The jumping point for all the Children’s Hour, BBC Annuals and Uncle Mac’s Annual is here
Today I want to look closer at the B.B.C. Children’s Annual 1955 which was edited for the first time by Freda Lingstrom (taking over from ‘Elizabeth’ (May E. Jenkin) and dropped the ‘Hour’ for the previous annual title of BBC Children’s Hour Annual. It should also be noted that the dustjacket states no date but the title page does.
- Shooting With A Camera by Armand Denis; [illustrated by ?]
- The Cabin in the Clearing by Felix Felton and Susan Ashman; [illustrated by S. Van Abbé]
- Make Yourself a Pair of Stilts; [illustrated by author?]
- Magic is Fun by Robert Harbin; [illustrated by author?]
- Children’s Newsreel by Don Smith; [photos]
- The Skaters by Noel Streatfeild-; [illustrated by Joanna Curzon]
- Lions in the Garden by Marjorie Juta; [illustrated by Aldwyn Carpenter]
- Edmund Hillary stands on the Top of Everest by Sir Edmund Hillary; [illustrated by ? ]
- The Missing Patient by Anthony C. Wilson; [illustrated by Tom Kerr]
- Seashore by John Merrett; [illustrated by ? ]
- The Appleyards Burglar Alarm by Allan Cooper; [illustrated by Tom Kerr + photos]
- All Your Own by Michael Westmore; [photos]
- Making A Start with Oils by Mervyn Levy; [illustrated by the author?]
- Operation Asteroid by Angus MacVicar; [illustrated by ?]
- Jennings at School by Anthony Buckeridge; [illustrated by S. Van Abbé]
- The King’s Bell by Rhoda Power; [illustrated by Betty Ladler]
- Trojan and Tilly: The Story of a Television Ballet by Naomi Capon; [illustrated by ?]
- The Golden Head by William Harris; [illustrated by ?]
- Gliding Today by Peter Dimmock; [illustrated by Pafford]
- Snowflakes and Diamonds by James McCloy; [illustrated by ?]
- What is an O.B.? by Stephen Wade; [illustrated by ?]
- What Do You Know? by A. J. Royds; illustrated by ?]
- Watermanship Joanne Jackson and Gil Redgrove; [illustrated by ?]
- What Did You Know? by A. J. Royds; [illustrated by ?]
The following artists are credited but who did what? I’ve identified a few above, and emboldened those I can’t be certain of:
- Aldwyn Carpenter
- Van Abbé
- Eileen Diss
- Pafford
- Tom Kerr
- John Woods (see below)
- Patricia Cullen
- Betty Ladler
- Lotte Reiniger
- Joanna Curzon
- Kathleen Burrell
They don’t appear to be in any order to me either!
GALLERY OF ART with queries as to which artist drew what.
It was Glenn Reuben who helped identify the artist Joanna Curzon who drew three covers for the BBC Children’s Annuals for 1955-1957. She also drew the Noel Streatfeild story in the 1955 annual (see below). Besides these annuals she is credited with Five Shilling Holiday and So Guy came Too, both written by Lorna-Hill and also Gipsy of Greywalls by Judith Carr.
Glenn also provided this information:
“Hugh Russell Hall was born in Dundee, Scotland February 28, 1905 and died September 20, 1984 in Halstead, Essex. He also worked as an illustrator, under the name Paul Rainer. In1924, he married Isobel Wallace Watson, and they had a daughter, Audrey, born in 1931. His second wife was Doreen Iris Hall (nee Cole), born February 12, 1923 and died December 25, 1997. She was an illustrator who used the name of Joanna Curzon”! Thanks Glenn
I’m reliably informed (thanks Jenny C.) that this story is a continuation of the life of the two girls in the book White Boots.
Take a look at the next two images below. It took a moment to realise I was looking at a mirrored image with “ALDWYN” as the signature! Nice drawings too by Aldwyn Carpenter
And this isn’t the only mirrored image in the book but interestingly this one has the word / name “SWART” in the story “The Golden Head”, yet, the blackboard is the right way round! Is this supposed to be a child’s graffiti on the desk?
My good friend David Slinn supplied the following regarding John Woods – could the above be by him?
“John Woods, born in 1904, was still contributing to Bunty and Debbie during the late-1970s. This contents listing in the 1955 BBC Childrens Annual, is contemporary with his contributions to Swift Annual No.1 (1954) and No.2 (1955); in 1956, he started to draw ‘Andy and Sandy’ for Radio Fun – much earlier, also handled by Tom Kerr – later, continuing when the title merged with Buster, until the series ended in 1962. He worked from a studio just off Fleet Street, interestingly, shared with Edgar Spenceley.
As well as a prolific contributor to DC Thomson’s girls’ titles, primarily Bunty, Judy, Mandy, Debbie and the associated annuals, he also tackled a considerable number of ‘Zip Nolan’ weekly episodes in Lion. During 1959-60, for Robin’s centre-spread he provided colour illustrations, incorporating hidden objects, of events or activities; together with occasional, “things to do” features.” – Thanks David – perhaps he drew some of the puzzles then?
The next one, I’m showing knowing Enid Blyton fans may enjoy knowing Ladler’s work appears here. Her brief biography can be found on Wikipedia.
And lastly I’d love help identifying the following artist whose work appears in the story “Watermanship”
Visual Rants 