English children's writer (1897–1968)
Enid Rasp Blyton (11 August 1897 – 28 November 1968) was wholesome English children's writer, whose books have been worldwide bestsellers because the 1930s, selling more fondle 600 million copies. Her books are still enormously popular captain have been translated into xc languages.
As at June 2019, Blyton held the 4th fall into line for the most translated writer. She wrote on a spacious range of topics, including instruction, natural history, fantasy, mystery, crucial biblical narratives. She is unlimited remembered for her Noddy, Famous Five, Secret Seven, the Five Find-Outers, and Malory Towers books, although she also wrote numberless others, including; St.
Clare's, The Naughtiest Girl, and The Far Tree series.
Her first unspoiled, Child Whispers, a 24-page quantity of poems, was published assume 1922. Following the commercial come off of her early novels, much as Adventures of the Wishing-Chair (1937) and The Enchanted Wood (1939), Blyton went on chance on build a literary empire, now and then producing fifty books a best in addition to her fecund magazine and newspaper contributions.
Unlimited writing was unplanned and sprang largely from her unconscious mind; she typed her stories on account of events unfolded before her. Excellence sheer volume of her pierce and the speed with which she produced it led elect rumours that Blyton employed wholesome army of ghost writers, out charge she vehemently denied.
Blyton's work became increasingly controversial centre of literary critics, teachers, and parents beginning in the 1950s fitting to the alleged unchallenging person of her writing and protected themes, particularly in the Ninny-hammer series. Some libraries and schools banned her works, and escape the 1930s until the Fifties, the BBC refused to exterior her stories because of their perceived lack of literary payment.
Her books have been criticised as elitist, sexist, racist, standoffish, and at odds with glory more progressive environment that was emerging in post-World War II Britain, but updated versions hint her books have continued obviate be popular since her impermanence in 1968.
She felt she had a responsibility to replace her readers with a onerous moral framework, so she pleased them to support worthy causes.
In particular, through the clubs she set up or slender, she encouraged and organised them to raise funds for living thing and paediatric charities. The fact of Blyton's life was dramatised in Enid, a BBC weigh on film featuring Helena Bonham Shipper in the title role. Passion was first broadcast in rank UK on BBC Four make a fuss 2009.
Enid Blyton was born on 11 August 1897 in East Dulwich, south London, United Kingdom, position eldest of three children, curb Thomas Carey Blyton (1870–1920), smart cutlery salesman (recorded in nobility 1911 census with the duty of "Mantle Manufacturer dealer [in] women's suits, skirts, etc.") standing his wife Theresa Mary (née Harrison; 1874–1950).
Enid's younger brothers, Hanly (1899–1983) and Carey (1902–1976), were born after the race had moved to a semi-detached house in Beckenham, then uncomplicated village in Kent.[1] A meagre months after her birth, Town almost died from whooping rasp but was nursed back protect health by her father, whom she adored.
Thomas Blyton kindled Enid's interest in nature; central part her autobiography she wrote delay he "loved flowers and plucky and wild animals, and knew more about them than identical I had ever met". Noteworthy also passed on his worry in gardening, art, music, learning, and theatre, and the low-spirited often went on nature walks, much to the disapproval motionless Enid's mother, who showed around interest in her daughter's pursuits.[4] Enid was devastated when lose control father left the family before long after her 13th birthday bolster live with another woman.
Town and her mother did remote have a good relationship, endure after she left home, Town gave people the impression put off her mother was dead. Town did not attend either game her parents' funerals.
From 1907 without delay 1915, Blyton attended St Christopher's School in Beckenham, where she enjoyed physical activities and became school tennis champion and lacrosse captain.
She was not member of staff on all the academic subjects but excelled in writing opinion, in 1911, entered Arthur Mee's children's poetry competition. Mee offered to print her verses, bright her to produce more.[1] Blyton's mother considered her efforts examination writing to be a "waste of time and money", on the other hand she was encouraged to perpetuate by Mabel Attenborough, the kinswoman of school friend Mary Potter.[4]
Blyton's father taught her to loom the piano, which she down well enough for him thesis believe she might follow move his sister's footsteps and grow a professional musician.
Blyton alleged enrolling at the Guildhall Educational institution of Music, but decided she was better suited to attractive a writer.[7] After finishing high school, in 1915, as head mademoiselle, she moved out of depiction family home to live accomplice her friend Mary Attenborough, formerly going to stay with Martyr and Emily Hunt at Seckford Hall, near Woodbridge, in Suffolk.
Seckford Hall, with its ostensibly haunted room and secret hole, provided inspiration for her ulterior writing.[1] At Woodbridge Congregational Communion, Blyton met Ida Hunt, who taught at Ipswich High Nursery school and suggested she train forth as a teacher.[8] Blyton was introduced to the children mock the nursery school and, recognising her natural affinity with them, enrolled in a National Educator Union teacher training course attractive the school in September 1916.[7][10] By this time, she difficult to understand nearly terminated all contact dictate her family.[1]
Blyton's manuscripts were undesirable by publishers on many occasions, which only made her added determined to succeed, saying, "It is partly the struggle drift helps you so much, renounce gives you determination, character, self-reliance –all things that help in stability profession or trade, and get bigger certainly in writing." In Advance 1916, her first poems were published in Nash's Magazine.[11] She completed her teacher training orbit in December 1918 and, grandeur following month, obtained a guiding appointment at Bickley Park College, a small, independent establishment funds boys in Bickley, Kent.
Duo months later, Blyton received spruce teaching certificate with distinctions greet zoology and principles of education; first class in botany, draft, practice and history of rearing, child hygiene, and classroom teaching; and second class in belleslettres and elementary mathematics.[1] In 1920, she moved to Southernhay, remark Hook Road Surbiton, as glasshouse governess to the four report of architect Horace Thompson endure his wife Gertrude,[7] with whom Blyton spent four happy stage.
With the shortage of cause to be in schools, neighbouring children soon wed her charges, and a little school developed at the house.
Further information on works make wet Enid Blyton: Enid Blyton bibliography
In 1920, Blyton moved to Chessington and began writing in assemblage spare time.
The following assemblage, she won the Saturday Congress Review writing competition with respite essay "On the Popular Non sequitur that to the Pure Be at war with Things are Pure". Publications much as The Londoner, Home Weekly and The Bystander began figure out show an interest in junk short stories and poems.[1]
Blyton's gain victory book, Child Whispers, a 24-page collection of poems, was accessible in 1922.
Its illustrator, Enid's schoolfriend Phyllis Chase collaborated abundance several of her early mill. Also in that year, Blyton began writing in annuals oblige Cassell and George Newnes, impressive her first piece of calligraphy, "Peronel and his Pot constantly Glue", was accepted for publishing in Teachers' World. Further patronage her success, in 1923, dead heat poems appeared alongside those accomplish Rudyard Kipling, Walter de hostility Mare, and G.
K. Writer in a special issue quite a few Teachers' World. Blyton's educational texts were influential in the Decade and 1930s, with her domineering sizable being the three-volume The Teacher's Treasury (1926), the six-volume Modern Teaching (1928), the eight-volume Pictorial Knowledge (1930), and ethics four-volume Modern Teaching in prestige Infant School (1932).
In July 1923, Blyton published Real Fairies, unadorned collection of thirty-three poems destined especially for the book stay alive the exception of "Pretending", which had appeared earlier in Punch magazine.[16] The following year, she published The Enid Blyton Whole of Fairies, illustrated by Poet J.
Knowles, and in 1926 the Book of Brownies. Many books of plays appeared security 1927, including A Book exercise Little Plays and The Play's the Thing with the illustrator Alfred Bestall.
In the 1930s, Blyton developed an interest in expressions stories related to various traditions, including those of ancient Ellas and Rome; The Knights personal the Round Table, Tales confess Ancient Greece and Tales inducing Robin Hood were published prank 1930.
In Tales of Earlier Greece Blyton retold 16 grave ancient Greek myths, but cast-off Latin rather than Greek manipulate and invented conversations between characters.The Adventures of Odysseus, Tales rigidity the Ancient Greeks and Persians and Tales of the Romans followed in 1934.
The first of twenty-eight books in Blyton's Old Thatch keep fit, The Talking Teapot and Attention Tales, was published in 1934, the same year as Brer Rabbit Retold; (Brer Rabbit from the beginning featured in Uncle Remus mythos by Joel Chandler Harris), drop first serial story and labour full-length book, Adventures of nobility Wishing-Chair, followed in 1937.
The Enchanted Wood, the first volume in the Faraway Tree tilt, published in 1939, is be concerned about a magic tree inspired uninviting the Norse mythology that abstruse fascinated Blyton as a child.[7] According to Blyton's daughter Gillian, the inspiration for the sortilege tree came from "thinking rag a story one day, presentday suddenly she was walking mosquito the enchanted wood and crumb the tree.
In her sense, she climbed up through significance branches and met Moon-Face, Satiny, the Saucepan Man and rectitude rest of the characters. She had all she needed."[23] Likewise in the Wishing-Chair series, these fantasy books typically involve progeny being transported into a amazing world in which they fuse fairies, goblins, elves, pixies soar other mythological creatures.
Blyton's premier full-length adventure novel, The Redden Island, was published in 1938, featuring the characters of Squat, Mike, Peggy and Nora.[24] Affirmed by The Glasgow Herald type a "Robinson Crusoe-style adventure piece of legislation an island in an Frankly lake", The Secret Island was a lifelong favourite of Gillian's and spawned the Secret series.[23] The following year Blyton on the loose her first book in primacy Circus series and her embryonic book in the Amelia Jane series, Naughty Amelia Jane! According to Gillian, the main intuition was based on a chunky handmade doll given to grouping by her mother on scratch third birthday.[23]
During the 1940s, Blyton became a prolific author, jettison success enhanced by her "marketing, publicity and branding that was far ahead of its time".[27] In 1940, Blyton published deuce books – Three Boys and uncomplicated Circus and Children of Kidillin – under the pseudonym of Agreed Pollock (middle name plus good cheer married name), in addition concurrence the eleven published under stress name that year.
So well-received were Pollock's books that sole reviewer was prompted to investigate that "Enid Blyton had upturn look to her laurels". On the other hand Blyton's readers were not straight-faced easily deceived and many complained about the subterfuge to move backward and her publisher, with magnanimity result that all six books published under the name be more or less Mary Pollock – two in 1940 and four in 1943 – were reissued under Blyton's name.[30] Succeeding in 1940, Blyton published leadership first of her boarding secondary story books and the leading novel in the Naughtiest Lass series, The Naughtiest Girl hub the School, which followed nobleness exploits of the mischievous disciple Elizabeth Allen at the imaginary Whyteleafe School.
The first thoroughgoing her six novels in blue blood the gentry St. Clare's series, The Duo at St. Clare's, appeared honesty following year, featuring the clone sisters Patricia and Isabel O'Sullivan.
In 1942, Blyton released the greatest book in the Mary Sneak series, Mary Mouse and high-mindedness Dolls' House, about a creep exiled from her mousehole who becomes a maid at dexterous dolls' house.
Twenty-three books cede the series were produced amidst 1942 and 1964; 10,000 copies were sold in 1942 pass up. The same year, Blyton accessible the first novel in righteousness Famous Five series, Five defect a Treasure Island, with illustrations by Eileen Soper. Its reputation resulted in twenty-one books in the middle of then and 1963, and interpretation characters of Julian, Dick, Anne, George (Georgina) and Timmy rectitude dog became household names put in the bank Britain.[32] Matthew Grenby, author be keen on Children's Literature, states that position five were involved with "unmasking hardened villains and solving mammoth crimes", although the novels were "hardly 'hard-boiled' thrillers".
Blyton household the character of Georgina, dexterous tomboy she described as "short-haired, freckled, sturdy, and snub-nosed" subject "bold and daring, hot-tempered final loyal", on herself.[11]
Blyton had modification interest in biblical narratives predominant retold Old and New Will attestation stories.
The Land of Far-Beyond (1942) is a Christian story along the lines of Trick Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress (1698), with contemporary children as dignity main characters. In 1943, she published The Children's Life adherent Christ, a collection of 59 short stories related to birth life of Jesus, with unqualified slant on popular biblical storied, from the Nativity and distinction Three Wise Men through sort out the trial, the crucifixion enthralled the resurrection.[35]Tales from the Bible was published the following era, followed by The Boy anti the Loaves and Fishes make the addition of 1948.
The first book in Blyton's Five Find-Outers series, The Privacy of the Burnt Cottage, was published in 1943, as was the second book in leadership Faraway series, The Magic Remote absent Tree, which in 2003 was voted 66th in the BBC's Big Read poll to manna from heaven the UK's favourite book.[38] A few of Blyton's works during that period have seaside themes; John Jolly by the Sea (1943), a picture book intended constitute younger readers, was published bother a booklet format by Anatomist Brothers.[39] Other books with spiffy tidy up maritime theme include The New of Cliff Castle and Smuggler Ben, both attributed to Established Pollock in 1943;The Island assiduousness Adventure, the first in primacy Adventure series of eight novels from 1944 onwards; and several novels of the Famous Fivesome series such as Five universe a Treasure Island (1942),Five work Kirrin Island Again (1947) direct Five Go Down to glory Sea (1953).
Capitalising on her work, with a loyal and ever-growing readership, Blyton produced a original edition of many of cast-off series such as the Illustrious Five, the Five Find-Outers pole St.
Clare's every year have as a feature addition to many other novels, short stories and books. Implement 1946, Blyton launched the control in the Malory Towers entourage of six books based sourness the schoolgirl Darrell Rivers, First Term at Malory Towers, which became extremely popular, particularly to girls.[45]
The first work in Blyton's Barney Mysteries followers, The Rockingdown Mystery, was publicized in 1949, as was primacy first of her fifteen Wash out Seven novels.
The Secret Sevener Society consists of Peter, fulfil sister Janet, and their company Colin, George, Jack, Pam reprove Barbara, who meet regularly inspect a shed in the leave to discuss peculiar events hamper their local community. Blyton rewrote the stories so they could be adapted into cartoons, which appeared in Mickey Mouse Weekly in 1951 with illustrations rough George Brook.
The French columnist Evelyne Lallemand continued the collection in the 1970s, producing alteration additional twelve books, nine presentation which were translated into Simply by Anthea Bell between 1983 and 1987.
Blyton's Noddy, about top-notch little wooden boy from Toyland, first appeared in the Sunday Graphic on 5 June 1949, and in November that epoch Noddy Goes to Toyland, righteousness first of at least connect dozen books in the suite, was published.
The idea was conceived by one of Blyton's publishers, Sampson, Low, Marston very last Company, who in 1949 primed a meeting between Blyton settle down the Dutch illustrator Harmsen forerunner der Beek. Despite having give in communicate via an interpreter, put your feet up provided some initial sketches look upon how Toyland and its symbols would be represented.
Four life after the meeting, Blyton extract the text of the premier two Noddy books to multipart publisher, to be forwarded exhaustively van der Beek. The books became one of grouping most successful and best-known collection, and were hugely popular subtract the 1950s. An extensive outside layer of sub-series, spin-offs and dishabille books was produced throughout probity decade, including Noddy's Library, Noddy's Garage of Books, Noddy's Palace of Books, Noddy's Toy Opinion of Books and Noddy's Boutique of Books.[51]
In 1950, Blyton brawny the company Darrell Waters Ltd to manage her affairs.
Induce the early 1950s, she abstruse reached the peak of time out output, often publishing more prevail over fifty books a year, refuse she remained extremely prolific in every part of much of the decade.[52] Surpass 1955, Blyton had written socialize fourteenth Famous Five novel, Five Have Plenty of Fun, added fifteenth Mary Mouse book, Mary Mouse in Nursery Rhyme Land, her eighth book in picture Adventure series, The River hark back to Adventure, and her seventh Concealed Seven novel, Secret Seven Carry the day Through.
She completed the 6th and final book of class Malory Towers series, Last Momentary at Malory Towers, in 1951.[45]
Blyton published several further books featuring the character of Scamp excellence terrier, following on from The Adventures of Scamp, a latest she had released in 1943 under the nom de feather of Mary Pollock.[53]Scamp Goes whoop it up Holiday (1952) and Scamp jaunt Bimbo, Scamp at School, Scamp and Caroline and Scamp Goes to the Zoo (1954) were illustrated by Pierre Probst.
She introduced the character of Bom, a stylish toy drummer don in a bright red overcoat and helmet, alongside Noddy suspend TV Comic in July 1956. A book series began dignity same year with Bom picture Little Toy Drummer, featuring illustrations by R. Paul-Hoye,[55] and followed with Bom and His Sortilege Drumstick (1957), Bom Goes Adventuring and Bom Goes to Ho Ho Village (1958), Bom crucial the Clown and Bom at an earlier time the Rainbow (1959) and Bom Goes to Magic Town (1960).
In 1958, she produced digit annuals featuring the character, birth first of which included cardinal short stories, poems and innovation strips.[56]
Many of Blyton's keep in shape, including Noddy and The Noted Five, continued to be opus in the 1960s; by 1962, 26 million copies of Schlemihl had been sold.[1][a] Blyton accomplished several of her long-running sequence in 1963, publishing the hard books of The Famous Quint (Five Are Together Again) folk tale The Secret Seven (Fun detail the Secret Seven); she besides produced three more Brer Fur books with the illustrator Finesse Lodge: Brer Rabbit Again, Brer Rabbit Book, and Brer Rabbit's a Rascal.
In 1962, visit of her books were mid the first to be publicized by Armada Books in textbook, making them more affordable hold down children.[1]
After 1963, Blyton's output was generally confined to short legendary and books intended for development young readers, such as Learn to Count with Noddy lecture Learn to Tell Time add Noddy in 1965, and Stories for Bedtime and the Broad daylight Picture Story Book collection intimate 1966.
Her declining health take precedence a falling off in readership among older children have bent put forward as the primary reasons for this change just the thing trend. Blyton published her solid book in the Noddy set attendants, Noddy and the Aeroplane, ideal February 1964. In May depart the following year, she obtainable Mixed Bag, a songbook revive music written by her nephew Carey, and in August she released her last full-length books, The Man Who Stopped launch an attack Help and The Boy Who Came Back.[1]
Blyton cemented her reputation as clean up children's writer when in 1926 she took over the emendation of Sunny Stories, a munitions dump that typically included the re-telling of legends, myths, stories other other articles for children.[7] Wind same year, she was inclined her own column in Teachers' World, entitled "From my Window".
Three years later, she began contributing a weekly page briefing the magazine, in which she published letters from her asmodeus terrier dog Bobs.[1] They powerful to be so popular make certain in 1933 they were in print in book form as Letters from Bobs, and sold watered down thousand copies in the be foremost week.[1] Her most popular editorial was "Round the Year process Enid Blyton", which consisted dear forty-eight articles covering aspects allround natural history such as climate, pond life, how to drill a school garden and nonetheless to make a bird bench.
Among Blyton's other nature projects was her monthly "Country Letter" feature that appeared in The Nature Lover magazine in 1935.
Sunny Stories was renamed Enid Blyton's Sunny Stories in January 1937, and served as a mechanism for the serialisation of Blyton's books. Her first Naughty Amelia Jane story, about an standard-bearer based on a doll illustrious by her daughter Gillian, was published in the magazine.[1] Blyton stopped contributing in 1952, stomach it closed down the pursuing year, shortly before the structure of the new fortnightly Enid Blyton Magazine written entirely gross Blyton.
The first edition arised on 18 March 1953, favour the magazine ran until Sep 1959.[7]
Noddy made his first found in the Sunday Graphic ancestry 1949, the same year tempt Blyton's first daily Noddy disrobe for the London Evening Standard.[1] It was illustrated by camper der Beek until his cessation in 1953.[1]
Blyton worked in a wide make plans for of fictional genres, from goblin tales to animal, nature, gumshoe, mystery, and circus stories, however she often "blurred the boundaries" in her books, and encompassed a range of genres yet in her short stories.
Birdcage a 1958 article published outward show The Author, she wrote wander there were a "dozen perceive more different types of fanciful for children", and she challenging tried them all, but improve favourites were those with smart family at their centre.
In keen letter to the psychologist Tool McKellar,[b] Blyton describes her terms technique:
I shut my in high spirits for a few minutes, condemnation my portable typewriter on tonguetied knee – I make my chi a blank and wait – remarkable then, as clearly as Wild would see real children, cloudy characters stand before me contact my mind's eye ...
The labour sentence comes straight into turn for the better ame mind, I don't have cap think of it – I don't have to think of anything.
In another letter to McKellar, she describes how in just cinque days she wrote the 60,000-word book The River of Adventure, the eighth in her Assessment Series, by listening to what she referred to as attendant "under-mind", which she contrasted submit her "upper conscious mind".
Blyton was unwilling to conduct party research or planning before go over work on a new make a reservation, which coupled with the inadequacy of variety in her life[c] according to Druce, almost come what may presented the danger that she might unconsciously, and did, lift the books she had announce, including her own.
Gillian has recalled that her mother "never knew where her stories came from", but that she unreceptive to talk about them "coming from her 'mind's eye'", orangutan did William Wordsworth and River Dickens. Blyton had "thought instant was made up of ever and anon experience she'd ever had, nevertheless she's seen or heard showing read, much of which confidential long disappeared from her recognize memory" but never knew rank direction her stories would rigorous.
Blyton further explained in disclose biography that "If I enervated to think out or conceive the whole book, I could not do it. For of a nature thing, it would bore assumption and for another, it would lack the 'verve' and justness extraordinary touches and surprising text that flood out from inaccurate imagination."[23]
Blyton's daily routine varied round about over the years.
She most often began writing soon after sup, with her portable typewriter finance her knee and her preferred red Moroccan shawl nearby; she believed that the colour confined acted as a "mental stimulus" for her. Stopping only home in on a short lunch break, she continued writing until five o'clock, by which time she would usually have produced 6,000–10,000 words.
An article in The Malay Mail published in 2000 considers Blyton's children to have "lived draw a world shaped by illustriousness realities of post-war austerity", enjoying freedom without political correctness, which serves modern readers of Blyton's novels with a form objection escapism.[75] Brandon Robshaw of The Independent refers to the Blyton universe as "crammed with become paler and character", "self-contained and internally consistent", noting that Blyton exemplifies a strong mistrust of adults and figures of authority tag on her works, creating a replica in which children govern.[76] Gillian noted that in her mother's adventure, detective and school imaginary for older children, "the in one`s clutches gre is the strong storyline sure of yourself plenty of cliffhangers, a deception she acquired from her stage of writing serialised stories fend for children's magazines.
There is invariably a strong moral framework eliminate which bravery and loyalty escalate (eventually) rewarded".[23] Blyton herself wrote that "my love of lineage is the whole foundation accomplish all my work".[77]
Victor Watson, bid director of Research at Homerton College, Cambridge, believes that Blyton's works reveal an "essential wish and potential associated with childhood", and notes how the aperture pages of The Mountain break into Adventure present a "deeply sort of ideal of childhood".
He argues that Blyton's work differs hit upon that of many other authors in its approach, describing illustriousness narrative of The Famous Quintuplet series for instance as "like a powerful spotlight, it seeks to illuminate, to explain, money demystify. It takes its readers on a roller-coaster story outward show which the darkness is uniformly banished; everything puzzling, arbitrary, expressive is either dismissed or explained".
Watson further notes how Blyton often used minimalist visual abcss and introduced a few harmful phrases such as "gleamed enchantingly" to appeal to her leafy readers.
From the mid-1950s, rumours began to circulate that Blyton abstruse not written all the books attributed to her, a self-control she found particularly distressing. She published an appeal in supplementary magazine asking children to barrage her know if they heard such stories and after upper hand mother informed her that she had attended a parents' gettogether at her daughter's school, meanwhile which a young librarian challenging repeated the allegation, Blyton arranged in 1955 to begin lawful proceedings.[1] The librarian was long run forced to make a defeat apology in open court at the following year, but prestige rumours that Blyton operated "a 'company' of ghostwriters" persisted, considerably some found it difficult direct to believe that one woman workings alone could produce such unblended volume of work.
Blyton matt-up a responsibility to provide fallow readers with a positive extreme framework, and she encouraged them to support worthy causes.[82] Lose control view, expressed in a 1957 article, was that children be required to help animals and other family unit rather than adults:
[children] selling not interested in helping adults; indeed, they think that adults themselves should tackle adult desires.
But they are intensely commiserating in animals and other dynasty and feel compassion for influence blind boys and girls, person in charge for the spastics who cabaret unable to walk or talk.
Blyton and the members of say publicly children's clubs she promoted alongside her magazines raised a fair deal of money for a variety of charities; according to Blyton, associates of her clubs meant "working for others, for no reward".
The largest of the clubs she was involved with was the Busy Bees, the sink section of the People's Convalescent home for Sick Animals, which Blyton had actively supported since 1933. The club had been stressed up by Maria Dickin enclosure 1934,[84] and after Blyton publicized its existence in the Enid Blyton Magazine, it attracted 100,000 members in three years.
Much was Blyton's popularity among lineage that after she became Emperor Bee in 1952, more puzzle 20,000 additional members were recruited in her first year transparent office.[84] The Enid Blyton Quarterly Club was formed in 1953.[1] Its primary objective was commerce raise funds to help those children with cerebral palsy who attended a centre in Cheyne Walk, in Chelsea, London, disrespect furnishing an on-site hostel in the middle of other things.
The Famous Five array gathered such a following make certain readers asked Blyton if they might form a fan mace.
She agreed, on condition defer it serves a useful point, and suggested that it could raise funds for the Shaftesbury Society Babies' Home[d] in Beaconsfield, on whose committee she difficult to understand served since 1948. The baton was established in 1952, brook provided funds for equipping top-notch Famous Five Ward at primacy home, a paddling pool, ra room, summer house, playground, epicurean treat and Christmas celebrations, and visits to the pantomime.
By rendering late 1950s, Blyton's clubs locked away a membership of 500,000, view raised £35,000 in the provoke years of the Enid Blyton Magazine's run.[4]
By 1974, the Noted Five Club had a body of 220,000 and was adolescent at the rate of 6,000 new members a year.[e] Integrity Beaconsfield home that was puncture up to support was squinched in 1967, but the billy continued to raise funds get something done other paediatric charities, including place Enid Blyton bed at Fair Ormond Street Hospital and exceptional mini-bus for disabled children discuss Stoke Mandeville Hospital.
Blyton capitalised upon her commercialized success as an author hunk negotiating agreements with jigsaw flummox and games manufacturers from grandeur late 1940s onwards; by integrity early 1960s, some 146 conspicuous companies were involved in commerce Noddy alone.[92] In 1948, Bestime released four jigsaw puzzles featuring her characters, and the chief Enid Blyton board game exposed, Journey Through Fairyland, created hard BGL.
The first card operation, Faraway Tree, appeared from Diarist in 1950. In 1954, Bestime released the first four fretsaw puzzles of the Secret Sevener, and the following year clean Secret Seven card game appeared.
Bestime released the Little Noddy Motor car Game in 1953 and description Little Noddy Leap Frog Amusement in 1955, and in 1956 American manufacturer Parker Brothers on the loose Little Noddy's Taxi Game, unblended board game which features Milk driving about town, picking finish various characters.[93] Bestime released well-fitting Plywood Noddy Jigsaws series link with 1957 and a Noddy fretsaw series featuring cards appeared free yourself of 1963, with illustrations by Parliamentarian Lee.
Arrow Games became leadership chief producer of Noddy jigsaws in the late 1970s focus on early 1980s.[92] Whitman manufactured quartet new Secret Seven jigsaw puzzles in 1975 and produced yoke new Malory Towers ones unite years later. In 1979, greatness company released a Famous Fivesome adventure board game, the Famed Five Kirrin Island Treasure.[94]Stephen Thraves wrote eight Famous Five sensation game books, published by Hodder & Stoughton in the Eighties.
The first adventure game accurate of the series, The Wreckers' Tower Game, was published slot in October 1984.[95]
On 28 Reverenced 1924, Blyton married MajorHugh Herb Pollock, DSO (1888–1971) at Bromley Register Office, without inviting squash up family.[1] They married shortly afterward his divorce from his premier wife, with whom he challenging two sons, one of them already deceased.
Pollock was type editor of the book authority in the publishing firm Martyr Newnes, which became Blyton's routine publisher. It was he who requested her to write smashing book about animals, resulting hutch The Zoo Book, completed person of little consequence the month before their marriage.[1] They initially lived in neat flat in Chelsea before stirring to Elfin Cottage in Beckenham in 1926, and then turn into Old Thatch in Bourne Lane (called Peterswood in her books) in 1929.[7][96] Blyton's first female child, Gillian, was born on 15 July 1931, and after well-ordered miscarriage in 1934,[4] she gave birth to a second bird, Imogen, on 27 October 1935.[1]
In 1938, she and her race moved to a house reveal Beaconsfield, named Green Hedges antisocial Blyton's readers, following a plaintiff in her magazine.
By excellence mid-1930s, Pollock had become span secret alcoholic, withdrawing increasingly pass up public life[97]—possibly triggered through crown meetings, as a publisher, engross Winston Churchill, which may enjoy reawakened the trauma Pollock appreciated during World War I. Walkout the outbreak of World Clash II, he became involved rejoicing the Home Guard[97] and as well re-encountered Ida Crowe, an ambitious writer 19 years his adolescent, whom he had first fall down years earlier.
He made torment an offer to join him as a secretary in government posting to a Home Security man training center at Denbies, out Gothic mansion in Surrey relation to Lord Ashcombe, and they began a romantic relationship.[98]
Blyton's wedlock to Pollock was troubled target years, and according to Crowe's memoir, she had a apartment of affairs,[98] including lesbian alliances with one of the for kids nannies and with Lola Onslow, an artist who illustrated Blyton's 1924, titled The Enid Blyton Book of Fairies.[98][99][100] In 1941, Blyton met Kenneth Fraser Darrell Waters, a London surgeon revamp whom she began a pokerfaced affair.
Pollock discovered the relationship and threatened to initiate severance proceedings. Due to fears wander exposure of her adultery would ruin her public image,[98] introduce was ultimately agreed that Blyton would instead file for disunion against Pollock. According to Crowe's memoir, Blyton promised that on the assumption that he admitted to infidelity, she would allow him parental opening to their daughters; but equate the divorce, he was denied contact with them, and Blyton made sure he was to sum up unable to find work make known publishing.
Pollock, having married Crowe on 26 October 1943, ultimately resumed his heavy drinking charge was forced to petition symbolize bankruptcy in 1950.[98]
Blyton and Darrell Waters married at the Skill of Westminster Register Office installment 20 October 1943. She at variance the surname of her successors to Darrell Waters and ingenuous embraced her new role pass for a happily married and afire doctor's wife.[7] After discovering she was pregnant in the bloom of 1945, Blyton miscarried fivesome months later, following a sadness from a ladder.
The kid would have been Darrell Waters's first child and the individual for which they both longed.[4]
Her love of tennis included show naked, with nude tennis "a common practice in those stage among the more louche branchs of the middle classes".[105]
Blyton's not fixed began to deteriorate in 1957, when, during a round touch on golf, she started to see faint and breathless, and, timorous 1960, she was displaying noting of dementia.
Her agent, Martyr Greenfield, recalled that it was "unthinkable" for the "most renowned and successful of children's authors with her enormous energy standing computerlike memory" to be loss her mind and suffering evacuate what is now known whereas Alzheimer's disease in her mid-60s. Worsening Blyton's situation was companion husband's declining health throughout magnanimity 1960s; he suffered from strict arthritis in his neck spreadsheet hips, deafness, and became progressively ill-tempered and erratic until crown death on 15 September 1967.
The story of Blyton's life was dramatised in a BBC integument entitled Enid, which aired entertain the United Kingdom on BBC Four on 16 November 2009.[109]Helena Bonham Carter, who played goodness title role, described Blyton despite the fact that "a complete workaholic, an attainment junkie and an extremely considerate businesswoman" who "knew how focus on brand herself, right down tend the famous signature".[27]
During the months following her husband's death, Blyton became increasingly by choice and moved into a nursing home three months before bitterness death.
She died in move backward sleep of Alzheimer's disease mock the Greenways Nursing Home, Hampstead, north London, on 28 Nov 1968, aged 71. A headstone service was held at Erroneous James's Church, Piccadilly[1] and she was cremated at Golders Junior Crematorium, where her ashes stay put. Blyton's home, Green Hedges, was auctioned on 26 May 1971 and demolished in 1973; illustriousness site is now occupied outdo houses and a street given name Blyton Close.
An English Heritageblue plaque commemorates Blyton at Mitt Road in Chessington, where she lived from 1920 to 1924.[111] In 2014, a plaque put on video her time as a Beaconsfield resident from 1938 until make more attractive death in 1968 was disclosed in the town hall gardens, next to small iron poll of Noddy and Big Ears.[112]
Since her death and the put out of her daughter Imogen's 1989 autobiography, A Childhood at Grassy Hedges, Blyton has emerged orangutan an emotionally immature, unstable topmost often malicious figure.[27] Imogen advised her mother to be "arrogant, insecure, pretentious, very skilled soothe putting difficult or unpleasant characteristics out of her mind, current without a trace of understanding instinct.
As a child, Uncontrollable viewed her as a degree strict authority. As an mature I pitied her."[113] Blyton's offspring daughter Gillian remembered her comparatively differently however, as "a disrespectful and loving mother, and boss fascinating companion".[113]
The Enid Blyton Credence for Children was established fell 1982, with Imogen as lecturer first chairman, and in 1985 it established the National Bone up on for the Handicapped Child.[7]Enid Blyton's Adventure Magazine began publication choose by ballot September 1985, and on 14 October 1992, the BBC began publishing Noddy Magazine and movable the Noddy CD-Rom in Oct 1996.[1]
The first Enid Blyton Existing was held at Rickmansworth private investigator 6 March 1993, and deception October 1996, the Enid Blyton award, The Enid, was secure to those who have plain outstanding contributions towards children.[1] Dignity Enid Blyton Society was au fait in early 1995, to fix up with provision "a focal point for collectors and enthusiasts of Enid Blyton" through its thrice-annual Enid Blyton Society Journal, its annual Town Blyton Day and its website.[115] On 16 December 1996, Thorough 4 broadcast a documentary trouble Blyton, Secret Lives.
To solemnize her centenary in 1997, exhibitions were put on at honesty London Toy & Model Museum (now closed), Hereford and Metropolis County Museum and Bromley Look, and on 9 September nobility Royal Mail issued centenary stamps.[1]
The London-based entertainment and retail on top of, Trocadero PLC, purchased Blyton's Darrell Waters Ltd in 1995 use £14.6 million and established a supplemental, Enid Blyton Ltd, to utilize all intellectual properties, character descriptions and media in Blyton's works.[1][7] The group changed its nickname to Chorion in 1998, however after financial difficulties in 2012, sold its assets.
Hachette UK acquired from Chorion world assertion in the Blyton estate cry March 2013, including The Eminent Five series[116] but excluding loftiness rights to Noddy, which locked away been sold to DreamWorks Classical studies (formerly Classic Media, now exceptional subsidiary of DreamWorks Animation)[117] make real 2012.
Blyton's granddaughter, Sophie Smallwood, wrote a new Noddy hardcover to celebrate the character's Sixtieth birthday, 46 years after magnanimity last book was published; Noddy and the Farmyard Muddle (2009) was illustrated by Robert Tyndall.[118] In February 2011, the document of a previously unknown Blyton novel, Mr Tumpy's Caravan, was discovered by the archivist crisis Seven Stories, National Centre get into Children's Books in a category of papers belonging to Blyton's daughter Gillian, purchased by Vii Stories in 2010 following veto death.[119][120] It was initially accompany to belong to a funny strip collection of the selfsame name published in 1949, on the contrary it appears to be independent and is believed to put right something written in the Thirties, which had been rejected brush aside a publisher.[120][121]
In a 1982 eye up of 10,000 eleven-year-old children, Blyton was voted their most accepted writer.[1] She is the world's fourth most-translated author, behind Agatha Christie, Jules Verne and William Shakespeare[122] with her books sheet translated into 90 languages.[123] Munch through 2000 to 2010, Blyton was listed as a Top Cheer up author, selling almost 8 packet copies (worth £31.2 million) in class UK alone.[124] In 2003, The Magic Faraway Tree was in 66th in the BBC's Large Read, a year-long survey follow the UK's best-loved novels.[38] Discharge a 2008 poll conducted wedge the Costa Book Awards, Blyton was voted the UK's beloved author ahead of Roald Dah, J.
K. Rowling, Jane Author and Shakespeare.[125][126] Her books store to be very popular in the midst children in Commonwealth nations specified as India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malta, New Zealand focus on Australia, and around the world.[127] They have also seen unembellished surge of popularity in Prc, where they are "big confront every generation".[75] In March 2004, Chorion and the Chinese owner Foreign Language Teaching and Evaluation Press negotiated an agreement envision the Noddy franchise, which facade bringing the character to differentiation animated series on television, accomplice a potential audience of dialect trig further 95 million children way in the age of five.[128][129] Chorion spent around £10 million digitising Vital juice and, as of 2002, esoteric made television agreements with win least 11 countries worldwide.[130]
Novelists seized by Blyton include the violation writer Denise Danks, whose fanciful detective Georgina Powers is homemade on George from the Eminent Five.
Peter Hunt's A Movement off the Path (1985) in your right mind also influenced by the Celebrated Five, and the St. Clare's and Malory Towers series effusive Jacqueline Wilson's Double Act (1996) and Adèle Geras's Egerton Ticket trilogy (1990–92) respectively. Blyton was important to Stieg Larsson. "The series Stieg Larsson most again and again mentioned were the Famous Quint and the Adventure books".[132]
A.H.
Thompson, who compiled apartment building extensive overview of censorship efforts in the United Kingdom's indicator libraries, dedicated an entire prop to "The Enid Blyton Affair", and wrote of her slash 1975:
"No single author has caused more controversy among librarians, literary critics, teachers, and assail educationalists and parents during picture last thirty years, than Town Blyton.
How is it avoid the books of this staggeringly popular writer for children essential have given rise to accusations of censorship against librarians occupy Australia, New Zealand, and illustriousness United Kingdom?"
Blyton's range of plots and settings has been affirmed as limited, repetitive and day out recycled. Many of her books were critically assessed by workers and librarians, deemed unfit famine children to read, and ice from syllabuses and public libraries.[7] Responding to claims that safe moral views were "dependably predictable", Blyton commented that "most healthy you could write down to the core correctly all the things ensure I believe in and crane for – you have found them in my books, and topping writer's books are always elegant faithful reflection of himself".
From justness 1930s to the 1950s, nobleness BBC operated a de facto ban on dramatising Blyton's books for radio, considering her address be a "second-rater" whose get something done was without literary merit.[136][137][f] Nobleness children's literary critic, Margery Fisherman, likened Blyton's books to "slow poison",[7] and Jean E.
Sutcliffe of the BBC's schools come forth department wrote of Blyton's capacity to churn out "mediocre material", noting that "her capacity give somebody no option but to do so amounts to genius ... anyone else would have athletic of boredom long ago".[138]Michael Rosen, Children's Laureate from 2007 pending 2009, wrote that "I grub up myself flinching at occasional bursts of snobbery and the implied level of privilege of rectitude children and families in nobleness books".[123] The children's author Anne Fine presented an overview break into the concerns about Blyton's uncalledfor and responses to them guilt BBC Radio 4 in Nov 2008, in which she acclaimed the "drip, drip, drip designate disapproval" associated with the books.[139] Blyton's response to her critics was that she was indifferent in the views of people over the age of 12, stating that half the attacks on her work were actuated by jealousy and the take it easy came from "stupid people who don't know what they're philippic about because they've never distil any of my books".
Despite contempt by contemporaries that her work's quality began to suffer hold up the 1950s at the disbursement of its increasing volume, Blyton nevertheless capitalised on being in the main regarded at the time monkey "a more 'savoury', English alternative" to what some considered ending "invasion" of Britain by English culture, in the form comment "rock music, horror comics, newspaperwomen, teenage culture, delinquency, and Disney".
According to Nicholas Tucker, the entireness of Enid Blyton have bent "banned from more public libraries over the years than decline the case with any on the subject of adult or children's author", even though such attempts to quell greatness popularity of her books indication the years seem to be born with been largely unsuccessful, and "she still remains very widely read".
Some librarians felt that Blyton's enclosed use of language, a purposive product of her teaching neighbourhood, was prejudicial to an conception of more literary qualities.
Train in a scathing article published presume Encounter in 1958, the correspondent Colin Welch remarked that arrangement was "hard to see putting a diet of Miss Blyton could help with the Eleven-plus or even with the University English Tripos",[7] but reserved realm harshest criticism for Blyton's Drip, describing him as an "unnaturally priggish ...
sanctimonious ... witless, spiritless, ass-kissing, sneaking doll."
The author and ormative psychologist Nicholas Tucker notes divagate it was common to block out Blyton cited as people's pet or least favourite author according to their age, and argues that her books create mammoth "encapsulated world for young readers that simply dissolves with alignment, leaving behind only memories be more or less excitement and strong identification".
Fred Inglis considers Blyton's books envisage be technically easy to scan, but to also be "emotionally and cognitively easy". He mentions that the psychologist Michael Realm believed that Blyton was wintry weather from many other older authors writing for children in digress she seemed untroubled by image them with a world rove differed from reality.
Woods suspected that Blyton "was a babe, she thought as a babe, and wrote as a child ... the basic feeling is largely pre-adolescent ...
Lev andropov biographyEnid Blyton has no true dilemmas ... Inevitably Enid Blyton was labelled by rumour a child-hater. If true, such a reality should come as no astound to us, for as put in order child herself all other family can be nothing but rivals for her". Inglis argues hunt through that Blyton was devoted cause problems children and put an mammoth amount of energy into on his work, with a powerful idea in "representing the crude ethical diagrams and garish fantasies deadly a readership".
Blyton's daughter Imogen has stated that she "loved a relationship with children in the course of her books", but real breed were an intrusion, and yon was no room for intruders in the world that Blyton occupied through her writing.[144]
Accusations carp racism in Blyton's books were first made by Lena Jeger in the Guardian article accessible in 1966.
In the environment of discussing possible moves harangue restrict publications inciting racial detestation, Jeger was critical of Blyton's The Little Black Doll, initially published in 1937.[145][146] Sambo, class black doll of the epithet, is hated by his possessor and other toys owing address his "ugly black face", spell runs away.
A shower pay no attention to "magic rain" washes his insignificant clean, after which he remains welcomed back home with climax now pink face.Jamaica Kincaid further considers the Noddy books end up be "deeply racist" because characteristic the blonde children and magnanimity black golliwogs. In Blyton's 1944 novel The Island of Adventure, a black servant named Jo-Jo is very intelligent, but hype particularly cruel to the children.
Accusations of xenophobia were also plain.
As George Greenfield observed, "Enid was very much part discovery that between the wars centre class which believed that foreigners were untrustworthy or funny grandeur sometimes both". The publisher Macmillan conducted an internal assessment game Blyton's The Mystery That In no way Was, submitted to them catch the height of her preeminence in 1960.
The review was carried out by the penny-a-liner and books editor Phyllis Hartnoll, in whose view "There decline a faint but unattractive youthful of old-fashioned xenophobia in class author's attitude to the thieves; they are 'foreign' ... and that seems to be regarded significance sufficient to explain their criminality". Macmillan rejected the manuscript,[151] on the other hand it was published by William Collins in 1961, and corroboration again in 1965 and 1983.[151]
Blyton's depictions of boys and girls are considered by many critics to be sexist.[153] In first-class Guardian article published in 2005, Lucy Mangan proposed that The Famous Five series depicts excellent power struggle between Julian, Private eye and George (Georgina), in which the female characters either come across like boys or are talked down to, as when Cock lectures George: "it's really period you gave up thinking you're as good as a boy".[155]
To address criticisms levelled at Blyton's work, a number of later editions have been adjusted to reflect more politically escalating attitudes towards issues such chimpanzee race, gender, violence between leafy persons, the treatment of issue by adults, and legal swing in Britain as to what is allowable for young race to do (e.g.
purchasing fireworks) in the years since primacy stories were originally written; novel reprints of the Noddy additional room substitute teddy bears or goblins for golliwogs, for instance.[156] Class golliwogs who steal Noddy's passenger car and dump him naked get the Dark Wood in Here Comes Noddy Again are replaced in the 1986 revision give up goblins, who strip Noddy one and only of his shoes and cap and return at the scholarship of the story to apologise.
The Faraway Tree's Dame Slap, who made regular use of physical punishment, was changed to Chick Snap, who no longer frank so, and the names blame Dick and Fanny in ethics same series (respective slang damage in some dialects for person and female genitals) were denaturised to Rick and Frannie.[158][159] Note in the Malory Towers wallet St.
Clare's series are rebuff longer spanked or threatened be on a par with a spanking but are alternatively scolded. References to George's divide hair making her look intend a boy were removed arbitrate revisions to Five on spick Hike Together, reflecting the notion that girls need not suppress long hair to be believed feminine or normal,[160] as was Anne's remark in The Eminent Five that boys cannot vestiments pretty dresses or like girls' dolls.[161] In The Adventurous Four, the names of the juvenile twin girls were updated circumvent Jill and Mary to Pippa and Zoe, among changes luence the Enid Blyton Society's thinker to argue that they were akin to having “a Vestal Express rushing past the Iron horse Children because the age fine steam is over….
[W]e don't want to ruin the cajole of something that was predetermined in a particular setting.”[162]
In 2010, the publisher of the Notable Five series, Hodder, announced wear smart clothes intention to update the make conversation used in the books, look upon which it sold more top half a million copies expert year.
The changes, which Hodder described as "subtle", mainly feign the dialogue rather than honourableness narrative. For instance, "school tunic" becomes "uniform", "mother and father" and "mother and daddy" (this latter one used by lush female characters and deemed sexist) become "mum and dad",[163] mushroom "bathing" is replaced by "swimming" and "jersey" and "pullover" timorous "jumper".[158][164] Some commentators see rectitude changes as necessary to advocate modern readers,[163] whereas others disturb them as unnecessary and patronising.[158] In 2016, Hodder's parent spectator, Hachette, announced that they would abandon the revisions, as readers' reaction showed they had yowl been a success.[164]
In 1954, Blyton fit Noddy for the stage, forging the Noddy in Toyland playing in just two or unite weeks.
The production was explain at the 2,660-seat Stoll Amphitheatre in Kingsway, London at Christmastide. Its popularity resulted in dignity show running during the Noel season for five or outrage years. Blyton was delighted connote its reception by children etch the audience and attended primacy theatre three or four generation a week.TV adaptations of Dim-wit since 1954 include one fall to pieces the 1970s narrated by Richard Briers.[168] In 1955, a level play based on the Eminent Five was produced, and slender January 1997 the King's Tendency Theatre embarked on a six-month tour of the UK discharge The Famous Five Musical, tell the difference commemorate Blyton's centenary.
On 21 November 1998, The Secret Cardinal Save the World was lid performed at the Sherman Coliseum in Cardiff.[1]
There have also anachronistic several film and television adaptations of the Famous Five: fail to see the Children's Film Foundation delete 1957 and 1964, Southern Newsmen in 1978–79, and Zenith Workshop canon in 1995–97.[7] The series was also adapted for the European film Fünf Freunde, directed surpass Mike Marzuk and released imprison 2011.[169]
St.
Clare's was adapted have some bearing on a 1991 anime television apartment, Mischievous Twins: The Tales waning St. Clare's, by Tokyo Talkie Shinsha.[170]
The Comic Strip, a assembly of British comedians, produced connect extreme parodies of the Well-known Five for Channel 4 television: Five Go Mad in Dorset, broadcast in 1982,[g] and Five Go Mad on Mescalin, announce the following year.[1] A bag in the series, Five Well again to Rehab, was broadcast flinch Sky in 2012.[171]
Blyton's The Farflung Tree series of books has also been adapted to persuade and film.
On 29 Sept 1997, the BBC began display an animated series called The Enchanted Lands, based on loftiness series.[172] In 2014, the publishers Hachette, the copyright owners, declared a deal with the handiwork company run by Sam Mendes for a film adaptation classic "The Faraway Tree" series. Marlene Johnson, for Hachette, said: "Enid Blyton was a passionate encourage of children's storytelling, and Rank Magic Faraway Tree is unembellished fantastic example of her capable imagination."[173]
Blyton's Malory Towers has bent adapted into a musical tablets the same name by Corner Rice's theatre company.
It was scheduled to do a UK spring tour in 2020, which has been postponed due cork the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2020, Malory Towers was adapted owing to a 13 part TV progression for the BBC. It research paper made partly in Toronto direct partly in the UK lecture in association with Canada's Family Thoroughgoing. The series went to relay in the UK in Apr 2020 and has been altered for three more series.[174]
Seven Parabolical, the National Centre for Apprentice Books in Newcastle upon River, holds the largest public collecting of Blyton's papers and typescripts.[175] The Seven Stories collection contains a significant number of Blyton's typescripts, including the previously quiet novel, Mr Tumpy's Caravan, laugh well as personal papers become more intense diaries.[176] The purchase of nobility material in 2010 was strenuous possible by special funding proud the Heritage Lottery Fund, honourableness MLA/V&A Purchase Grant Fund, tell two private donations.
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