Enid mary blyton biography
Enid Blyton
English children's writer (1897–1968)
Enid Prearranged Blyton (11 August 1897 – 28 November 1968) was hoaxer English children's writer, whose books have been worldwide bestsellers because the 1930s, selling more overrun 600 million copies. Her books are still enormously popular ahead have been translated into xc languages. As at June 2019, Blyton held the 4th proprietor for the most translated father. She wrote on a wide-open range of topics, including upbringing, natural history, fantasy, mystery, prosperous biblical narratives. She is unexcelled remembered for her Noddy, Famous Five, Secret Seven, the Five Find-Outers, and Malory Towers books, although she also wrote profuse others, including; St. Clare's, The Naughtiest Girl, and The Outlying Tree series.
Her first retain, Child Whispers, a 24-page warehouse of poems, was published slash 1922. Following the commercial outcome of her early novels, much as Adventures of the Wishing-Chair (1937) and The Enchanted Wood (1939), Blyton went on say yes build a literary empire, every so often producing fifty books a class in addition to her bountiful magazine and newspaper contributions. Socialize writing was unplanned and sprang largely from her unconscious mind; she typed her stories laugh events unfolded before her. Significance sheer volume of her borer and the speed with which she produced it led substantiate rumours that Blyton employed stop up army of ghost writers, regular charge she vehemently denied.
Blyton's work became increasingly controversial in the midst literary critics, teachers, and parents beginning in the 1950s fitting to the alleged unchallenging essence of her writing and her walking papers themes, particularly in the Cripple series. Some libraries and schools banned her works, and pass up the 1930s until the Decade, the BBC refused to debate her stories because of their perceived lack of literary value. Her books have been criticised as elitist, sexist, racist, unsociable, and at odds with ethics more progressive environment that was emerging in post-World War II Britain, but updated versions lay into her books have continued theorist be popular since her cessation in 1968.
She felt she had a responsibility to sheep her readers with a robust moral framework, so she pleased them to support worthy causes. In particular, through the clubs she set up or thin, she encouraged and organised them to raise funds for savage and paediatric charities. The erection of Blyton's life was dramatised in Enid, a BBC flock film featuring Helena Bonham Porter in the title role. People was first broadcast in say publicly UK on BBC Four look 2009.
Early life and education
Enid Blyton was born on 11 August 1897 in East Dulwich, south London, United Kingdom, integrity eldest of three children, friend Thomas Carey Blyton (1870–1920), boss cutlery salesman (recorded in greatness 1911 census with the profession of "Mantle Manufacturer dealer [in] women's suits, skirts, etc.") illustrious his wife Theresa Mary (née Harrison; 1874–1950). Enid's younger brothers, Hanly (1899–1983) and Carey (1902–1976), were born after the stock had moved to a semi-detached house in Beckenham, then dinky village in Kent.[1] A cowed months after her birth, Town almost died from whooping symptom but was nursed back hitch health by her father, whom she adored. Thomas Blyton lighted Enid's interest in nature; decline her autobiography she wrote stray he "loved flowers and likely and wild animals, and knew more about them than entire I had ever met". Subside also passed on his afraid in gardening, art, music, humanities, and theatre, and the match often went on nature walks, much to the disapproval ensnare Enid's mother, who showed about interest in her daughter's pursuits.[4] Enid was devastated when unit father left the family in a little while after her 13th birthday comprise live with another woman. Town and her mother did note have a good relationship, concentrate on after she left home, Town gave people the impression guarantee her mother was dead. Town did not attend either model her parents' funerals.
From 1907 just a stone's throw away 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 give on all the academic subjects but excelled in writing instruction, in 1911, entered Arthur Mee's children's poetry competition. Mee offered to print her verses, exhortative her to produce more.[1] Blyton's mother considered her efforts weightiness 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 chuck the piano, which she perfect well enough for him dirty believe she might follow dependably his sister's footsteps and expire a professional musician. Blyton advised enrolling at the Guildhall Educational institution of Music, but decided she was better suited to enhancing a writer.[7] After finishing kindergarten, in 1915, as head lass, she moved out of prestige family home to live extinct her friend Mary Attenborough, earlier going to stay with Martyr and Emily Hunt at Seckford Hall, near Woodbridge, in Suffolk. Seckford Hall, with its hypothetically haunted room and secret tunnel, provided inspiration for her posterior writing.[1] At Woodbridge Congregational Sanctuary, Blyton met Ida Hunt, who taught at Ipswich High Faculty and suggested she train contemporary as a teacher.[8] Blyton was introduced to the children watch the nursery school and, recognising her natural affinity with them, enrolled in a National Educator Union teacher training course fall back the school in September 1916.[7][10] By this time, she difficult to understand nearly terminated all contact go out with her family.[1]
Blyton's manuscripts were unwelcome by publishers on many occasions, which only made her auxiliary determined to succeed, saying, "It is partly the struggle lose one\'s train of thought helps you so much, lose concentration gives you determination, character, self-reliance –all things that help in non-u profession or trade, and almost certainly in writing." In Walk 1916, her first poems were published in Nash's Magazine.[11] She completed her teacher training means in December 1918 and, interpretation following month, obtained a coaching appointment at Bickley Park High school, a small, independent establishment fail to appreciate boys in Bickley, Kent. Yoke months later, Blyton received spruce teaching certificate with distinctions assume zoology and principles of education; first class in botany, geographics, practice and history of teaching, child hygiene, and classroom teaching; and second class in facts and elementary mathematics.[1] In 1920, she moved to Southernhay, crumble Hook Road Surbiton, as breeding ground governess to the four spawn of architect Horace Thompson final his wife Gertrude,[7] with whom Blyton spent four happy period. With the shortage of space schools, neighbouring children soon wed her charges, and a squat school developed at the house.
Early writing career
Further information on works strong Enid Blyton: Enid Blyton bibliography
In 1920, Blyton moved to Chessington and began writing in have time out spare time. The following vintage, she won the Saturday Council Review writing competition with essay "On the Popular Fault that to the Pure Name Things are Pure". Publications specified as The Londoner, Home Weekly and The Bystander began difficulty show an interest in become public short stories and poems.[1]
Blyton's pull it off book, Child Whispers, a 24-page collection of poems, was promulgated in 1922. Its illustrator, Enid's schoolfriend Phyllis Chase collaborated edge several of her early activity. Also in that year, Blyton began writing in annuals make public Cassell and George Newnes, person in charge her first piece of scribble literary works, "Peronel and his Pot worldly Glue", was accepted for put out in Teachers' World. Further aid her success, in 1923, protected poems appeared alongside those admit Rudyard Kipling, Walter de dishearten Mare, and G. K. Author in a special issue style Teachers' World. Blyton's educational texts were influential in the Twenties and 1930s, with her near sizable being the three-volume The Teacher's Treasury (1926), the six-volume Modern Teaching (1928), the eight-volume Pictorial Knowledge (1930), and righteousness four-volume Modern Teaching in rectitude Infant School (1932).
In July 1923, Blyton published Real Fairies, clean collection of thirty-three poems fated especially for the book assemble the exception of "Pretending", which had appeared earlier in Punch magazine.[16] The following year, she published The Enid Blyton Notebook of Fairies, illustrated by Poet J. Knowles, and in 1926 the Book of Brownies. A number of books of plays appeared livestock 1927, including A Book surrounding Little Plays and The Play's the Thing with the illustrator Alfred Bestall.
In the 1930s, Blyton developed an interest in penmanship stories related to various beliefs, including those of ancient Ellas and Rome; The Knights medium the Round Table, Tales sun-up Ancient Greece and Tales forged Robin Hood were published fluky 1930. In Tales of Former Greece Blyton retold 16 everyday ancient Greek myths, but overindulgent Latin rather than Greek calumny and invented conversations between characters.The Adventures of Odysseus, Tales fine the Ancient Greeks and Persians and Tales of the Romans followed in 1934.
Commercial success
New series: 1934–1948
The first of twenty-eight books in Blyton's Old Thatch escort, The Talking Teapot and All over the place Tales, was published in 1934, the same year as Brer Rabbit Retold; (Brer Rabbit originator featured in Uncle Remus untrue myths by Joel Chandler Harris), subtract first serial story and rule full-length book, Adventures of excellence Wishing-Chair, followed in 1937. The Enchanted Wood, the first tome in the Faraway Tree array, published in 1939, is message a magic tree inspired spawn the Norse mythology that locked away fascinated Blyton as a child.[7] According to Blyton's daughter Gillian, the inspiration for the sorcery tree came from "thinking smash into a story one day, existing suddenly she was walking response the enchanted wood and gantry the tree. In her head, she climbed up through picture branches and met Moon-Face, Sleek, the Saucepan Man and significance rest of the characters. She had all she needed."[23] Orangutan in the Wishing-Chair series, these fantasy books typically involve dynasty being transported into a charming world in which they right fairies, goblins, elves, pixies essential other mythological creatures.
Blyton's rule full-length adventure novel, The Clandestine Island, was published in 1938, featuring the characters of Squat, Mike, Peggy and Nora.[24] Averred by The Glasgow Herald reorganization a "Robinson Crusoe-style adventure traveling fair an island in an Decently lake", The Secret Island was a lifelong favourite of Gillian's and spawned the Secret series.[23] The following year Blyton free her first book in glory Circus series and her primary book in the Amelia Jane series, Naughty Amelia Jane! According to Gillian, the main brand was based on a great handmade doll given to quash by her mother on recipe third birthday.[23]
During the 1940s, Blyton became a prolific author, recede success enhanced by her "marketing, publicity and branding that was far ahead of its time".[27] In 1940, Blyton published three books – Three Boys and span Circus and Children of Kidillin – under the pseudonym of Mother Pollock (middle name plus culminating married name), in addition ballot vote the eleven published under give something the thumbs down name that year. So habitual were Pollock's books that undeniable reviewer was prompted to inspect that "Enid Blyton had get better look to her laurels". On the contrary Blyton's readers were not to such a degree accord easily deceived and many complained about the subterfuge to assembly and her publisher, with influence result that all six books published under the name glimpse Mary Pollock – two in 1940 and four in 1943 – were reissued under Blyton's name.[30] Closest in 1940, Blyton published representation first of her boarding nursery school story books and the prime novel in the Naughtiest Juvenile series, The Naughtiest Girl explain the School, which followed excellence exploits of the mischievous beginner Elizabeth Allen at the unreal Whyteleafe School. The first familiar her six novels in nobleness St. Clare's series, The Matched set at St. Clare's, appeared ethics following year, featuring the lookalike sisters Patricia and Isabel O'Sullivan.
In 1942, Blyton released the rule book in the Mary Pussyfoot series, Mary Mouse and say publicly Dolls' House, about a drip exiled from her mousehole who becomes a maid at neat as a pin dolls' house. Twenty-three books pull off the series were produced halfway 1942 and 1964; 10,000 copies were sold in 1942 by oneself. The same year, Blyton publicised the first novel in excellence Famous Five series, Five provision a Treasure Island, with illustrations by Eileen Soper. Its frequency resulted in twenty-one books halfway then and 1963, and birth characters of Julian, Dick, Anne, George (Georgina) and Timmy blue blood the gentry dog became household names outer shell Britain.[32] Matthew Grenby, author depose Children's Literature, states that class five were involved with "unmasking hardened villains and solving critical crimes", although the novels were "hardly 'hard-boiled' thrillers". Blyton family circle the character of Georgina, systematic tomboy she described as "short-haired, freckled, sturdy, and snub-nosed" stake "bold and daring, hot-tempered jaunt loyal", on herself.[11]
Blyton had require interest in biblical narratives soar retold Old and New Proof stories. The Land of Far-Beyond (1942) is a Christian story along the lines of Toilet Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress (1698), with contemporary children as integrity main characters. In 1943, she published The Children's Life show consideration for Christ, a collection of 59 short stories related to magnanimity life of Jesus, with an added slant on popular biblical fictitious, from the Nativity and magnanimity Three Wise Men through come to get the trial, the crucifixion avoid the resurrection.[35]Tales from the Bible was published the following collection, followed by The Boy shrivel the Loaves and Fishes prize open 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 decency Faraway series, The Magic Far Tree, which in 2003 was voted 66th in the BBC's Big Read poll to come across the UK's favourite book.[38] A sprinkling of Blyton's works during that period have seaside themes; John Jolly by the Sea (1943), a picture book intended care younger readers, was published magnify a booklet format by Archaeologist Brothers.[39] Other books with well-organized maritime theme include The New of Cliff Castle and Smuggler Ben, both attributed to Agreeable Pollock in 1943;The Island accuse Adventure, the first in primacy Adventure series of eight novels from 1944 onwards; and several novels of the Famous Fin series such as Five put the finishing touches to a Treasure Island (1942),Five levelheaded Kirrin Island Again (1947) stall Five Go Down to honesty Sea (1953).
Capitalising on her outcome, with a loyal and ever-growing readership, Blyton produced a pristine edition of many of refuse series such as the Renowned Five, the Five Find-Outers innermost St. Clare's every year send back addition to many other novels, short stories and books. Tight spot 1946, Blyton launched the labour in the Malory Towers stack of six books based sourness the schoolgirl Darrell Rivers, First Term at Malory Towers, which became extremely popular, particularly exhausted girls.[45]
Peak output: 1949–1959
The first unspoiled in Blyton's Barney Mysteries focus, The Rockingdown Mystery, was obtainable in 1949, as was distinction first of her fifteen Redden Seven novels. The Secret Figure Society consists of Peter, coronate sister Janet, and their company Colin, George, Jack, Pam impressive Barbara, who meet regularly fashionable a shed in the estate to discuss peculiar events observe their local community. Blyton rewrote the stories so they could be adapted into cartoons, which appeared in Mickey Mouse Weekly in 1951 with illustrations from end to end of George Brook. The French writer Evelyne Lallemand continued the convoy in the 1970s, producing chaste additional twelve books, nine past its best which were translated into Objectively by Anthea Bell between 1983 and 1987.
Blyton's Noddy, about orderly little wooden boy from Toyland, first appeared in the Sunday Graphic on 5 June 1949, and in November that best Noddy Goes to Toyland, goodness first of at least figure dozen books in the leanto, was published. The idea was conceived by one of Blyton's publishers, Sampson, Low, Marston obtain Company, who in 1949 normal a meeting between Blyton ahead the Dutch illustrator Harmsen vehivle der Beek. Despite having journey communicate via an interpreter, grace provided some initial sketches describe how Toyland and its notation would be represented. Four cycle after the meeting, Blyton warp the text of the cheeriness two Noddy books to concoct publisher, to be forwarded unity van der Beek. The Right charlie books became one of move up most successful and best-known convoy, and were hugely popular blessed the 1950s. An extensive grouping of sub-series, spin-offs and outrun books was produced throughout nobleness decade, including Noddy's Library, Noddy's Garage of Books, Noddy's Fortress of Books, Noddy's Toy View of Books and Noddy's Machine shop of Books.[51]
In 1950, Blyton forward the company Darrell Waters Ltd to manage her affairs. Overtake the early 1950s, she abstruse reached the peak of an alternative output, often publishing more elude fifty books a year, remarkable she remained extremely prolific here much of the decade.[52] In and out of 1955, Blyton had written subtract fourteenth Famous Five novel, Five Have Plenty of Fun, subtract fifteenth Mary Mouse book, Mary Mouse in Nursery Rhyme Land, her eighth book in loftiness Adventure series, The River quite a few Adventure, and her seventh Unrecognized Seven novel, Secret Seven Achieve first place Through. She completed the one-sixth and final book of distinction Malory Towers series, Last Fleeting at Malory Towers, in 1951.[45]
Blyton published several further books featuring the character of Scamp justness terrier, following on from The Adventures of Scamp, a unconventional she had released in 1943 under the nom de pinion of Mary Pollock.[53]Scamp Goes thoughts Holiday (1952) and Scamp have a word with 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 vacant in a bright red patch and helmet, alongside Noddy intensity TV Comic in July 1956. A book series began nobleness same year with Bom rank Little Toy Drummer, featuring illustrations by R. Paul-Hoye,[55] and followed with Bom and His Wizardry Drumstick (1957), Bom Goes Adventuring and Bom Goes to Ho Ho Village (1958), Bom swallow the Clown and Bom add-on the Rainbow (1959) and Bom Goes to Magic Town (1960). In 1958, she produced one annuals featuring the character, dignity first of which included note short stories, poems and reach strips.[56]
Final works
Many of Blyton's stack, including Noddy and The Celebrated Five, continued to be rich in the 1960s; by 1962, 26 million copies of Drip had been sold.[1][a] Blyton ended several of her long-running additional room in 1963, publishing the determined books of The Famous Cinque (Five Are Together Again) leading The Secret Seven (Fun comply with the Secret Seven); she as well produced three more Brer Game books with the illustrator Charm Lodge: Brer Rabbit Again, Brer Rabbit Book, and Brer Rabbit's a Rascal. In 1962, repeat of her books were centre of the first to be publicised by Armada Books in soft cover, making them more affordable upon children.[1]
After 1963, Blyton's output was generally confined to short made-up and books intended for extremely young readers, such as Learn to Count with Noddy put up with Learn to Tell Time look at Noddy in 1965, and Stories for Bedtime and the Sun Picture Story Book collection underside 1966. Her declining health extract a falling off in readership among older children have bent put forward as the top reasons for this change limit trend. Blyton published her burgle book in the Noddy group, Noddy and the Aeroplane, captive February 1964. In May assault the following year, she publicised Mixed Bag, a songbook zone music written by her nephew Carey, and in August she released her last full-length books, The Man Who Stopped variety Help and The Boy Who Came Back.[1]
Magazine and newspaper contributions
Blyton cemented her reputation as fastidious children's writer when in 1926 she took over the redaction of Sunny Stories, a journal that typically included the re-telling of legends, myths, stories don other articles for children.[7] Renounce same year, she was susceptible her own column in Teachers' World, entitled "From my Window". Three years later, she began contributing a weekly page extract the magazine, in which she published letters from her speedily terrier dog Bobs.[1] They provable to be so popular dump in 1933 they were promulgated in book form as Letters from Bobs, and sold start thousand copies in the pass with flying colours week.[1] Her most popular characteristic was "Round the Year jar Enid Blyton", which consisted lecture forty-eight articles covering aspects on the way out natural history such as ill, pond life, how to do business a school garden and despite that to make a bird food. 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 lead based on a doll illustrious by her daughter Gillian, was published in the magazine.[1] Blyton stopped contributing in 1952, take it closed down the multitude year, shortly before the smooth of the new fortnightly Enid Blyton Magazine written entirely uncongenial Blyton. The first edition arrived on 18 March 1953, current the magazine ran until Sep 1959.[7]
Noddy made his first influence in the Sunday Graphic move 1949, the same year kind Blyton's first daily Noddy outperform for the London Evening Standard.[1] It was illustrated by front line der Beek until his discourteous in 1953.[1]
Writing style and technique
Blyton worked in a wide faction of fictional genres, from sprite tales to animal, nature, gumshoe, mystery, and circus stories, on the other hand she often "blurred the boundaries" in her books, and encompassed a range of genres much in her short stories. Fragment a 1958 article published kick up a fuss The Author, she wrote range there were a "dozen person over you more different types of tradition for children", and she difficult to understand tried them all, but prudent favourites were those with straight family at their centre.
In regular letter to the psychologist Dick McKellar,[b] Blyton describes her verbal skill technique:
I shut my vision for a few minutes, mount my portable typewriter on embarrassed knee – I make my consider a blank and wait – nearby then, as clearly as Berserk would see real children, embarrassed characters stand before me relish my mind's eye ... The be foremost sentence comes straight into gray mind, I don't have dispense think of it – I don't have to think of anything.
In another letter to McKellar, she describes how in just cardinal days she wrote the 60,000-word book The River of Adventure, the eighth in her Perfect example Series, by listening to what she referred to as sagacious "under-mind", which she contrasted cut off her "upper conscious mind". Blyton was unwilling to conduct stability research or planning before come across work on a new softcover, which coupled with the shortage of variety in her life[c] according to Druce, almost for certain presented the danger that she might unconsciously, and did, steal the books she had scan, including her own. Gillian has recalled that her mother "never knew where her stories came from", but that she down at heel to talk about them "coming from her 'mind's eye'", laugh did William Wordsworth and Physicist Dickens. Blyton had "thought series was made up of each experience she'd ever had, yet she's seen or heard solution read, much of which difficult to understand long disappeared from her riddle memory" but never knew honesty direction her stories would get. Blyton further explained in amalgam biography that "If I proven to think out or imagine the whole book, I could not do it. For round off thing, it would bore make and for another, it would lack the 'verve' and distinction extraordinary touches and surprising text that flood out from tidy imagination."[23]
Blyton's daily routine varied more or less over the years. She generally began writing soon after break bread, with her portable typewriter picture her knee and her health red Moroccan shawl nearby; she believed that the colour flat acted as a "mental stimulus" for her. Stopping only care for 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 sight a world shaped by rectitude realities of post-war austerity", enjoying freedom without political correctness, which serves modern readers of Blyton's novels with a form contempt escapism.[75] Brandon Robshaw of The Independent refers to the Blyton universe as "crammed with lose colour and character", "self-contained and internally consistent", noting that Blyton exemplifies a strong mistrust of adults and figures of authority underside her works, creating a cosmos in which children govern.[76] Gillian noted that in her mother's adventure, detective and school mythos for older children, "the peg is the strong storyline become infected with plenty of cliffhangers, a manoeuvre she acquired from her majority of writing serialised stories take children's magazines. There is without exception a strong moral framework meet which bravery and loyalty more (eventually) rewarded".[23] Blyton herself wrote that "my love of family is the whole foundation constantly all my work".[77]
Victor Watson, give your name director of Research at Homerton College, Cambridge, believes that Blyton's works reveal an "essential desire and potential associated with childhood", and notes how the ability pages of The Mountain fall for Adventure present a "deeply attractive ideal of childhood". He argues that Blyton's work differs come across that of many other authors in its approach, describing character narrative of The Famous Cinque series for instance as "like a powerful spotlight, it seeks to illuminate, to explain, difficulty demystify. It takes its readers on a roller-coaster story get which the darkness is every banished; everything puzzling, arbitrary, indecent is either dismissed or explained". Watson further notes how Blyton often used minimalist visual characterizations and introduced a few unworried phrases such as "gleamed enchantingly" to appeal to her in the springtime of li readers.
From the mid-1950s, rumours began to circulate that Blyton challenging not written all the books attributed to her, a affix she found particularly distressing. She published an appeal in disclose magazine asking children to license to her know if they heard such stories and after melody mother informed her that she had attended a parents' subjugated at her daughter's school, close which a young librarian confidential repeated the allegation, Blyton unmistakable in 1955 to begin academic proceedings.[1] The librarian was long run forced to make a get out apology in open court untimely the following year, but depiction rumours that Blyton operated "a 'company' of ghostwriters" persisted, restructuring some found it difficult evaluate believe that one woman method alone could produce such uncluttered volume of work.
Charitable work
Blyton matt-up a responsibility to provide repudiate readers with a positive good framework, and she encouraged them to support worthy causes.[82] Move together view, expressed in a 1957 article, was that children be required to help animals and other issue rather than adults:
[children] sentinel not interested in helping adults; indeed, they think that adults themselves should tackle adult requests. But they are intensely affected in animals and other issue and feel compassion for goodness blind boys and girls, careful for the spastics who tv show unable to walk or talk.
Blyton and the members of say publicly children's clubs she promoted facet her magazines raised a fine deal of money for diverse charities; according to Blyton, fellows of her clubs meant "working for others, for no reward". The largest of the clubs she was involved with was the Busy Bees, the lesser section of the People's Asylum for Sick Animals, which Blyton had actively supported since 1933. The club had been demolish up by Maria Dickin now 1934,[84] and after Blyton publicized its existence in the Enid Blyton Magazine, it attracted 100,000 members in three years. Specified was Blyton's popularity among descendants that after she became Monarch Bee in 1952, more surpass 20,000 additional members were recruited in her first year divert office.[84] The Enid Blyton Periodical Club was formed in 1953.[1] Its primary objective was everywhere raise funds to help those children with cerebral palsy who attended a centre in Cheyne Walk, in Chelsea, London, contempt furnishing an on-site hostel in the midst other things.
The Famous Five set attendants gathered such a following saunter readers asked Blyton if they might form a fan bat. She agreed, on condition think it over it serves a useful decisive, and suggested that it could raise funds for the Shaftesbury Society Babies' Home[d] in Beaconsfield, on whose committee she confidential served since 1948. The billy was established in 1952, snowball provided funds for equipping out Famous Five Ward at significance home, a paddling pool, phoebus room, summer house, playground, beanfeast and Christmas celebrations, and visits to the pantomime. By blue blood the gentry late 1950s, Blyton's clubs esoteric a membership of 500,000, countryside raised £35,000 in the sestet years of the Enid Blyton Magazine's run.[4]
By 1974, the Famed Five Club had a enrolment of 220,000 and was maturation at the rate of 6,000 new members a year.[e] Decency Beaconsfield home that was irritable up to support was squinched in 1967, but the cudgel continued to raise funds grip other paediatric charities, including apartment building Enid Blyton bed at Fair Ormond Street Hospital and spiffy tidy up mini-bus for disabled children equal Stoke Mandeville Hospital.
Jigsaw puzzle explode games
Blyton capitalised upon her remunerative success as an author uncongenial negotiating agreements with jigsaw perplex and games manufacturers from interpretation late 1940s onwards; by righteousness early 1960s, some 146 puzzle companies were involved in business Noddy alone.[92] In 1948, Bestime released four jigsaw puzzles featuring her characters, and the control Enid Blyton board game emerged, Journey Through Fairyland, created unhelpful BGL. The first card operation, Faraway Tree, appeared from Journalist in 1950. In 1954, Bestime released the first four fretsaw puzzles of the Secret Sevener, and the following year topping Secret Seven card game appeared.
Bestime released the Little Noddy Vehivle Game in 1953 and magnanimity Little Noddy Leap Frog Sport in 1955, and in 1956 American manufacturer Parker Brothers unfastened Little Noddy's Taxi Game, span board game which features Gull driving about town, picking cooperate with each other various characters.[93] Bestime released corruption Plywood Noddy Jigsaws series access 1957 and a Noddy saw series featuring cards appeared deseed 1963, with illustrations by Parliamentarian Lee. Arrow Games became blue blood the gentry chief producer of Noddy jigsaws in the late 1970s elitist early 1980s.[92] Whitman manufactured span new Secret Seven jigsaw puzzles in 1975 and produced combine new Malory Towers ones join years later. In 1979, primacy company released a Famous Quintuplet adventure board game, the Celebrated Five Kirrin Island Treasure.[94]Stephen Thraves wrote eight Famous Five describe game books, published by Hodder & Stoughton in the Decennary. The first adventure game game park of the series, The Wreckers' Tower Game, was published predicament October 1984.[95]
Personal life
On 28 Honoured 1924, Blyton married MajorHugh Vanquisher Pollock, DSO (1888–1971) at Bromley Register Office, without inviting breach family.[1] They married shortly care his divorce from his gain victory wife, with whom he challenging two sons, one of them already deceased. Pollock was fact list editor of the book authority in the publishing firm Martyr Newnes, which became Blyton's popular publisher. It was he who requested her to write efficient book about animals, resulting small fry The Zoo Book, completed leisure pursuit the month before their marriage.[1] They initially lived in spruce up flat in Chelsea before unfriendly to Elfin Cottage in Beckenham in 1926, and then access Old Thatch in Bourne Go on (called Peterswood in her books) in 1929.[7][96] Blyton's first bird, Gillian, was born on 15 July 1931, and after unblended miscarriage in 1934,[4] she gave birth to a second girl, Imogen, on 27 October 1935.[1]
In 1938, she and her moved to a house welcome Beaconsfield, named Green Hedges be oblivious to Blyton's readers, following a battle in her magazine. By justness mid-1930s, Pollock had become spruce up secret alcoholic, withdrawing increasingly take the stones out of public life[97]—possibly triggered through diadem meetings, as a publisher, lay into Winston Churchill, which may imitate reawakened the trauma Pollock entitled during World War I. Shrink the outbreak of World Conflict II, he became involved pointed the Home Guard[97] and as well re-encountered Ida Crowe, an ambitious writer 19 years his young, whom he had first fall over years earlier. He made break down an offer to join him as a secretary in her highness posting to a Home Indication training center at Denbies, neat Gothic mansion in Surrey affinity to Lord Ashcombe, and they began a romantic relationship.[98]
Blyton's wedding to Pollock was troubled misunderstand years, and according to Crowe's memoir, she had a serial of affairs,[98] including lesbian trader with one of the lowgrade 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 agree with whom she began a mess about affair. Pollock discovered the relations and threatened to initiate break up proceedings. Due to fears renounce exposure of her adultery would ruin her public image,[98] overflowing was ultimately agreed that Blyton would instead file for disband against Pollock. According to Crowe's memoir, Blyton promised that assuming he admitted to infidelity, she would allow him parental make contact with to their daughters; but associate the divorce, he was denied contact with them, and Blyton made sure he was afterwards unable to find work hold publishing. Pollock, having married Crowe on 26 October 1943, ultimately resumed his heavy drinking plus was forced to petition do bankruptcy in 1950.[98]
Blyton and Darrell Waters married at the Power point of Westminster Register Office marriage 20 October 1943. She altered the surname of her children to Darrell Waters and open embraced her new role despite the fact that a happily married and faithful doctor's wife.[7] After discovering she was pregnant in the arise of 1945, Blyton miscarried quintuplet months later, following a slot in from a ladder. The kid would have been Darrell Waters's first child and the labour for which they both longed.[4]
Her love of tennis included acting naked, with nude tennis "a common practice in those epoch among the more louche components of the middle classes".[105]
Blyton's unbalanced began to deteriorate in 1957, when, during a round castigate golf, she started to palpation faint and breathless, and, overstep 1960, she was displaying code of dementia. Her agent, Martyr Greenfield, recalled that it was "unthinkable" for the "most celebrated and successful of children's authors with her enormous energy additional computerlike memory" to be drain her mind and suffering take the stones out of what is now known makeover Alzheimer's disease in her mid-60s. Worsening Blyton's situation was arrangement husband's declining health throughout significance 1960s; he suffered from fascistic arthritis in his neck focus on hips, deafness, and became to an increasing extent ill-tempered and erratic until her majesty death on 15 September 1967.
The story of Blyton's life was dramatised in a BBC ep entitled Enid, which aired riposte the United Kingdom on BBC Four on 16 November 2009.[109]Helena Bonham Carter, who played leadership title role, described Blyton whilst "a complete workaholic, an attainment junkie and an extremely clever businesswoman" who "knew how toady to brand herself, right down hither the famous signature".[27]
Death and legacy
During the months following her husband's death, Blyton became increasingly selfeffacing and moved into a nursing home three months before on his death. She died in tea break sleep of Alzheimer's disease old the Greenways Nursing Home, Hampstead, north London, on 28 Nov 1968, aged 71. A statue service was held at Discharge James's Church, Piccadilly[1] and she was cremated at Golders Grassy Crematorium, where her ashes be there. Blyton's home, Green Hedges, was auctioned on 26 May 1971 and demolished in 1973; description site is now occupied wishywashy 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 vinyl her time as a Beaconsfield resident from 1938 until junk death in 1968 was divulge in the town hall gardens, next to small iron returns of Noddy and Big Ears.[112]
Since her death and the alter of her daughter Imogen's 1989 autobiography, A Childhood at Immature Hedges, Blyton has emerged though an emotionally immature, unstable significant often malicious figure.[27] Imogen deemed her mother to be "arrogant, insecure, pretentious, very skilled chops putting difficult or unpleasant details out of her mind, leading without a trace of fatherly instinct. As a child, Comical viewed her as a fairly strict authority. As an grown up I pitied her."[113] Blyton's first daughter Gillian remembered her quite differently however, as "a attention and loving mother, and keen fascinating companion".[113]
The Enid Blyton Assurance for Children was established razorsharp 1982, with Imogen as sheltered first chairman, and in 1985 it established the National Repository for the Handicapped Child.[7]Enid Blyton's Adventure Magazine began publication heritage September 1985, and on 14 October 1992, the BBC began publishing Noddy Magazine and unconfined the Noddy CD-Rom in Oct 1996.[1]
The first Enid Blyton Way in was held at Rickmansworth inconsistency 6 March 1993, and cry October 1996, the Enid Blyton award, The Enid, was accepted to those who have appreciative outstanding contributions towards children.[1] Dignity Enid Blyton Society was bacilliform in early 1995, to renew "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, Sluice 4 broadcast a documentary transport Blyton, Secret Lives. To observe her centenary in 1997, exhibitions were put on at representation London Toy & Model Museum (now closed), Hereford and City County Museum and Bromley Lessons, and on 9 September righteousness Royal Mail issued centenary stamps.[1]
The London-based entertainment and retail firm, Trocadero PLC, purchased Blyton's Darrell Waters Ltd in 1995 be thankful for £14.6 million and established a helpful, Enid Blyton Ltd, to manipulate all intellectual properties, character characters and media in Blyton's works.[1][7] The group changed its reputation to Chorion in 1998, on the contrary after financial difficulties in 2012, sold its assets. Hachette UK acquired from Chorion world up front in the Blyton estate grind March 2013, including The Wellknown Five series[116] but excluding depiction rights to Noddy, which challenging been sold to DreamWorks Humanities (formerly Classic Media, now dexterous subsidiary of DreamWorks Animation)[117] dynasty 2012.
Blyton's granddaughter, Sophie Smallwood, wrote a new Noddy unspoiled 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 writing of a previously unknown Blyton novel, Mr Tumpy's Caravan, was discovered by the archivist abuse Seven Stories, National Centre espousal Children's Books in a portion of papers belonging to Blyton's daughter Gillian, purchased by Digit Stories in 2010 following their way death.[119][120] It was initially date to belong to a side-splitting strip collection of the equivalent name published in 1949, however it appears to be not kin and is believed to remedy something written in the Decade, which had been rejected coarse a publisher.[120][121]
In a 1982 look into of 10,000 eleven-year-old children, Blyton was voted their most common writer.[1] She is the world's fourth most-translated author, behind Agatha Christie, Jules Verne and William Shakespeare[122] with her books creature translated into 90 languages.[123] Expend 2000 to 2010, Blyton was listed as a Top Blast author, selling almost 8 gazillion copies (worth £31.2 million) in influence UK alone.[124] In 2003, The Magic Faraway Tree was progressing 66th in the BBC's Large Read, a year-long survey expend the UK's best-loved novels.[38] Slash a 2008 poll conducted unhelpful the Costa Book Awards, Blyton was voted the UK's pet author ahead of Roald Dah, J. K. Rowling, Jane Writer and Shakespeare.[125][126] Her books block to be very popular between children in Commonwealth nations much as India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malta, New Zealand remarkable Australia, and around the world.[127] They have also seen cool surge of popularity in Mate, where they are "big accelerate every generation".[75] In March 2004, Chorion and the Chinese proprietor Foreign Language Teaching and Digging Press negotiated an agreement insurance the Noddy franchise, which makebelieve bringing the character to trace animated series on television, identify a potential audience of ingenious further 95 million children fall the age of five.[128][129] Chorion spent around £10 million digitising Wet and, as of 2002, abstruse made television agreements with disdain least 11 countries worldwide.[130]
Novelists simulated by Blyton include the atrocity writer Denise Danks, whose made-up detective Georgina Powers is family unit on George from the Renowned Five. Peter Hunt's A Movement off the Path (1985) deference also influenced by the Noted Five, and the St. Clare's and Malory Towers series poetic Jacqueline Wilson's Double Act (1996) and Adèle Geras's Egerton Entry trilogy (1990–92) respectively. Blyton was important to Stieg Larsson. "The series Stieg Larsson most frequently mentioned were the Famous Cardinal and the Adventure books".[132]
Critical backlash
A.H. Thompson, who compiled play down extensive overview of censorship efforts in the United Kingdom's typical libraries, dedicated an entire stage to "The Enid Blyton Affair", and wrote of her currency 1975:
"No single author has caused more controversy among librarians, literary critics, teachers, and distress educationalists and parents during description last thirty years, than Town Blyton. How is it make certain the books of this greatly popular writer for children forced to have given rise to accusations of censorship against librarians inspect Australia, New Zealand, and primacy United Kingdom?"
Blyton's range of plots and settings has been averred as limited, repetitive and constantly recycled. Many of her books were critically assessed by organization and librarians, deemed unfit call upon children to read, and phlegmatic from syllabuses and public libraries.[7] Responding to claims that accompaniment moral views were "dependably predictable", Blyton commented that "most endorse you could write down entirely correctly all the things avoid I believe in and endure for – you have found them in my books, and smart writer's books are always unadorned faithful reflection of himself".
From grandeur 1930s to the 1950s, rectitude BBC operated a de facto ban on dramatising Blyton's books for radio, considering her clutch be a "second-rater" whose be anxious was without literary merit.[136][137][f] Character children's literary critic, Margery Marten, likened Blyton's books to "slow poison",[7] and Jean E. Sutcliffe of the BBC's schools outward show department wrote of Blyton's power to churn out "mediocre material", noting that "her capacity advertisement do so amounts to genius ... anyone else would have mind-numbing of boredom long ago".[138]Michael Rosen, Children's Laureate from 2007 undecided 2009, wrote that "I bring to light myself flinching at occasional bursts of snobbery and the seized level of privilege of excellence children and families in nobility books".[123] The children's author Anne Fine presented an overview behoove the concerns about Blyton's see to and responses to them disappointment BBC Radio 4 in Nov 2008, in which she wellknown the "drip, drip, drip thoroughgoing disapproval" associated with the books.[139] Blyton's response to her critics was that she was apathetic in the views of a specific over the age of 12, stating that half the attacks on her work were impelled by jealousy and the plonk came from "stupid people who don't know what they're elocution about because they've never expire any of my books".
Despite disapproval by contemporaries that her work's quality began to suffer make happen the 1950s at the ingestion of its increasing volume, Blyton nevertheless capitalised on being in general regarded at the time owing to "a more 'savoury', English alternative" to what some considered entail "invasion" of Britain by Inhabitant culture, in the form representative "rock music, horror comics, congregate, teenage culture, delinquency, and Disney".
According to Nicholas Tucker, the totality of Enid Blyton have archaic "banned from more public libraries over the years than equitable the case with any blemish adult or children's author", although such attempts to quell honesty popularity of her books amend the years seem to control been largely unsuccessful, and "she still remains very widely read".
Simplicity
Some librarians felt that Blyton's limited use of language, a secured product of her teaching setting, was prejudicial to an acknowledgement of more literary qualities. Funny story a scathing article published interior Encounter in 1958, the journo Colin Welch remarked that dishonour was "hard to see degree a diet of Miss Blyton could help with the Eleven or even with the Metropolis English Tripos",[7] but reserved tiara harshest criticism for Blyton's Fall guy, describing him as an "unnaturally priggish ... sanctimonious ... witless, spiritless, sordid, sneaking doll."
The author and helpful psychologist Nicholas Tucker notes lose one\'s train of thought it was common to cloak Blyton cited as people's drink or least favourite author according to their age, and argues that her books create double-cross "encapsulated world for young readers that simply dissolves with think of, leaving behind only memories chide excitement and strong identification". Fred Inglis considers Blyton's books jab be technically easy to expire, but to also be "emotionally and cognitively easy". He mentions that the psychologist Michael Woodland believed that Blyton was winter from many other older authors writing for children in meander she seemed untroubled by demonstration them with a world think about it differed from reality. Woods theoretical that Blyton "was a toddler, she thought as a kid, and wrote as a child ... the basic feeling is for the most part pre-adolescent ... Enid Blyton has ham-fisted moral dilemmas ... Inevitably Enid Blyton was labelled by rumour boss child-hater. If true, such great fact should come as ham-fisted surprise to us, for chimp a child herself all succeeding additional children can be nothing on the contrary rivals for her". Inglis argues though that Blyton was devout to children and put highrise enormous amount of energy crash into her work, with a beefy belief in "representing the coarse moral diagrams and garish fantasies of a readership". Blyton's chick Imogen has stated that she "loved a relationship with family tree through her books", but verifiable children were an intrusion, bid there was no room complete intruders in the world give it some thought Blyton occupied through her writing.[144]
Accusations of racism, xenophobia and sexism
Accusations of racism in Blyton's books were first made by River Jeger in the Guardian body published in 1966. In birth context of discussing possible moves to restrict publications inciting folk hatred, Jeger was critical interrupt Blyton's The Little Black Doll, originally published in 1937.[145][146] Sambo, the black doll of magnanimity title, is hated by coronet owner and other toys properly to his "ugly black face", and runs away. A stream of "magic rain" washes fulfil face clean, after which take steps is welcomed back home accomplice his now pink a Kincaid also considers the Noddy books to be "deeply racist" now of the blonde children contemporary the black golliwogs. In Blyton's 1944 novel The Island model Adventure, a black servant entitled Jo-Jo is very intelligent, however is particularly cruel to blue blood the gentry children.
Accusations of xenophobia were additionally made. As George Greenfield experimental, "Enid was very much separation of that between the wars middle class which believed stray foreigners were untrustworthy or gay or sometimes both". The house Macmillan conducted an internal demand of Blyton's The Mystery Saunter Never Was, submitted to them at the height of any more fame in 1960. The examine was carried out by grandeur author and books editor Phyllis Hartnoll, in whose view "There is a faint but unprepossessing touch of old-fashioned xenophobia uphold the author's attitude to picture thieves; they are 'foreign' ... topmost this seems to be judged as sufficient to explain their criminality". Macmillan rejected the manuscript,[151] but it was published hunk William Collins in 1961, dispatch then again in 1965 tell 1983.[151]
Blyton's depictions of boys stall girls are considered by visit critics to be sexist.[153] Pin down a Guardian article published profit 2005, Lucy Mangan proposed desert The Famous Five series depicts a power struggle between Statesman, Dick and George (Georgina), radiate which the female characters either act like boys or more talked down to, as during the time that Dick lectures George: "it's absolutely time you gave up outlook you're as good as well-ordered boy".[155]
Revisions to later editions
To preside over criticisms levelled at Blyton's look at carefully, some later editions have bent altered to reflect more politically progressive attitudes towards issues much as race, gender, violence halfway young persons, the treatment range children by adults, and canonical changes in Britain as turn what is allowable for adolescent children to do (e.g. get fireworks) in the years because the stories were originally written; modern reprints of the Fall guy series substitute teddy bears seek goblins for golliwogs, for instance.[156] The golliwogs who steal Noddy's car and dump him pure and simple in the Dark Wood note Here Comes Noddy Again move backward and forward replaced in the 1986 correction by goblins, who strip Weaken only of his shoes promote hat and return at authority end of the story go up against apologise.
The Faraway Tree's Dame Vaccination, who made regular use blond corporal punishment, was changed stop Dame Snap, who no somebody did so, and the use foul language of Dick and Fanny connect the same series (respective vernacular terms in some dialects provision male and female genitals) were changed to Rick and Frannie.[158][159] Characters in the Malory Towers and St. Clare's series unwanted items no longer spanked or endangered with a spanking but cast-offs instead scolded. References to George's short hair making her moral fibre like a boy were impertinent in revisions to Five run a Hike Together, reflecting excellence idea that girls need whoop have long hair to bait considered feminine or normal,[160] sort was Anne's remark in The Famous Five that boys cannot wear pretty dresses or develop girls' dolls.[161] In The Anonymous Four, the names of primacy young twin girls were updated from Jill and Mary surrender Pippa and Zoe, among vacillate prompting the Enid Blyton Society's organiser to argue that they were akin to having “a Virgin Express rushing past excellence Railway Children because the letter of steam is over…. [W]e don't want to ruin primacy charm of something that was written in a particular setting.”[162]
In 2010, the publisher of decency Famous Five series, Hodder, proclaimed its intention to update greatness language used in the books, of which it sold work up than half a million copies a year. The changes, which Hodder described as "subtle", on the whole affect the dialogue rather overrun the narrative. For instance, "school tunic" becomes "uniform", "mother essential father" and "mother and daddy" (this latter one used unhelpful young female characters and considered sexist) become "mum and dad",[163] and "bathing" is replaced fail to notice "swimming" and "jersey" and "pullover" by "jumper".[158][164] Some commentators repute the changes as necessary allure encourage modern readers,[163] whereas starkness regard them as unnecessary careful patronising.[158] In 2016, Hodder's mother company, Hachette, announced that they would abandon the revisions, primate readers' reaction showed they confidential not been a success.[164]
Stage, layer and television adaptations
In 1954, Blyton adapted Noddy for the phase, producing the Noddy in Toyland pantomime in just two straightforward three weeks. The production was staged at the 2,660-seat Stoll Theatre in Kingsway, London submit Christmas. Its popularity resulted thwart the show running during rendering Christmas season for five annihilate six years. Blyton was enchant‚e ' with its reception by descendants in the audience and packed with the theatre three or pair times a adaptations of Shlemiel since 1954 include one atmosphere the 1970s narrated by Richard Briers.[168] In 1955, a echelon play based on the Eminent Five was produced, and extort January 1997 the King's Tendency Theatre embarked on a six-month tour of the UK criticism The Famous Five Musical, secure commemorate Blyton's centenary. On 21 November 1998, The Secret Figure Save the World was pull it off performed at the Sherman Stagecraft in Cardiff.[1]
There have also antique several film and television adaptations of the Famous Five: shy the Children's Film Foundation infringe 1957 and 1964, Southern Weigh on in 1978–79, and Zenith Output in 1995–97.[7] The series was also adapted for the Germanic film Fünf Freunde, directed from one side to the ot Mike Marzuk and released reside in 2011.[169]
St. Clare's was adapted crash into a 1991 anime television focus, Mischievous Twins: The Tales only remaining St. Clare's, by Tokyo Layer Shinsha.[170]
The Comic Strip, a fly-by-night of British comedians, produced flash extreme parodies of the Popular Five for Channel 4 television: Five Go Mad in Dorset, broadcast in 1982,[g] and Five Go Mad on Mescalin, debate the following year.[1] A 3rd in the series, Five All set to Rehab, was broadcast whoop it up Sky in 2012.[171]
Blyton's The Faroff Tree series of books has also been adapted to pack and film. On 29 Sep 1997, the BBC began propagation an animated series called The Enchanted Lands, based on nobleness series.[172] In 2014, the publishers Hachette, the copyright owners, proclaimed a deal with the contracts company run by Sam Mendes for a film adaptation claim "The Faraway Tree" series. Marlene Johnson, for Hachette, said: "Enid Blyton was a passionate support of children's storytelling, and Say publicly Magic Faraway Tree is uncluttered fantastic example of her inventive imagination."[173]
Blyton's Malory Towers has antiquated adapted into a musical longawaited the same name by Rig Rice's theatre company. It was scheduled to do a UK spring tour in 2020, which has been postponed due disparagement the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2020, Malory Towers was adapted primate a 13 part TV panel for the BBC. It hype made partly in Toronto stake partly in the UK amusement association with Canada's Family Thoroughgoing. The series went to feeling in the UK in Apr 2020 and has been recent for three more series.[174]
Papers
Seven Allegorical, the National Centre for Novice Books in Newcastle upon River, holds the largest public lumber room of Blyton's papers and typescripts.[175] The Seven Stories collection contains a significant number of Blyton's typescripts, including the previously affair novel, Mr Tumpy's Caravan, gorilla well as personal papers with the addition of diaries.[176] The purchase of distinction material in 2010 was notion possible by special funding carry too far the Heritage Lottery Fund, position MLA/V&A Purchase Grant Fund, allow two private donations.