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Girlsown: EBD and Clare Mallory
http://www.the-cbb.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=7288

Author:  Fiona Mc [ Tue Feb 02, 2010 10:18 am ]
Post subject:  Girlsown: EBD and Clare Mallory

My apologies for posting this early but I'm in the process of moving and haven't a hope of doing it tomorrow unless I decided not to sleep!

The following discussion will centre on another girls own writer of EBD’s time, Clare Mallory. Clare Mallory is the pseudonym for Winifred Constance McQuilkan Hall, a New Zealand writer who wrote ten books between 1947 to 1951. She was born in September 1913, in Invercargill, New Zealand, was educated at Southland Girls High School. While she was a teenager, both her parents died and Clare Mallory finished her school days while living in lodgings. She was dux at her school (she received the highest marks of anyone in her final year) and went on to gain her MA in Latin and English at Otago University. Following this she gained a first at Somerville College at Oxford University, before returning to teach at Columba College, Dunedin, before later becoming its Headmistress. She later married Frank Hall in 1949. The two lived in London for a few years before returning to New Zealand where Clare Mallory died in 1991.

For anyone wanting to buy/read Clare Mallory’s books, GGBP have republished a number of them such as the Merry series (consists of three books), The New House at Winwood, Juliet Overseas and The League of the Smallest. They do intend to eventually republish them all. Otherwise for anyone living in Australia, the National Library in Canberra have a copy of all her books which may only be accessed in person. (Sorry, I don’t know about the UK or New Zealand). Other Clare Mallory books are: The Pen and Pencil Girls; Tony Against the Prefects; Leith and Friends; and The Two Linties.

Clare Mallory’s books are described as being typically English and many expressed surprise of them being written by a New Zealand writer. She focuses on boarding school books with the primary focus within the story to either be a group of girls or the house the main pupil belongs to. In the Merry Series (Merry Begins, Merry Again and Merry Marches On) we follow the adventures of an orphan girl, who starts at her mother’s old school, Tremayne. Through the suggestion of one of the Prefects, Pauline, Merry sits for a scholarship and is offered a place in her Mother’s old School House, Sennon. Merry quickly settles in and becomes friend with a group of girls who decides to support their House Captain Pauline, (yes, the same Pauline) to ensure Pauline will be next year’s Head Girl. Tremayne differs from the Chalet School where loyalty to the house is more important and the Head Girl is decided by which House has gained the most amount of points, for conduct, academic brilliance, sporting abilities and outside activities such as drama and plays. Merry and friends have many ups and downs along the way they have new girls to break in and troubles as the Sennon House is ranked the lowest of all houses. Through it all Merry is determined to raise her Mother’s old house to the standing it once enjoyed. The New House at Winwood follows the life of the girls, who are new not only at Winwood but are members of a new house. This has caused many problems as many of the old girls are opposed to the admission of the new house, and there are many problems, which are finally overcome due to the strength of the Head Girl and Winwood’s House Captain and the ingenuity of the First Form. In Juliet Overseas we Juliet return to the school her Grandfather started to find his old house Shand is the worst of the school. Juliet is determined to raise the house’s standing to its former glory and finally in League of the smallest Clare Mallory focuses not a house but on a group of girls singled out due to their height. They decide to band together and prove to everyone, that they can be the best of everything despite their height. (Sorry I’ve only read the GGBP books, so don’t know anything about the others).

Clare Mallory has many differences and similarities in her books as compared to EBD. Activities are numerous and voluntary; there is no being sent to Matron for mending if you don’t join in. The Prefects and pupils themselves will propose starting new clubs and activities which is reminiscent of the Tyrol years at the Chalet School. There is a strong influence from previous family members of the school over current pupils. Juliet is inspired to raise her Grandfather’s old house to its old glory days despite inherent difficulties with a lack of leadership and being offered a place in another school house, Juliet remains firm. Loyalty is strongly evident. There are links between girls through family. Merry is often looked after by Pauline simply because Merry’s mother Rosemerryn cared for Pauline as a new pupil of the age of five, so many years earlier. Merry repays her care through her devotion and determination that Pauline would become Head Girl and therefore bring glory to her Mother’s old house. We do see loyalty to the school as Merry quote’s the Prefect’s motto, to do right whatever the cost, and the cost for Merry and friends was high. The Headmistresses are well drawn, and strong but we see very little of them and the other mistresses and their remoteness is often reflected in the girls attitude. Many or all find the Headmistress intimidating and we never see the ease as we do between the triplets and Miss Annersley. I do think Clare Mallory writes more accurately about the younger girls and they are usually extremely well drawn and appropriate for their ages.

So what do people think of the Clare Mallory books?
Did people like them better or less than EBD or just because they were different?
How do people compare them to other GO writers?
Is there anything Clare Mallory wrote that people think was better or worse than what EBD focuses on and if so what?
And finally what do people think of the themes in Clare Mallory’s books, loyalty to house and school and to do the right whatever the cost?

Please discuss this and any other points you wish to raise.

Author:  Emma A [ Tue Feb 02, 2010 1:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Girlsown: EBD and Clare Mallory

I really like Clare Mallory's books (I've read the six so far republished by GGB, and will certainly get the rest of her books) - there's something very satisfying about the ways her characters have to struggle for their achievements, but hard work is always rewarded. I also like the way that we see friendships between older and younger pupils, and how the Middles and Juniors can bring credit to their school by working hard and playing hard also.

Mallory is keen to present well-rounded schoolgirls, who have wide ranging interests; girls who are interested in lessons (though not all of them), in drama and sport, and in domestic arts. The latter are the means of bringing about much needed house spirit in Juliet Overseas, for example, and (ultimately) in bringing Angela to a better understanding with head girl Vivian in League of the Smallest. She also presents very realistic girls and realistic friendships - both the stately seniors and the ones who are more impulsive, and girls who are easily led, or downright self-serving.

I think that only Juliet Overseas is set in England: the others I've read being set in New Zealand, but the school systems she describes are very English. I think that Mallory seems to have been influenced more by Evelyn Finds Herself than by the standard school story writer such as Brazil or EJO or EBD, though I think that her understanding of girls, presumably culled from having been a teacher, is better than EBD's. The staff are quite hands-off in her stories: they seem to want the girls to sort out their problems, which, by and large, they do - with help from other girls, or disinterested outsiders (such as the Rodneys in League of the Smallest).

Author:  cestina [ Tue Feb 02, 2010 3:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Girlsown: EBD and Clare Mallory

Goodness gracious - Leith and Friends! My childhood all-time favourite school story, despite being set in a day school - and the enigmatic Persis Randolph who, despite the age gap, becomes one of Leith's friends, probably my first crush :oops:

But had you asked me if I had read any Clare Mallory I would have said "no" until I saw that title in the introduction to the thread. It set me on a hunt for the book which thanks to my nifty database I knew I still had somewhere. Several dusty bookshelves later (the books are lined up 3 deep) I found it, uncovering several others on the way including Marjorie & Co and The New Housemistress by EBD.

It had never occurred to me that it might be set in NZ, and a quick flip through still leaves me thinking that it is England. Are daffodils and jonquils spring flowers in NZ? So far I have found nothing more specific than that as proof.

I see my copy was originally a Boots Booklovers Library book. How many of the older generation on here I wonder were members of that Library?

I shall now go and reread it properly :D

Author:  judithR [ Tue Feb 02, 2010 6:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Girlsown: EBD and Clare Mallory

cestina wrote:
Are daffodils and jonquils spring flowers in NZ?


I remember an Australian friend who was a bridesmaid in August saying that she'd carried a bunch of very early daffodils!

The Merry books are obviously NZ bbecause of the place names mentioned and I found internal evidence - mention of winter in July in other NZ ones.

I like Clare Mallory in general. Her schoolgirls seem much more mature than English schoolgirls portrayed at about the same time and I do like the interactions between the prefects ("enter a small conspiritor cloaked") though a particular gem is in The League of the Smallest where the younger girls agree that one of the older girls is an object worthy of admiration without, of course, any excesses (can't remember the exact quote).

I find them somewhat similar to the Hilda books which are also set in NZ but in a day school.

Author:  rugbyliz [ Wed Feb 03, 2010 10:20 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Girlsown: EBD and Clare Mallory

I only discovered Clare Mallory thanks to GGB (and it's a big thanks!) and I have to say I really love them, especially the Merry books which I read over and over again. I am always really sad that there are no more of them.
I think she creates believable characters who are also very likeable in most cases and her stories are also believable.
I am looking forwards to the others being re printed!!

Author:  JB [ Sat Feb 06, 2010 10:44 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Girlsown: EBD and Clare Mallory

I enjoy Claire Mallory, although the books I know well are Juliet Overseas (which I read again this week) and the Merry trilogy. All of these involve the daughter of an old girl arriving at school and working to put the house in its rightful place ie the best house in the school. Mallory’s term of “crack house” never ceases to amuse my low mind.

The mistresses are very much in the background of these books, although Heads are charismatic and effective when we do meet them. The girls have a lot of freedom and the house prefects considerable leeway in how they deal with transgressions. That’s very different to the way EBD would have written and she would have been horrified about the acceptance of midnight feasts. Somehow, I can’t see CS girls helping out in the kitchen during a staff shortage either. Actually, I can’t see a staff shortage occurring to her at all because these things all run smoothly in the CS world (even in war time). :wink:

I love the way Juliet brings the Shand house together a form at a time as each recognises, for different reasons, the value of “playing up” for their house. Juliet’s friendship with second former Nicky Ware is touching and there are well-defined characters in each year. I agree that Mallory writes younger girls very well.

Cara’s insult to Stephanie about her hair is one of the most cutting I’ve seen in a school story. I do, though, get a bit bored with being told constantly that Cara “drawls” and found myself saying the lines aloud in my head in a drawling way. :roll:

I do prefer them to some of EBD’s non-Chalet school stories and if I had to attend a fictional boarding school, I think I’d choose Tremaynes. There’s so much going on at these schools and pupils have the opportunity to follow their interests rather than being pushed into Guides or making things for the Sale.

Claire Mallory is one of my favourite GO writers and I must buy her other books from GGB.

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