Peggie Cannam

Jane Badger Books

Peggie Cannam wrote full-time, but before that worked as a nurse in a children’s hospital, in an office, and in the Women’s Land Army for three years. After the war, she worked on poultry farms, but then moved to Jersey where she carried on in agricultural work. Her books did not pay her enough to live on all the time, so she would do whatever came along to keep the wolf from the door: type, work in shops, can tomatoes or pick potatoes!

One of her books, Hoof Beats, is autobiographical, and I quote the blurb below:

“This is the story of four friends – two girls, Peggie and Tim, and their ponies, Firefly and Sherry. At first the 2 girls had to share Peggie’s pony, Firefly, purchased cheaply from a benevolent horse dealer, whose horses the girls used to ride. When only Firefly occupied the field, one of the girls had to accompany the other on a bicycle when they went riding, but at last came the wonderful day when Firefly was joined by Sherry. From that time on, adventures for the four friends were abundant.

A pony club called the ‘Stirrup’ was their first enterprise. Although somewhat haphazard in organisation, they managed to produce several gymkhanas and had a club photograph taken at which a large number of vain young people turned up who were less enthusiastic supporters of the more strenuous events. Adventures were not confined to the Stirrup Club. With their ponies, Peggie and Tim rode, hunted and camped, sleeping in hammocks and battling with dew-soaked wood to light the fire which they so badly needed in the early hours of the morning.”

Peggie Cannam combined two genres in some of her books: the school story and the pony story. Riding for Ridge Abbey and Musical Ride are both set at boarding schools. Sims & Clare describe her as writing pony books which have school as “a convenient background’.” and think her a poor and stereotypical writer.

Finding the books: almost all the books are easy to find: the one exception is Corn and Carrot Tops, which can be elusive.

Sources:
Dustjackets of her books; Encyclopaedia of Girl’s School Stories, Sims & Clare

Bibiography

Peggie Cannam

Black Fury

Lutterworrth, 1953

Whittlesea House, New York, 1956, illustrated by Wesley Dennis

Musical Ride

Lutterworth, 1958

She Wanted a Pony

Museum Press 1951

Andrew Dakers (date difficult to trace: possibly 1958)

Many thanks to Amanda Dolby for the photographs.

Ruth Fraser-Philpotts is the daughter of rich parents, who move to the country because it’s
what their rich friends do, and has a pony, Socks, bought for her. Pat Simkins goes to the same
school as Ruth. They don’t like each other,but Ruth offers to have Pat and her ponies, about to be
made homeless, to stay for the holidays. They meet Monica Fletcher, and she falls for Socks
and decides to buy him.

Riding for Ridge Abbey

Lutterworth, 1954, illustrated by Bowe

Ridge Abbey School wants to win the Heal-Westway Cup again but Miss Pattycott’s Academy of
Riding is competing too. Julie is a favourite for the team until she lames her pony, and then Penny
and the stubborn Boxer are the only ones who can win the cup for the school.

Hoof Beats (Reminisences, with photographs and portraits)

Phoenix House, 1955

Children’s Book Club, 1955

This is the true story of four friends - two girls, Peggie and Tim, and their two ponies, Firefly
and Sherry. At first they shared Peggie's pony. When they only had Firefly, one of the girls had
to accompany the other on a bicycle when they went riding, but at last they got Sherry and their
adventures took on a different cast. They started a pony club called the 'Stirrup', produced several
gymkhanas and had a club photograph taken. They also rode, hunted and camped.

Triple Bar

Lutterworth Press, 1956, illustrated by Geoffrey Whittam

Cobber belonged to Lida from the time he was born. His mother was a famous show jumper and Lida trained
Cobber as a show jumper too. Then Lida rode him, disastrously, in a gymkhana, and they were parted. Cobber
did become a successful show jumper until he was lamed and had to be sold and so went down in the world. It
looked as if he might end up at the knacker's; but found a new life with a kind old man and a travelling show.

Corn and Carrot Tops: The Autobiography of a Pony as told to Peggie Cannam

Epworth Press, 1960, illustrated by Nina Scott Langley

Many thanks to Amanda Dolby for the picture.