leading primary source venue for any researcher, author or writer on Enid Blyton.
Stephen I.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Gordon James' nephew's above information makes the EBS forum as a leading primary source venue for any researcher, author or writer on Enid Blyton.

You mean it wasn't before?

[number 6]

I remember seeing a photo of Johnny and Gillian Baverstock on the Golf course, complete with the golf club Enid had given him. It appears in Viv's 'Dorset Days of Enid Blyton' book and was taken around 5 years ago(?). Like everyone else, I'am very sorry to hear of Johnny's illness. It's always difficult to know what to say in these circumstances, but I hope he remains comfortable as possible.

[Tony Summerfield]

Gordon James' nephew has very kindly offered me a DVD of the programme to load onto the website, but sadly I think this is technically beyond us. He is however seeing him in the near future armed with a list of questions and I am hoping to be able to put these and the replies into the next Journal. This surely makes the Journal a leading primary source venue for any researcher, author or writer on Enid Blyton. Unfortunately not all of them see a copy though!

[Moonraker]

You're not implying that our friend Stephen isn't a Journal subscriber, are you? Stephen: really!

[Enikyoga]

Gordon James' nephew's above information makes the EBS forum as a leading primary source venue for any researcher, author or writer on Enid Blyton.

You mean it wasn't before?

I was citing one above example of being one, if not the leading primary source on Enid Blyton. I wasn't suggesting that, there hadn't been any primary source on Enid Blyton on the forum until the above citation(s).
Stephen I.

[Belly]

Coming to this late but wanted to send warm wishes to Johnny James and to thank Gordon for his message.

'Lucas' really captured my imagination and I wrote to Gillian Baverstock as a child about him. 'Lucas' was a source of great joy and happiness in my life, like a real person somehow. Sounds ridiculous now but he was also a reason that my poor father drove miles around Dorset trying to find the 'animals and birds he loved so much' and the cottage on the hill, etc, etc.

I still think it's extraordinary that 'Lucas' was such a young man as the character seemed to have an old spirit and great wisdom. Experience now tells me this is perfectly possible in a young man.