Blackie and Son – Kingfisher Books

by standby4action

It all started when I read a mis-attribution to Raymond Sheppard as illustrator for a lot of titles in the Kingfisher series by Blackie and Son. Sheppard certainly drew the cover for the series which was reproduced in a single spot colour as below, but to date I have not found any interior illustrations by him. Sometimes it helps to do the research, commit it to the Net, and leave it alone and hope others might find the gathering of data in one place, useful. The series looks to have started in 1952 (or maybe a year earlier) but I haven’t been able to work out why there are four series – is it language differences? Also I have listed, where known, the number printed on the bottom right of the front cover and the interior illustrator. Some of these titles have been added to the original series long after Sheppard’s death – i.e. into 1963 and I have seen a few but by no means all these.

FIRST SERIES (Mauve cover):

  • The Adventures of Little Black Bear by Marion Coombes, 1959 , [illustrated by J.S. Goodall] (A14)
  • Bertie Butterbeak by Muriel Fyfe [illustrated by Geoffrey Higham] (A8)
  • Behind the Green Door by Winifred Carnegie [illustrated by Ruth Murrell] (A6)
  • Bettina Bear’s Bus by Marion Coombes, 1958, [illustrated by J.S. Goodall] (A10)
  • Bobbin by Muriel Fyfe, [illustrated by Alma Healey] (A9)
  • The Bunny Whiskers Find an Island by Isobel Knight, 1954, [illustrated by J. S. Goodall R.I.](A7)
  • The Cat Who Wanted To Fly by Joan Marcy Bate, 1958, [illustrated by J. S. Goodall]
  • Danny Dormouse by E. E. Ellsworth[illustrated by Frank Varty] (A2)
  • Eskimo Doll by Barbara B. Capper, 1952, [illustrated by D. Elizabeth White] (A5)
  • Jemima Caroline’s Adventure in the River by Susan Jolly [illustrated by R. W. McIntyre] (A1)
  • Jemima Caroline in the Woods by Susan Jolly (A4)
  • The King Wouldn’t Stop Sneezing by George Ogg, 1952, [illustrated by Arthur Mansbridge] (A3)
  • The Magic Helter-Skelter by Joan Mary Bate, 1959 [illustrated by Sam Fair] (A13)
  • Marilinda Mouse by Marion Coombes [Illustrated by J.S. Goodall] (A11)

SECOND SERIES (Green cover):

  • The Adventures of Hubert the Hedgehog by Susan Jolly [illustrated by Alma Healey]  (B5)
  • Annaleeza’s Adventure by Susan Ann Rice [illustrated by J. S. Goodall] (B12)
  • Benjamin Brindle’s Pets by Susan Jolly, 1959, [illustrated by Margaret Wetherbee] (B14)
  • Brenda Bear’s Castle by Marion Coombes, 1960
  • Charlie the Chicken by Andrew Liston, 1963, (B16)
  • Coonie The Bandit by James Alan Rennie, [illustrated by Maurice Wilson]  (B11)
  • A Donkey Called Maggie by George H. Mallory, 1958,[illustrated by Ferelith Eccles Williams](B13)
  • Jacko comes home by John Hornby (B6)
  • The Left-Over Dragon by Marion Coombes, 1958, [illustrated by F. S. Goodall] (B12)
  • The Magic Sleigh-Ride by  W. Joy Wallage (B10)
  • Marigold becomes a Brownie by Susan Jolly, 1954, [illustrated by Gilbert Dunlop] (B8)
  • The Puppet Theatre [+ No show without Toby?] by John Hornby, 1952, [illustrated by Monica Brailey](B3)
  • Rud and Robinette by Gladys Taylor, 1952,  [illustrated by Cicely Steed] (B4)
  • The Secret of the Sails by Joseph Grace [Illustrated by Eric Wade] (B7)
  • The Story of Rakny by Gladys Taylor [Illustrated by Len Fullerton] (B9)
  • The Swallows and Selina by Gladys Taylor [illustrated by Cicely Steed] (B1)
  • Wally the Water Buffalo by Andrew Liston, 1963 (B17)
  • The Wonderful Adventures of Snowball by  Irene Gass [illustrated by Gilbert Dunlop] (B2)

THIRD SERIES (Blue cover) 

  • A Bone For Biff by Joseph Grace (C4)
  • The Curious Tale of Cloud City by Joan Mary Bate, 1958, [illustrated by Pauline Diana Baynes] (C13)
  • The Golden Boy and Other Stories by William Glynne-Jones [Illustrated by Chas Howarth] (C3)
  • Highland Adventure by Donald M. McFarlan (C8)
  • If Pigs had Wings by William Glynne-Jones, 1954, [illustrated by Arthur Mansbridge] (C1)
  • Little Beaver, the Indian Boy by E. E. Ellsworth, 1954,[illustrated by R. G. Campbell](C7)
  • The little giant who needed sunshine by James Alan Rennie, 1953 (C10)
  • The Magic Ear-Rings and the Free Willows by Monica Backway (C5)
  • Roundabout by Monica Backway, 1954, [illustrated by Ruth Murrell] (C9)
    Stormy Petrel     by John Kennett [n.d.] [illustrated by R. G. Campbell](C11)
  • The Winbeck Whistle by John Hornby, 1952, [illustrated by Desmond Walduck] (C2)
  • Wings Over Dulcia by George H. Mallory, 1954, [illustrated by Grace Golden] (C6)

 

FOURTH SERIES (Orange cover) 

  • Adventure Under Ground by Susan Jolly, 1960, [illustrated by Gavin Nicol] (D12?)
  • The Answer’s in the Negative by Alan C. Jenkins, 1959 (D16)
  • The Book of Knights I by Katherine M. Wilson (D2)
  • The Book of Knights II by Katherine M. Wilson [illustated by Illustrated by T. H. Robinson] (D3)
  • Golden Fleeces by Gladys Taylor [illustrated by F. D. Phillips]
  • The Grey Hill by Donald M McFarland[illustrated by R. G. Campbell]
  • Hassan of Basorah by  Monica Backway(D11)
  • The Iron Hills by John Hornby (D7)
  • Lasso of the North by Alan C. Jenkins, 1958 (D12)
  • Matt of the Mounties by Andrew Wood, 1958, (D15)
  • The Piper’s Cave by Isobel Knight, 1954 (D6)
  • Prince of Sherwood by John Kennett, 1954 (D9)
  • The Secret of Kumurin by George Henry Mallory, 1958, [ illustrations by F.D. Phillips] (D14)
  • The Secret of the Screes by T. F. Maher (D3)
  • The Smugglers of Loch Shee by Thomas Francis Maher, 1952 (D5)
  • The Ups and Downs of Freddie James by George Ogg, 1951
  • The Young Traders by John Hornby [n.d.]  [Illustrated by Barclay] (D1)

I notice that various titles here were reprinted in hardcover as “The Anytime Series” with colour covers and B&W illustrations inside.

If anyone can add any certainty or additional information please do get in contact.

Leave a comment