Five have place in child museum as Blyton manuscripts find new home

ORIGINAL typescripts of some of Enid Blyton’s best loved stories fetched up to 4,000 each at an auction in Yorkshire.

The typescripts for Five Have Plenty of Fun and Five Have a Wonderful Time were among a rich archive of material owned by the writer’s late daughter, Gillian Baverstock, who lived in Ilkley for many years and died in June 2007.

Seven Stories, the national archive for children’s books in Newcastle upon Tyne, was the highest bidder for 17 lots at yesterday’s auction at Hartleys in Ilkley.

Its acquisitions included the original, corrected typescripts for Last Term at Malory Towers, Look Out Secret Seven and Cheer up Little Noddy plus five of the Famous Five manuscripts.

The 66 lots included 17 typescripts, and a large number of books, periodicals, and other Blyton-related items, some of them owned by Mrs Baverstock during her childhood, others collected by her in later life.

Sophie Smallwood, Blyton’s granddaughter, who contributed to the fund that enabled Seven Stories to make the purchase, said: “I know Seven Stories will take really good care of the manuscripts and it means children will be able to enjoy them.”