by Ruth Belena

Created on: June 26, 2009

British author Enid Blyton became one of the most popular writers for children within her lifetime. Enid Mary Blyton was born in 1897 at the south London home of her parents, Theresa Mary and Thomas Carey Blyton. Her father was employed as a cutlery salesman. Enid had two younger brothers, Hanly (born 1899), and Carey (born 1902). Her parents separated when Enid was 13.

By the time she was in her teens, Enid Blyton was already writing stories and poetry. Much of what she submitted was rejected, but she had an early success in 1911 when one of her poems appeared in a magazine edited by Arthur Mee.

In 1916 Enid Blyton first began her association with children when she started helping out at a Sunday school. Later that year she became a trainee teacher and then she taught infants for five years, at various schools. During this time she continued to write in her spare time.

Enid Blyton's real writing career began in 1922, when she had a book of poems published. This was called "Child Whispers". Earlier that year, one of her stories for children "Peronel and his Pot of Glue" appeared in a magazine, and she continued writing stories featuring good little fairies, elves and pixies, naughty goblins, evil witches and wizards.

In 1924, Enid Blyton married Major Hugh Alexander Pollock (born 1888). He was employed by the publishing company George Newnes, which published two of Enid's books in 1924. Subsequently Enid wrote some of her stories under the pen name of Mary Pollock.

Following the birth of their two children, Gillian (born 1931) and Imogen Mary (born 1935), Enid Blyton began to enjoy real success in her writing career. Her novel, "The Adventures of the Wishing Chair" was published in 1937, followed in 1938 by a full length adventure, "The Secret Island".

Publishing continued throughout the second world war, despite restrictions on paper and print workers. This was when Enid Blyton began to write her renowned series of books, featuring some of the best known, well loved fictional characters of all children's literature.

The Famous Five was to become Enid Blyton's most popular series of adventure novels, after the first Famous Five title appeared in 1942. The same characters appear in each book. Julian, Dick and Anne, their uncle Quentin and his daughter Georgina. The four children are joined by Timmy the dog. Timmy belongs to Georgina. She prefers to dress as a boy and to be known as George. Enid Blyton based the character of George on herself as a child.

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