The Annuals 1950 -
These pages list each Pony Club Annual./Book . Each Annual is listed, with its editor (if stated), publisher and date of publication. I have also included details of all the short stories included. I realise that many of you would prefer to have a listing by author order, and you can find this here. Details will also be included in each author’s own page, as long as they’ve written a pony book and therefore have a page!
Finding the Annuals: the earlier annuals are the trickiest ones to find. The majority of early annuals are findable and generally reasonably priced. The exceptions are those that contain a Monica Edwards short story: No 6 and No. 11. Monica fans know they exist, and so they tend to fetch higher prices. The 1970s and 1980s annuals are all pretty easy to find (with the exception of the 1984 edition). Beware adverts declaring these 1970s and 1980s annuals are rare: they aren’t.
The Pony Club Annual
Publisher: The Naldrett Press
Editor: not stated
Date of publication: 1950
The earliest annuals were in a smaller format than became usual in the 1970s. This
one is beautifully
produced, with illustrations from the creme of pony book illustrators:
Michael Lyne, Marcia Lane Foster,
Joan Wanklyn, Sheila Rose and Peter Biegel. There
was only one story, but plenty in the annual to
amuse and instruct. I wonder if
the lastest version would include an illustrated version of John Cowper’s
The Diverting
History of John Gilpin, and an illustrated article on the development of riding dress.
I suspect
not. Tastes, or at least the attention span of its teenage audience, have
changed.
Short stories:
Pamela Whitock: The Catsmeat Pony, illus Joan Wanklyn. Ron and Marty have come
from a town and
now live on Dartmoor. Marty befriends a Dartmoor pony, whom she calls
Boney, because she is, and she
is always on the outside of the herd. Marty finds out
the ponies are going to be round up and sold, and she
is convinced Boney will be sold
for catsmeat unless she and Ron can catch her first.
The Pony Club Annual 2 -
Publisher: The Naldrett Press, London
Editor: none stated
Date of publication: 1951
The first annual did so well a successor was printed. There were more stories: three
in this annual, though
one featured a hound rather than a pony. Major C Davenport,
of the Pony Club Organisation Committee, was
instrumental in developing the Pony Club
film “Horse Sense”, with its characters Joan, Betty and Captain
Richard Hall. The
first Captain Hall story appears in this volume; Captain Hall was to become a fixture
in the
Annual for the next ten years.
Short stories:
Frances Pitt: Young Ranter, illus Lionel Edwards. This is the story of the hound
pup Ranter, and how
he learns to hunt. If hunting is not your thing, steer clear.
Major C Davenport: A Lesson in Restraint, illus Stanley Lloyd. The first Captain
Hall story -
restrain your pony!
The Pony Club Annual No. 3
Publisher: Naldrett & Co, London
Editor: none stated
Date of publication: 1952
The stories were reined back to two in this edition. As in the previous two, the
illustrations are wonderful.
Geoffrey Whittam and Raymond Sheppard join the roster.
Cecil G Trew wrote on the evolution of the saddle,
having done articles in the two
previous annuals on how to draw. Christine Black told you how to train
your dog to
accompany you riding.
Short stories:
Pamela MacGregor Morris: Midnight Adventure, illus Harold Beards. Donald is going
to Cornwall to spend
the school holidays with his uncle -
Major C Davenport: Ageing Without Tears, illus Peter Biegel (A Captain Hall Story).
The District
Commissioner tells Captain Hall he has to address the Pony Club on the
subject of Ageing.
The Pony Club Annual No. 4
Publisher: Naldrett & Co Ltd, London
Editor: not stated, though Alan Delgado “produced”
Date of publication: 1953
The mixture continued as before, though now an equine star was on the cover -
upped the number of stories to four. Cecil G Trew contributed
a beautifully illustrated article on Cowboy
Gear. Another charmer is the one on
decorated Farm Waggons.
Short stories:
Major C Davenport: The “Won” Day Event, illus R P Kennedy. A Captain Hall Story.
Joan and
Betty, having been to the Pony Club One Day Event, put on their own version.
Judith M Berrisford: Topper, illus Charlotte Hough. Topper is Jeremy’s second
pony, and he
has major difficulties getting used to him.
Frances Pitt: Summer Ride, illus Raymond Sheppard. Jack and Joan go on a ride and
nature spot.
Beautiful illustrations.
Mary Patchett: Tam and the Bushfire, illus Geoffrey Whittam. Tam and Ajax are involved
in an
Australian bushfire.
Pony Club Annual No. 5
Publisher: Naldrett & Co, London
Editor: Alan Delgado Ltd
Date of publication: 1954
Another star on the cover: Lt-
beautifully illustrated (as well as interesting) piece on the history of the
bit.
Short stories:
Pamela Whitlock: The Great Desire, illus George Bowe. Elizabeth wants
a pony of her own.
Catherine Loftus: Winged Horse -
Major C Davenport: The Good Doer, illus Geoffrey Whittam. A Captain Hall story.
Joan has
outgrown her pony, and Captain Hall finds another for her: Star, from
Ireland. Star is a twin, and
it turns out his brother has also been sold to England.
Pony Club Annual No. 6
Publisher: Naldrett & Co, London/ The World’s Work (1913)
Ltd
Editor: Alan Delgado
Date of publication: 1955
The successful mixture continued as before: this edition included a Monica Edwards
story, and the
first of the Captain Hall stories illustrated by Thelwell, who became
the series’ main illustrator. Naomi
Mitchison contributed a piece.
Short Stories:
Monica Edwards: Sure Magic, illus Raymond Sheppard. It’s sure magic, to wish where
a foal has
been born. Paul finds the place where Calluna’s foal has been born, and
finds something very
unexpected indeed.
Rex Hazlewood: A Holiday Under the Sky, illus Harold Beards. Two girls and two
boys go on a
camping and riding holiday -
ride.
Nicola Bryant (aged 15): A Brown Coat and Red Hair, illus Geoffrey Whittam. A boy fulfils his dream.
Pamela Macgregor Morris: Harkaway’s New Home, illus Harold Beards. Simon has trouble settling his pony into his new home.
Pony Club Book No. 7
Publisher: Naldrett Press Ltd/The World’s Work (1913) Ltd
Editor: Alan Delgado
Date of publication: 1956
This was the first edition to change its name: the reason being that people might
think the articles and
stories had appeared elsewhere, when they were all specially
commissioned. This edition had a foreword
by Prince Philip, President of the BHS.
Anne Bullen contributed (and illustrated) an article on showing
and competing in
America.
Short Stories:
Frances Pitt: Rufus the Fox, illus Lionel Edwards: a short story about a fox.
Stella Munro: Micawber and the Moonlight Capture (no illustrations -
supply their own!) The Albright’s pony, Micawber, decides to go
off and have adventures.
Major C Davenport: The Order of the Bath, illus Thelwell. A Captain Hall story.
The Downshire Branch
go to camp.
Diana Pullein-
sometimes...
Naomi Mitchison: Ian Mor and the Water Horse, illus Peggy Fortnum.
The Pony Club Book No. 8
Publisher: Naldrett Press Ltd/The World’s Work (1913) Ltd
Editor: Alan Delgado
Date of publication: 1957
Diana Pullein-
did the cover illustration, though this was actually the recycled
frontispiece of the first annual.
Short Stories:
A Maple Leaf and Some Thistles: uncredited. Based in part on the film The Kid From
Canada. When
Andy from Canada visits the Mackinlays in Scotland, it doesn’t work
out too well at first.
Major C Davenport: Patricia’s Picture, illus Thelwell. A Captain Hall story. Captain
Hall cannot take the
Pony Club Camp ride as he has broken his leg playing polo. A
mysterious benefactor pays for Patricia to
go to camp, on the condition she writes
to him about it.
Stella Munro: Moorland Magic, illus Geoffrey Whittam. Christopher and Jane acquire
another pony in
very strange circumstances.
The Pony Club Book No. 9
Publisher: Naldrett Press Ltd/The World’s Work (1913) Ltd
Editor: Alan Delgado
Date of publication: 1958
Sheila Wilcox and High and Mighty were on the cover. The number of stories went
back to 2: Stella
Munro was still writing about horses from history, and there was
plenty about hunting in this edition. Real
life stories (Peter riding 150 miles to
school on his pony Kim), and setting up Pony Club magazines
featured.
Short Stories:
Major C Davenport: Cross Country, Speed and Endurance, illus Thelwell. A Captain
Hall story. The
Downshire Branch go to Badminton.
Naomi Mitchison: My Little Horse Gold, illus Joan Kiddell-
The Pony Club Book No. 10
Publisher: Naldrett Press Ltd/The World’s Work (1913) Ltd
Editor: Alan Delgado
Date of publication: 1959
This was the first Pony Club annual with a cover by Thelwell. There was an article
by Mrs E H Parsons
on round ups in the New Forest, as well as on a nurse on horseback
in Kentucky, and ponies in Kenya.
Short Stories:
Alan Delgado: The Cart Before the Horse, illus Monica Walker. A clash of cultures:
Sid and his
pony Beetle meet well off Angela in a story set in a London reliant on
horse transport.
Christine Pullein-
it’s a totally different matter when he’s away.
Major
C Davenport: The Gate Crasher, illus Thelwell. A Captain Hall story. Susan Carter
joins the
Pony Club.
The Pony Club Book No. 11
Publisher: Naldrett Press Ltd/The World’s Work (1913) Ltd
Editor: Alan Delgado
Date of publication: 1960
Another varied list of contents: the Pithead Pony Club, done absolutely on a shoe
string; the Pony Club
in London (rather less so). Frances Pitt was still writing
for the Annual, and here contributed an article
on her new house and its surrounding
wildlife.
Short Stories:
Monica Edwards: The Great Horse, illus William Stobbs. A rare historical story
from Monica Edwards,
telling the story of a horse during the Civil War.
Major C Davenport: A Place in the Team, illus Thelwell. A Captain Hall story. The
Downshire Branch
enter a team in the Prince Philip Cup.
The Pony Club Book 12
Publisher: William Heinemann Ltd in association with the Naldrett Press Ltd
Editor: Alan Delgado
Date of publication: 1961
The cover returned to a picture of a Pony Clubber and pony (though they’d never now
allow one without
a hat). Joan Wanklyn illustrated a four part article on training
the young pony, and Jill Chalcraft, a
Pony Club member in the 1930s, wrote about being
a Pony Club Mother in the 1960s.
Short stories:
Pamela Whitlock: Rare Bridget, illus Margery Gill). Jane’s ambition is to race,
so she is seriously
miffed to be given slow Biddy to ride.
Major C Davenport: Without a Fault, illus Thelwell. A Captain Hall story. Iris
Havknott does not have
a pony, but then her parents buy a cottage and she joins the
Pony Club.
Daphne Linnell: First Hunt, illus Anne Buckmaster. A group of children go on their first hunt.
The Pony Club Book 14
Publisher: William Heinemann Ltd
Editor: Alan Delgado
Date of publication: 1963
Haflingers, four centuries of horse traffic, Frances Pitt visits Canada (not one
word about
horses...) and a beautifully illustrated article on the Medieval knight
and his horse.
Short stories:
Joan Phipson: Pensioned Off, illus Margaret Horder. Alison Marriott’s adventures
on the New
South Wales sheep station where she lives.
Major C Davenport: Treasure Hunt, illus Thelwell. A Captain Hall story. The DC despises Treasure
Hunts, but Captain Hall doesn’t agree.
The Pony Club Book 13
Publisher: William Heinemann Ltd in association with the Naldrett Press Ltd
Editor: Alan Delgado
Date of publication: 1962
The cover is by Thelwell. How to keep a pony in suburbia is given an airing, as
well as a debate
on whether the pony is clever or clueless.
Short stories:
Major C Davenport: Hard Luck Story, illus Thelwell. A Captain Hall story. The Pony
Club rally is
going to be on Friday 13th...
Kathleen Mackenzie: Bogged Down, illus Helen Collins. Sally Brown feels herself
a complete
outsider at Pony Club
