Monday 9 May 2011

Golly Maude, I think that chap is up to something!

While I was in Wales I found another vintage 'school girl' annual to add to my collection. This most recent one is a copy of School Friend from 1956 and is very jolly hockey sticks and Enid Blyton-esque. I can't decide what I like best about these old books, whether it's the gorgeous pictures showing hairstyles and fashions of the time, the thrilling (and occasionally somewhat un-pc) adventures, or just the fact that within their pages, chums called Babs and Judy are forever fourth formers who will never shoplift from Primark, get facial piercings or listen to Tinie Tempah through their iPhones. I blame a childhood diet of Malory Towers (long after they were first published, I hasten to add).

I have a university friend who was so brain-washed by the idea of constant of midnight feasts and jolly French mistresses that she actually begged her parents to let her go to boarding school. She grew up in British Hong Kong, and was used to constant heat and sunshine. She ended up in a Scottish castle where they drank Irn-Bru instead of Ginger Beer and it rained 359 days a year. But I digress. On to the pictures!



Car boot sale £2.00


Love their blazers

My favourite however is this annual, which I found in a charity shop and absolutely love. Look at the cover on this Golden Annual for girls from 1928 - isn't it great? All the girls have the bobbed hair of the era, and wear cloche hats when out and about.



£5.00 from Sue Ryder shop


Glad to see she's wearing her swimming cap whilst adventuring


"My word! It's Binnie!" ejaculated Jean Martin. "What are you doing here?"
Does anyone else snigger childishly when reading old books?



Her jogging bottoms and hoody were in the wash.



Chanelle, Taylor and Jade Facebook photo
Is that a gang-sign Taylor's throwing?

Although obviously these stories are fictional and written to entertain young girls, you do get some insights into society of the time, which is fascinating, whether it's being mistaken for a servant in the 1920's, or the fact that there were more recruits to the 'women's branch' of the police force in 1958.


"You disgraceful girl! Where have you been? I don't employ you to gad about"


Many of the 50s stories are comic strip style, whereas all the 20s ones are short stories

If I had girls, I'd definitely be decorating their bedrooms with some of these prints. But, I have boys, so am on the look out for tales of derring-do, cowboys and indians, race cars and the like. The book would have to be pretty damaged for me to take out an original print - but hopefully that would make it cheaper than normal. Let the hunt begin!

Lakota x

Have you entered my giveaway? Open to international readers too.

Linking up to Magpie Monday

55 comments:

  1. Another fab post! Love your books. I can so understand your love of them. I too wanted to run away to Mallory towers when I was a girl but that's because I lived in the middle of one of the biggest council estates in Birmingham !

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  2. When my eldest was a baby I framed pictures from an old annual that belonged to my Nanna when she was a little girl (it was very well read and falling apart so I didn't feel bad about removing a few pages...) to hang on her bedroom wall. I've still got them although she out grew them a long time ago.

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  3. Brilliant post - made me laugh! The illustrations are fantastic.
    Liz

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  4. Why is that girl scattering the contents of the baskets and boxes? I so wish I could read through these! Keep them safe for your granddaughters, wink wink!

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  5. Excellent and witty post. Made me ever so slightly nostalgic. I grew up with Bunty and Diana in the 60s, but over the years copies of School Friend et al have passed through my hands. I wish I'd been able to keep them all but emigrating to Lanzarote made me a bit ruthless. Have you seen the blog called Age of Uncertainty? He's a bookseller who often features similar books and albums, and he's very witty too. That's how I got into this blogging business! http://ageofuncertainty.blogspot.com.

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  6. Luce - she's going to put the blame on the girl guides, the little minx!

    Nell - no I haven't, thanks, will check it out.

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  7. I snigger at the word "ejaculated" whether it be in an old book or not. *teeter*

    Glorious find! I love things like this. I too spent too long as a girl reading the likes of Mallory Towers etc and begged my Mum when I was 8 to send me to boarding school. Or move us to a farm. Alas - high rise it was to be. *sigh*

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  8. Love these!! Im looking too for old nautical adventure prints for the nursery but like you wouldnt want to take them out unless they book was battered! Scarlett x

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  9. Beautiful books with such wonderful illustrations. I would also feel too guilty destroying something for one or two pictures but the Alice In Wonderland book that I bought this week is far too battered and ripped to worry about, I'm thinking of it as salvaging something that is technically trash, upcycling if you will. x

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  10. A jolly good read! I love vintage annuals, what fabulous finds! Really enjoyed reading this post, thank you darling!

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  11. Old books are great, they do have some funny words/sayings in them! lol :)

    Bee happy x
    Have a delicious day!

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  12. I have never seen anything quite like these. That sort of thing I would snatch up in a heartbeat. You had me giggling.
    I love old books and even some of the vintage smell to them, just not overly moldy.
    I still can not bring myself to tear any book apart for the graphics, but I may be wavering.
    Good luck with your search for more masculine themes. Pirates!

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  13. What fabulous pictures! I can't resist vintage annuals (I never see Boy's ones either, funnily enough). I'm very naughty and like to use the coloured plates for framing. xxx

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  14. I've never seen these books before. What a tremendous find. As a former math teacher, I enjoy finding old textbooks and comparing the content to what is taught today.

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  15. Wonderful old finds, those days are certainly over. My Auntie had a few of these, and we enjoyed reading them as children. Wonderful walk down memory lane :)

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  16. Love those old books, and their use of language, you had me laughing in a childish way! Although I almost get the shakes if my internet goes down for longer than 15 mins I do wish life could be a bit more simple like back in those days-when we didnt know any better, maybe 50s though as couldnt live without ice cream.

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  17. hahahaha i always enjoyed reading your post, made me laugh! i do love the annual books you bough especially (i agree) the 1928 one with those bobs hair and cloche hats, adorable! oh i do wish if i got pregnant, it would be a girl but oh well...whatever it is, i'll be happy! good luck on your hunt!! x

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  18. wow, what good finds, I love old books :)

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  19. Thank you for sharing these, it's hard to choose which element I love the best as well. I guess I love it all, the cute vintage fashion, the unintentional comedy (ejaculate! I giggled like a 12-year-old at the one) and the whimsical illustrations too!

    Now I have to be on the prowl for some of these, too...

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  20. Whats wrong with ejaculated? Its a great way to "insert," A boisterous.............saying. :D
    So I had no idea what an annual is and now I am extremely jealous. Really cool graphics! And why do you all get the cool words, like annual. Were we use, comics. What the h@*l does comic mean anyway.

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  21. Oh golly gosh. What marvelous japes. Such fun :0)

    Snigger, these look like absolute treasure I'd love to read them cover to cover x

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  22. Wow... the annuals are amazing! I love the cover for the 1928 one. I just love the graphics and seeing the contemporary outfits is incredible. Thanks for sharing these!

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  23. "Glad to see she's wearing her swimming cap whilst adventuring!" - You make me laugh, Lakota!

    Awesome find! The artwork is amazing!

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  24. What fab books! I haven't ever seen them before. So cool!
    *hugs*deb

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  25. You are so good at finding these things - these are such treasures! My Dad was born in 1928 (LOL!) and it seems more than likely that his big sis bashed him over the head with a copy of Golden Annual for Girls at some point. I loved the St. Clare's books - full of Pluck, Being a Sport, and Owning Up to Things.... oh I wish I had one now to read! xxx

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  26. Wow i have never seen an annual from as early as the 20's before what a great find its lovely. I love these books and the cover of the 50's one it just makes you want to go for a sleigh ride ;-)) Enjoy them, dee x

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  27. Hello Lakota! Thanks for sharing in my woes! I hope the problem is fixed soon!
    Love the annuals! Especially the color pictures! And your story is awesome lol~

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  28. Love the illustrations! They sure would look lovely framed.

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  29. What a great find!! I love this kind of thing. It's so much fun to see how different we are now :D

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  30. I've recently found some humor in some 1950s sewing magazines. The ads are so funny.

    I just started browsing in a 1950s Plant encyclopedia. I haven't found any funny wording....yet, but I'm sure there's gonna be something off the wall. :-D

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  31. Spiffing!
    I love these books.
    xx

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  32. What a wonderful window into the past you have found! And to find them in such good condition too! I'd love to curl up with them and a mug of hot cocoa~!

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  33. Heh, brilliant, very funny! I too was a Mallory Towers/St Claire's girl. I named my daughter after the naughty french girl at St Claires, Claudine! Another great kids book blog is http://www.vintagechildrensbooksmykidloves.com/

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  34. I love the vintage look of the annuals and find the pictures, so memerising. Also the text and language used back in the 1930's is so funny! 'Ejaculated' imagine using that word today! Bx

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  35. I love them, simply brilliant! :) x

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  36. This post makes me sooooooo happy!!!! I love old books like this too, especially if Enid Blyton inspired! I have a set of early Enid Blyton books where the girls look like the 40's/50's novel also!
    I love it (and do snigger) when they say things like 'Wizard!' or 'Crumbs!'
    Did you know someone called Anne Digory wrote a whole load of sequels to the Naughtiest girl books, Malory towers and St Clares? Saddo that I am, I bought, borrowed from the library and read them all recently.... I like to pretend it's only because of my job!

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  37. Golly, Lakota, love those annuals especially the one from the 20s. Yup, I too wanted to go to boarding school when I was little! Night night xx.

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  38. Love this post - great illustrations and really made me chuckle.

    I also read Mallory Towers (still have them and might revisit for a good laugh now I've read this!).

    If you want a good old fashioned boys' book you could get the Dangerous Book for Boys. Big red hardback thing. (available on Amazon i guess) which has lots of good old fashioned advice like how to tie knots etc! Am vainly hoping that Charlie will be reading this in a few years' time and not soft porn (self-deluded).

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  39. Very cool books. I love the illustrations on the covers.

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  40. I enjoyed my visit to your lovely blog.I'm following you now. Hugs

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  41. Those are awesome! I have never seen these books before. How fun!

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  42. The annuals are so beautiful...I love the illustrations. You don't see them in contemporary books anymore, the original hand drawn illustrations are mostly replaced by digital ones. These are such precious finds!

    By the way, thanks for trying to comment on my blog despite the difficulties, not sure why tho... is blogger hinting to me to upgrade my blog?


    love~mongs
    mythriftycloset.blogspot.com

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  43. Love them and your post, as always, made me giggle. Oh crikes, must dash, ta ta for now xo

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  44. Hello! How nice of you to stop by gallimaufry. Your blog is quite cozy, I must say. :) And it's nice to meet someone on my side of the world.

    As for the dandelion honey... I believe it made about 7 jars of 250 grams. Do be sure to add the fruit pectin to thicken it up. It really needs it.

    A lovely day to you! xo

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  45. Such lovely scans. I love words like 'gad'. Working in an office of mwn l probably won't be using 'ejaculated any time soom though!!

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  46. Lovely books and the illustrations are amazing and should be on display somehow. There is a shelf in my charity shop with these sort of books on and I just daren't approach it cos I know I would buy up the lot. But I am seriously tempted now having seen yours. My real finds are over at http://gigglingatitall.blogspot.com

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  47. Thanks for the tip on the weights. A tip for next time you go to Fleetville- there is a car park around the back and another warehouse out the back too! Make sure you blog about it when you go xxx

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  48. These are so cute amor, that girly does look like she is throwing gang signs,lol

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  49. I love the way Dizzy Dilly is saying 'oooh! Lummy!' I had a great aunt who always said that. I used to love the Enids with Carlotta the fiery circus girl and Mam'zelle....was that Mallory Towers or St Clares? Didn't wicked Gwendoline get her comeuppance in the end when her father fell on hard times and she had to leave boarding school and work in an office? The shame of it!!!!

    K xx

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  50. Those are some of the cutest illustrations I've seen for awhile! Thank you for sharing!

    In the Hammock Vintage

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  51. What a wonderful collection of vintage books. I have not seen some of these.

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  52. Ah Mallory Towers... been a while since I read one of those :D xo

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  53. These are fascinating! You have a wonderful collection!

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  54. I love the first illustration the best--great colors!
    Mary

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  55. I tried to comment here the other day, but the internet was conspiring against me. I love old-style girls school books too, Chalet School are my absolute favourites (oh, am I ever struck with a dilemma when I go to Hay on Wye, and find ones I've never read, but with a £50+ price tag), and I picked up a couple of lovely books on the car boot a couple of weeks ago - may be next week's Magpie Monday post, if I get to taking photos in time.

    I know what you mean about the language choices, Chalet School can be really jarring sometimes, but I just have to remember that it's the era they were written in, and these things were acceptable to say at the time (there's one where someone is described as having "worked like a negro". Honestly. I don't shock easily but that one made me gasp)

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