Have consulted encyclopaedia but still confused about which one is the real Matey time the loving and beloved of Jo? Any thoughts?

Matey is usually Matron (Gwyneth) Lloyd, but is occasionally Matron Gould!

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EBD got very confused herself over this - probably some of her worst EBD-isms

I think she is always intended to be Gwyneth Lloyd, whatever EBD actually calls her at the time. Her character seems to remain constant, even if her name isn't! As well as the occasional Gould, she's Gowland on at least one occasion I think.

"The" matron is the only one who gets called "Matey", so when you're reading, that's the way to figure out which is which.

I did a quick count.

Matey is called Gowland in 1 book, Lloyd in 11 and Gould in 5. The rest of the time, she's called "matey" with no surname. She first appears in Head Girl but doesn't get a name at all until Exploits.

The second matron in Tyrol is called Lloyd in three books, Gould in five, and is unnamed in 1. It's also totally EBD'd whether she is actually at the school in England, as she's referred to as both current staff, and as having only been there in Austria, but is mostly absent.

Both Matey and Tyrol Matron are referred to as Gwynneth.

The other matrons in Tyrol are Wilson (between Jo of and Princess), Webb and Besley (the bad ones), Rider (from St Scholastica's), Venables. For most of the time in England there's only Matey. In Switzerland they also have Wood, Bellenger, Henschell (join in Genius), and Duffin, who appears later.

Matey is, as far as I know, always described as very short, greying, wiry, and a martinet who adores Joey.

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