“...I enlivened a dull day’s reporting by watching, and describing, a butcher bird in a thorn bush. He was much more engaging than watching the golf. One of the weaker counties was holding a meeting; nobody could hit the ball more than 160 yards; if there was a bunker they made straight for it, when they arrived at the hole they carefully avoided it. The course was of the depressing kind which goes up and down (generally up) a field which, not so very long ago, was undoubtedly being plodded over by patient plough-
Eleanor Helme wrote 4 books on golf (all of them hard to find), and 7 children’s books (one was a compilation) on wildlife. If you can find them, these are beautifully illustrated and very attractive books, published by the Religious Tract Society, who also published her titles on Jesus. Again, these are rare. Much easier to find are her pony and farming stories. The majority of these are based on Exmoor, which she loved, and where she often holidayed. She and her sister, Vera, moved to Luccombe, on Exmoor, permanently after the Second World War, and here she built a house: “Three Gates”
Her books have a very vivid sense of place. White Winter is a wonderful evocation of the sheer hard slog of living through the long and vicious winter of 1947 on Exmoor, and should be more widely read. It is part of the only series she wrote, about an Exmoor pony called Adam, all of which are well worth finding. She wrote a pair of books about an Exmoor pony, Jerry, which have considerable charm. One of my own favourites is Furlong Farm: the pony element is minimal, but it is a wonderful story of farming life.
Eleanor Helme was blessed with her illustrators: Lionel Edwards illustrated the Adam series, and Cecil Aldin Jerry. Her books are very attractive in their own right, and if you like the Country Life style of pony book, you will like these.
Many thanks to Amanda Dolby, Dawn Harrison. Jacquie Aucott and Alison MacCallum for their help with the pictures.
Finding the books: all of the books are fairly easy to find, and generally reasonably priced. The early editions of Jerry and The Joker and Jerry Again can be hard to find in their earlier printing styles. The one really tricky book to find is Mayfly with its dustjacket. I’ve never seen one, or met anyone else who has. Without its dj, it’s very common.
Sources:
Eric Rowlands: Eleanor Helme: Columnist, Golfer, Author, Reporter, Naturalist and Lover of Exmoor (Horner Mill Services, 2002)
(With Paul, Nance)
Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1930, illus Cecil Aldin
Reprinted 1949 (shown right)
Robin Marston and his family come to holiday on Exmoor, and Robin spots an
Exmoor foal he falls in love with. He is bought the colt, and some years later the
family come to live on Exmoor permanently. Jerry is then old enough to be broken
in.
(With Paul, Nance)
Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1932, illus Cecil Aldin
Reprinted 1953 as The Joker and Jerry
Many thanks to Amanda Dolby for the early edition photo, and to
Dawn Harrison for the later.
White Winter
Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1949, illus Lionel Edwards
Based on the long harsh winter of 1947, when the inhabitants of Exmoor were cut off
from January to
March, this sees the characters of Suitable Owners and Shank’s Pony
stranded. Sue lends Adam
to a friend, with nearlly disastrous results. Collin is
stranded with Miss Popham.
Mayfly the Grey Pony
Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1935, illus Lionel Edwards
The Chatton family fall on hard times, and have to move from London to Exmoor, to
a house they have just
inherited. They still have enough money to be able to take
their horses with them, but the horses have to
work as hirelings now. Tony and his
sister Diana soon adjust to their new way of life. Tony develops his
talent as an
artist, and still manages to show his pony Mayfly.
Runaway Mike
Peter Lovat, 1936, illus T Ivester Lloyd
This is the story of Mike, the circus boy, Pitch the black colt and Toss the sheepdog.
Mayfly the
grey pony also puts in an appearance.
Suitable Owners
Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1948, illus Lionel Edwards
Feathered Friends of Field and Forest
RTS, 1926, illus Barbara Briggs, reprinted 1928, 1932
Friends of Field and Forest
RTS, illus Barbara Briggs
Four Footed Helpers
RTS, 1927, illus Barbara Briggs
Down the Stream
RTS, 1929 illus Barbara Briggs
Animals of the Bible
RTS, 1927, illus Barbara Briggs
The Book of Birds and Beasties
RTS 1929, illus Barbara Briggs
Feathered Friends of Stream and Shore
RTS, 1929, illus Barbara Briggs, reprinted 1932
New Bible Picture Books
RTS, 1929, illus Harold Copping
The Perfect Friend: A Life of Jesus
RTS, 1929, illus Harold Copping, reprinted 1937
The Greatest Gift, some Bible Stories Retold
(With Maurice Kerr)
RTS, 1930, illus Harold Copping
In David’s Royal City
RTS, illus Harold Copping
Stories of our Lord
RTS, illus Harold Copping
Jesus, Lord and Master
RTS, illus Harold Copping
The Footsteps of Jesus
RTS, illus Harold Copping
The Lady Golfer’s Tip Book
Mills and Boon, 1923
The Best of Golf, by some Best Golfers (Ed)
Mills and Boon, London 1925
After the Ball, Merry Memoirs of a Golfer
Hurst & Blackett, 1931, illus Charles Ambrose
Family Golf
J M Dent, 1938, illus Barbara Turner
Dear Busybody
Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1950, illus Lionel Edwards
Many thanks to Jacquie Aucott and Roger Thomas for the photograph.
Dear Busybody is set in 1897, when Phyllis Moberley is sent to Somerset to visit
her aunt and uncle. Phyllis
was brought up in Canada, so Victorian conventions puzzle
her. She does soon own a horse and pony of her
own, and is also soon on the track
of a deer poacher.
Five Thorns Farm
1930
Seek There -
Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1933,
illus Frank Wallace
Reprinted 1949
Roddy and Scuttle
(With Paul, Nance)
Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1933,
illus Charles Ambrose
Reprinted 1949
Furlong Farm
Country Life, 1938, illus Maurice Wilson
Internal illustrations
The Adam series
Shank’s Pony
Suitable Owners
White Winter
Shank’s Pony
Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1946, illus Lionel Edwards
