M is for....
Malory Towers
The main character was Darrell Rivers who readers followed through her school life from First Term at Malory Towers to Last Term at Malory Towers.  |
| Plan of Malory Towers School |
I loved these books when I was a child and would still happily read them now. They were a set of books written by Enid Blyton about a boarding school for girls between 1946 and 1951.
Malory Towers was a school in Cornwall set upon a cliff. It was castle like with four towers North, South, East and West. Each tower had it's own matron and the Headmistress was Miss Grayling.
There were many teachers there including Mam'zelle Dupont and Mam'zelle Rougier the two French teachers, Miss Potts (nicknamed Potty), Miss Linnie the kind hearted sewing mistress and Miss Parker (nicknamed Nosey Parker by the girls)
First Term at Malory Towers
Darrell is the daughter of Mr & Mrs Rivers. Mr Rivers is a Doctor. She has a younger sister Felicity who is too young to attend Malory Towers.
Darrell arrives and is taken to the Headmistresses office where Miss Grayling tells the assembled girls that she considers successes as girls who have become dependable, loving and prove to be useful women in society
Darrell meets the other girls in her dormy (dormitory) and makes friends with a girl called Alicia Johns. Alicia is not a very good influence on Darrell and Darrell finds herself falling behind with her work. Alicia has the ability to play the fool and still get top marks in her schoolwork.
Darrell is befriended by the quiet Mary-Lou who she "saves" from drowning when the nasty Gwendoline Mary Lacey holds her head under water. Darrell loses her "famous temper" and shoves Gwendoline Mary.
Later on in the book Darrell tries to be nice to another girl named Sally Hope. Darrell's Mother knows Sally's Mother and Darrell asks Sally how her little sister is. Sally denies having a sister and declares she would never want one. Darrell becomes angry as she knows Sally is lying to her and shoves her. The next morning she wakes to find out that Sally is in the San (Sanatorium) and is ill. Darrell is convinced that her shove has made her ill and goes to tell Miss Grayling that she is guilty of making Sally poorly. Darrell hears her Fathers voice and jumps out from where she had been hiding. Her Father is very surprised and tells Darrell that he has just removed Sally's appendix.
Darrell visits Sally as she recovers and Sally admits she was jealous of her little sister. Darrell and Sally become Best Friends and stay that way through the whole series.
Last Term at Malory Towers
This last books sees the second form being included as Darrell's younger sister (Felicity) is now a pupil.
At the end Sally and Darrell walk around the school reminiscing about their time at school. Darrell and Sally are both off to college and Darrell wants to try and become a writer.
The Malory Towers series gave me a form of escapism as a child. I was an only child and reading these books in my room made me feel like I had friends to chat to. The school sounded heavenly although I wasn't too keen on the compulsory swimming lessons as I am petrified of water (much like Mary-Lou!)
It is hard to think that these books were written nearly 70 years ago. Sure some of the language shows you they are set in the 1940's, but I think the descriptions of the girls and their ways still stand today.
I think every little girl or boy should read Malory Towers. The books are so innocent and transport to a far nicer era.
So off you all pop you spiffing people and buy the Malory Towers series.
Visit the Enid Blyton Society for more story and book information. Also see my E is for Enid Blyton blog here
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