Gosh - Bryan, this is brilliant. Are you going to publish?

It seems that from the article about Elinor in “Girls in Green”. A book commissioned by St Helens School, that Elinor might have been influenced to change her name to a double barrel name when two teachers at St Helen’s School, had changed their names from Mr Roland and Miss M. Rowland’. To Mr Rowland Brown and Miss M. Rowland Brown. Initially when Elinor started at St Helens she was known as Miss Dyer, but by time she left in 1923, she had changed it to the name Miss Brent-Dyer

Brian, a member of the Girls Own list posted today about a find in a charity shop - several books signed by Elinor, including paperbacks from the late 1960s. I wondered if you could shed any light on who Virginia Horne is:

Unfortunately Virginia Horne is not known by me, so I cannot help. What area was the books discovered

London, I think.

Surely most likely to be a random child?

Does anyone have a link to the (presumably) archived thread about EBD writing an article in her school magazine about being in a hotel that was attacked by Tyrolean bandits? I've been looking and can't find it but I can't imagine that would have been deleted as it was entirely new to everyone.

As it is in London, these books may have been signed at the Children’s Book Exhibition at Olympia in 1964, the day after Elinor appeared on the BBC ‘Tonight’ programme. Elinor was invited by W H Smith to tour the exhibition, and no doubt would have signed books then.
This is only supposition, but a possibility as it was three books

Thanks, Brian. It would have been later than that as they were paperbacks which weren't published at that time. As Mia says, it's probably some random girl but I thought it was worth asking you.

Reading on in Elinor’s Biography it appears she paid a surprise visit to the World Book Fair at Earls Court, where she also signed autographs, again in June 1964.
But as you say if they were paperbacks which hadn't been printed that year, well that's that idea out of the window
The name sounds familuar, but I think that is my mind playing tricks (well at 70 yesterday I'm entitled to)

Happy birthday for yesterday!

Thank you!

By the way if I had read your previous messages thoroughly, I would have realised it couldn’t been Jan 1964, which is early 1960's, not late 1960's, but there again it's a senior moment, after my cup of Horlicks , two cups of cocoa, and three slugs of gin

Happy Birthday from me too, Bryan - I'm still reading all this with fascination and gratitude for the time you're putting into it

Happy late Birthday Bryan! Like JS I'm still reading this with fascination and gratitude too!

You've mentioned EBD's appearance on the Tonight programme. Did you see it on tv? Do you remember anything about it and how she felt about being on it eg was she excited, was she pleased with her performance? Did she like the publicity? It would be fascinating to know, thanks.

It’s unfortunate that the website is in instalments, but some departments and researchers take their time in replying, which is frustrating because until you get the full picture it’s a bit misleading, if some information can’t be verified by independent sources
I can’t wait to get the picture from Girls go by (if they let me have them), as they really show Elinor, her house and Phyllis, even if they are in black & white
At the time of Elinor’s interview on BBC ‘Tonight’ no I did not see it because the Matthewman’s who I was staying with did not own a TV. But Elinor was bubbling over when they got back and of course she was off to London the next day to the Children’s Book Exhibition at Olympia, so it was a hectic 48 hours for her, and the Matthewman’s who went with them

She wrote about her appearance on Tonight in one of her newsletters for her fan club.

I have found the article on a website. The Link is
http://www.hertfordshire-genealogy.co.u ... t-dyer.htm

Reading the articles I have posted on this Forum, it looks like Elinor was at St Helens 1921, she went on her Austrian Holiday 1922 returning to St Helens, before moving onto Weston House School middle to late 1923. She then moved on to Moreton House School 1924
There does seem to be a conflict of information as Helen McClelland says that


In 2001 this article appeared

Although this raises doubts also as the first Chalet School book was 'The School at the Chalet' Published in 1925

No criticism, but just observations

As there seems to be inconstancies between books and websites regarding Elinor changing names, when she went on holiday to Austria, what/when schools she taught at, when she moved from Fareham and where to. I will leave what I have chronically put so far on the website, but will change if I get verification of a more precise event.
Two events seem to be precise
Elinor at St Helens (1921-1923), and at Morton House School (July 1924)
It seems strongly likely that Elinor did go on her holiday to Austria about July 1922, because of the Passport application in 4th July 1922, information coming from St Helens 1921-1923
Wykeham House School is supposed to be the Autumn Term 1923, Morton House School 1924
With the changes of Elinor’s names, age, and her passage around North and South UK with a trip to Austria thrown in, you could write a fictional book about her

Have added “Elinor’s Diary” to Elinor’s Page. Am still confused over the year that Elinor visited Austria, but I’m convinced it was 1922, not 1924 which Helen McClelland states in Elinor’s Biography