Many thanks for posting that information.timv wrote:Great-Granddad may have been based on a real person who Enid met or at least had heard tales about. I read in a local collection of memories and photographs of Stourton Caundle village that a Mr William Douch was the farmer at the farm which Enid later bought from c. 1890 to 1928, when he retired in his sixties, and he lived to the early 1950s when he was 91. It was his nephew from whom Enid bought the farm in 1956.
Possibly the latter or the workers who Enid relied on to run the farm told her about him and he was so intriguing that she put him in the book? Or did she know Stourton Caundle before she bought the farm? She clearly used the ruined chapel turned barn and the legends of a former castle somewhere on the farm for the book, and put its medieval owners the Lords Stourton into the book as the 'Lords Finniston'.
This book has a rare mention of a real place in a Famous Five book under its real name, ie Dorchester. But I suspect that Dorchester is behind Enid's creation of the town of 'Ravens Market' in Five Fall Into Adventure, ie the town near the gypsy camp where George is held prisoner by Jo's father. It is a market town and probably fairly large as it has a bus connection to 'Kirrin'; it is too far from the latter for the Five (minus George) to walk back there easily once they get lost in the woods and miss the last bus, but the tougher Jo thinks nothing of walking to the nearby woods from Kirrin and she takes the Five back on foot next day. Also, is Enid's mention of the nearest place to Red Tower's home (on a rocky coast like the 'Isle' of Portland) as 'Port Lynne' a hint at the nearby peninsula and naval base/ village of Portland?
Finniston Farm: really quite poor
- Nick
- Posts: 1418
- Joined: 05 Feb 2009, 19:00
- Favourite book/series: Five on a Hike Together/Secret Seven
- Favourite character: Dick & Susie
- Location: Retford
Re: Finniston Farm: really quite poor
Society Member
- pete9012S
- Posts: 17649
- Joined: 24 Jan 2010, 15:32
- Favourite book/series: Five On A Treasure Island
- Favourite character: Frederick Algernon Trotteville
- Location: UK
Re: Finniston Farm: really quite poor
I really enjoyed this book. It was bought for me around the time of 1975/76. It was a really hot summer and the book seemed to capture that feeling seamlessly.
I thought the book had only just been written and it seemed modern and fresh and exciting to me.
According to chapter nineteen,it was the most exciting adventure ever had too!
" A kind heart always brings its own reward," said Mrs. Lee.
- The Christmas Tree Aeroplane -
Society Member
- The Christmas Tree Aeroplane -
Society Member
- number 6
- Posts: 4342
- Joined: 11 Jun 2010, 17:12
- Favourite book/series: Famous Five
- Favourite character: George/Jo
- Location: Robin Hood Country
Re: Finniston Farm: really quite poor
I was also bought this particular version of Finniston Farm in the 70's, Pete, with its distinctive bright cover. I probably received my copy around the same time as you. I, too, really enjoyed the story. As I remember, & as you stated, it was indeed an hot summer, which really set the mood for this adventure.
- Rob Houghton
- Posts: 16029
- Joined: 26 Feb 2005, 22:38
- Favourite book/series: Rubadub Mystery, Famous Five and The Find-Outers
- Favourite character: Snubby, Uncle Robert, George, Fatty
- Location: Kings Norton, Birmingham
Re: Finniston Farm: really quite poor
1976 was the hottest summer ever with droughts and we had a bush fire behind our house by the canal, and the fire engine came down our drive. I was only 5 and it was the excitement of the summer, lol!
Funny how I never read a Famous Five novel as a child, despite my sister owning the whole set of Maxey paperbacks! I only ever read two Famous Five annuals, which I had for birthdays aged 9 and 10. I really missed out by not reading the series as a child.
Funny how I never read a Famous Five novel as a child, despite my sister owning the whole set of Maxey paperbacks! I only ever read two Famous Five annuals, which I had for birthdays aged 9 and 10. I really missed out by not reading the series as a child.
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)
Society Member
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)
Society Member
Re: Finniston Farm: really quite poor
That explains why the sky was yellow, then.Rob Houghton wrote:1976 was the hottest summer ever with droughts and we had a bush fire behind our house
Society Member
- Rob Houghton
- Posts: 16029
- Joined: 26 Feb 2005, 22:38
- Favourite book/series: Rubadub Mystery, Famous Five and The Find-Outers
- Favourite character: Snubby, Uncle Robert, George, Fatty
- Location: Kings Norton, Birmingham
Re: Finniston Farm: really quite poor
Moonraker wrote:That explains why the sky was yellow, then.Rob Houghton wrote:1976 was the hottest summer ever with droughts and we had a bush fire behind our house
I'll just humour you, lol!
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)
Society Member
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)
Society Member
- Anita Bensoussane
- Forum Administrator
- Posts: 26887
- Joined: 30 Jan 2005, 23:25
- Favourite book/series: Adventure series, Six Cousins books, Six Bad Boys
- Favourite character: Jack Trent, Fatty and Elizabeth Allen
- Location: UK
Re: Finniston Farm: really quite poor
I think Nigel is referring to Betty Maxey's cover for Five on Finniston Farm. It's a lovely picture, dreamy and idyllic.
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.
"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
Society Member
"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
Society Member
- Rob Houghton
- Posts: 16029
- Joined: 26 Feb 2005, 22:38
- Favourite book/series: Rubadub Mystery, Famous Five and The Find-Outers
- Favourite character: Snubby, Uncle Robert, George, Fatty
- Location: Kings Norton, Birmingham
Re: Finniston Farm: really quite poor
Ah! I was tying up what he said to the yellow skies earlier this week!
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)
Society Member
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)
Society Member
- Daisy
- Posts: 16632
- Joined: 28 Oct 2006, 22:49
- Favourite book/series: Find-Outers, Adventure series.
- Location: Stoke-On-Trent, England
Re: Finniston Farm: really quite poor
So did I... no wonder I couldn't follow him.Rob Houghton wrote:Ah! I was tying up what he said to the yellow skies earlier this week!
'Tis loving and giving that makes life worth living.
Society Member
Society Member
- pete9012S
- Posts: 17649
- Joined: 24 Jan 2010, 15:32
- Favourite book/series: Five On A Treasure Island
- Favourite character: Frederick Algernon Trotteville
- Location: UK
Re: Finniston Farm: really quite poor
---
Covers from 1995 and 2017 for comparison.
Covers from 1995 and 2017 for comparison.
" A kind heart always brings its own reward," said Mrs. Lee.
- The Christmas Tree Aeroplane -
Society Member
- The Christmas Tree Aeroplane -
Society Member
- Rob Houghton
- Posts: 16029
- Joined: 26 Feb 2005, 22:38
- Favourite book/series: Rubadub Mystery, Famous Five and The Find-Outers
- Favourite character: Snubby, Uncle Robert, George, Fatty
- Location: Kings Norton, Birmingham
Re: Finniston Farm: really quite poor
That last one is undeniably a Great Work Of Art, Pete - way better than Maxey!!
Seriously though, apart from the very obvious lack of artistic merit the modern covers have, I dislike the fact that any cover could belong to (almost) any book - the Five just standing around looking bored. I find it really strange that these boring and uneventful covers actually sell books! At least all the older ones have some action depicted on them.
Seriously though, apart from the very obvious lack of artistic merit the modern covers have, I dislike the fact that any cover could belong to (almost) any book - the Five just standing around looking bored. I find it really strange that these boring and uneventful covers actually sell books! At least all the older ones have some action depicted on them.
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)
Society Member
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)
Society Member
- pete9012S
- Posts: 17649
- Joined: 24 Jan 2010, 15:32
- Favourite book/series: Five On A Treasure Island
- Favourite character: Frederick Algernon Trotteville
- Location: UK
Re: Finniston Farm: really quite poor
What is the guy (Julian?) doing with that humongous sword?
" A kind heart always brings its own reward," said Mrs. Lee.
- The Christmas Tree Aeroplane -
Society Member
- The Christmas Tree Aeroplane -
Society Member
- John Pickup
- Posts: 4895
- Joined: 30 Oct 2013, 21:29
- Favourite book/series: Barney mysteries
- Favourite character: Snubby
- Location: Notts
Re: Finniston Farm: really quite poor
I don't know what Julian is doing with the sword but I hope he's preparing to run Junior through with it. One of the most obnoxious characters Enid ever created.
Society Member
- number 6
- Posts: 4342
- Joined: 11 Jun 2010, 17:12
- Favourite book/series: Famous Five
- Favourite character: George/Jo
- Location: Robin Hood Country
Re: Finniston Farm: really quite poor
By the looks of it, he's taken up some sort of medieval pole dancing!!