I hadn't read this before and found it quite interesting, especially the bit about 'fabulous!' - do you think that's true! Anyhow, it's not something that's generally available online so I thought I'd type it in and post it here
Quote:
[Copyright The Times 1969]
Miss Brent-Dyer, Author of Chalet school tales
A Correspondant writes:
The world of juvenile literature is made the poorer by the death on Saturday of Miss Elinor Brent-Dyer, whose 56 “Chalet School” stories, set in the Austrian Tyrol, attracted a huge readership from all over the world – not only of children but adults also. So realistic are these books that her publishers received more than one request for a prospectus of the school. Her other 50-odd books included, besides school stories and a few historical ones, a number of adventure stories, the taut style and breathless speed of which formed a complete contrast to her other books. An amusing instance of the influence of a popular author on langugage is her use of the word ‘fabulous’. Dug out of Roget in a search for an original expletive for her fictional schoolgirls, it had within a couple of years swept through the juvenile world like a disease. As ‘fab’ it still has a persistent vitality.
Born in South Shields, Miss Brent-Dyer came of seafaring stock. After a curtailed course at Leeds University she became a teacher and for much of her life was headmistress of the Margaret Roper School at Hereford. Her writings include one or two educational readers. After her retirement she went to live with friends in Redhill, Surrey. She was a devout Roman Catholic, having been converted in her early twenties.”
Miss Brent-Dyer, Author of Chalet school tales
A Correspondant writes:
The world of juvenile literature is made the poorer by the death on Saturday of Miss Elinor Brent-Dyer, whose 56 “Chalet School” stories, set in the Austrian Tyrol, attracted a huge readership from all over the world – not only of children but adults also. So realistic are these books that her publishers received more than one request for a prospectus of the school. Her other 50-odd books included, besides school stories and a few historical ones, a number of adventure stories, the taut style and breathless speed of which formed a complete contrast to her other books. An amusing instance of the influence of a popular author on langugage is her use of the word ‘fabulous’. Dug out of Roget in a search for an original expletive for her fictional schoolgirls, it had within a couple of years swept through the juvenile world like a disease. As ‘fab’ it still has a persistent vitality.
Born in South Shields, Miss Brent-Dyer came of seafaring stock. After a curtailed course at Leeds University she became a teacher and for much of her life was headmistress of the Margaret Roper School at Hereford. Her writings include one or two educational readers. After her retirement she went to live with friends in Redhill, Surrey. She was a devout Roman Catholic, having been converted in her early twenties.”
