Daily Mail Article About 1930s Postcards and Letters

If it doesn't fit into any of the above categories, post it here!
Post Reply
User avatar
Anita Bensoussane
Forum Administrator
Posts: 26768
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

Daily Mail Article About 1930s Postcards and Letters

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

Quite interesting, though Bobs began writing his letters rather earlier than 1933!:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... lyton.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

People who have read Blyton biographies or followed the forums thread about Enid Blyton's Teachers World letters will have seen some of the postcards/photos before, though I don't think I'd seen the picture of Gillian in her reins or the final photo of Old Thatch.
"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
Tony Summerfield
Posts: 6386
Joined: 26 Dec 2004, 12:20

Re: Daily Mail Article About 1930s Postcards and Letters

Post by Tony Summerfield »

How I hate being misquoted. I spoke to a male reporter from a small local paper last week, I have not had any contact with the Daily Mail at all. He thought that Bobs started writing letters in 1933, but I explained to him that Bobs started writing letters long before that date. I also said that I did not think that the pets influenced her writing in any way, she just used them to write short amusing letters but they were on top of her own letters in Teachers World. I also explained that the Bobs books were just collections of his letters in Teachers World and were not specially written books. I added that Bimbo and Topsy were the only pets to have their own book.
User avatar
sixret
Posts: 4130
Joined: 16 Aug 2006, 14:25
Favourite book/series: Five Find-Outers,Mr.Twiddle,Barney R
Favourite character: Mr.Twiddle,Fatty,Saucepan,Snubby

Re: Daily Mail Article About 1930s Postcards and Letters

Post by sixret »

An interesting article. Thank you, Anita. And thank you, Tony for the explanation.
I stand with justice and the truth. Palestine will be free from the river to the sea.

Learn the history. Do research.

The hypocrisy, double standard, prejudice and bigotry own by some people is so obvious.Shame on them!
User avatar
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: Daily Mail Article About 1930s Postcards and Letters

Post by Rob Houghton »

I was a bit confused trying to find these three postcards that have 'come to light' and was surprised to only see photos of Bobs that I'd seen before...a bit of a stretch to suggest that they are new discoveries, as the report seems to be saying! I guess they mean the actual postcards have been newly discovered with the letter, but two of the Bobs photos were used in 'The Story of My Life' and the one by the well appears in Barbara Stoney's biography. I was hoping to see something new!! :?
'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
User avatar
Kate Mary
Posts: 1917
Joined: 20 Apr 2007, 06:25
Favourite book/series: The Treasure Hunters/ Five Find Outers
Favourite character: Barney
Location: Kent

Re: Daily Mail Article About 1930s Postcards and Letters

Post by Kate Mary »

You can always rely on a newspaper to get the facts wrong. A nice picture of Gillian though, I've never seen it before.
"I love everything that's old: old friends, old times, old manners, old books, old wines." Oliver Goldsmith

Society Member
User avatar
Julie2owlsdene
Posts: 15244
Joined: 24 Jul 2007, 20:15
Favourite book/series: F.F. and Mystery Series - Five get into Trouble
Favourite character: Dick
Location: Cornwall

Re: Daily Mail Article About 1930s Postcards and Letters

Post by Julie2owlsdene »

Yes, I've seen all those photos of Bobs, in the books I have. It's nice though that these articles even though some of the facts are wrong, keep Enid's name and books going. I haven't seen that picture of Gillian either, it's not in any of the books I have.

8)
Julian gave an exclamation and nudged George.
"See that? It's the black Bentley again. KMF 102!"

Society Member
User avatar
Courtenay
Posts: 19274
Joined: 07 Feb 2014, 01:22
Favourite book/series: The Adventure Series, Galliano's Circus
Favourite character: Lotta
Location: Both Aussie and British; living in Cheshire

Re: Daily Mail Article About 1930s Postcards and Letters

Post by Courtenay »

Oh no, their facts aren't wrong. They're just alternative facts. :twisted: :wink:

Seriously, even with Tony being misquoted and the various other inaccuracies, it is still good to see an article about Enid that shares some interesting information about her personal life and career WITHOUT trotting out any of the tired old lines about her books being racist/sexist/classist/infantile or otherwise bad for kids. I certainly didn't know anything about Enid's children or Bobs and her other real-life pets while I was reading her books as a child, so I'm sure this will be of interest to others as well.
Society Member

It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
User avatar
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: Daily Mail Article About 1930s Postcards and Letters

Post by Rob Houghton »

Yes, I agree. Its still a very interesting article, and its great to see the letter, and I have also never seen the photo of Gillian before. I do find it interesting that Enid Blyton took all three photos of Bobs herself...including the one where she's sitting with him by the well - presumably she must have used a timer for that one! :?

I'd also never seen the photo of Old Thatch before that comes at the end of the article. 8)
'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
User avatar
John Pickup
Posts: 4876
Joined: 30 Oct 2013, 21:29
Favourite book/series: Barney mysteries
Favourite character: Snubby
Location: Notts

Re: Daily Mail Article About 1930s Postcards and Letters

Post by John Pickup »

That's a lovely photo of Gillian. When we talk about Bob's letters I always imagine the dog lying in his kennel in the evening, scribbling a few words on to paper with his paw. I always see him as left-handed, the same as me.
Society Member
User avatar
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: Daily Mail Article About 1930s Postcards and Letters

Post by Rob Houghton »

:lol:

No - I'm pretty sure he's right handed...or should that be right-pawed? ;-)

I've said it before, but I really love Bobs letters - Enid really shows how good she was at getting into the mind of others - be it children or dogs! They are briliant pieces of writing and its a shame they haven't been published in a 'proper' book. I'm really glad I have the volumes printed by the Society. :-D
'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
User avatar
sixret
Posts: 4130
Joined: 16 Aug 2006, 14:25
Favourite book/series: Five Find-Outers,Mr.Twiddle,Barney R
Favourite character: Mr.Twiddle,Fatty,Saucepan,Snubby

Re: Daily Mail Article About 1930s Postcards and Letters

Post by sixret »

Rob, I think Tony has compiled all of Bob's letters in three booklets. You should buy them since you love his letters. :D
I stand with justice and the truth. Palestine will be free from the river to the sea.

Learn the history. Do research.

The hypocrisy, double standard, prejudice and bigotry own by some people is so obvious.Shame on them!
User avatar
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: Daily Mail Article About 1930s Postcards and Letters

Post by Rob Houghton »

Yes - that's where I first read them, sixret! I have all three. :-D They were actually reprints of Enid's own self-published books.
'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
Post Reply