Malcolm Saville

I make no secret of the fact that Malcolm Saville was, and remains, one of my favourite childhood writers. I absolutely adored the Lone Pine novels and also read those Marston Baines stories I could lay my hands on. Saville was the very first author I ever wrote to. At the age of 8 or 9, I sent a letter to the address given in his various books to say that I had read all of his Lone Pine stories but could not find one of them, called The Secret of Grey Walls. Saville wrote back... and I wish I still had his reply. I do know that I promptly joined the Lone Pine Club and received his newsletters for the next couple of years. I also bought the hardback of Where's My Girl? through the club... and I wish I still had that, too, as it disappeared from my life many years ago.

To cut a long story short, The Secret of Grey Walls was reprinted in 1972 by Collins in a hardback edition which I had for thirty-eight years (it was disposed of ahead of our last house move). Indeed, I later managed to accumulate two paperback editions and, in 2008, bought the Girls Gone By reprint so I had the original text at long last.

That correspondence with Malcolm Saville was incredibly important—I don't think it would be too grand to call it life-shaping. You see, I'd sent a letter to someone whose books I loved and not only did the author turn out to be friendly but, as far as I was concerned, he got the book I was after back into print for me!

The introductions to Saville's books made it clear that the action he described took place against real backgrounds and, although I haven't ever had the chance to visit Shropshire or Rye, they were completely real to me as a reader. I never questioned the notion that Saville obviously knew these places well... and the first seeds of wanting to find out more about the people behind the bylines were sown. Oh, boy...

It's over thirty-five years later and I'm still writing to authors and digging up what snippets of information I can on them.

Last year I reviewed Saville's movie, Treasure at the Mill (scripted by Mary Cathcard Borer from a story by Saville), when I wrote a piece on artist Harry Pettit who not only starred in the film with his family but illustrated the novelisation written by Saville.

Following the bibliography, you will find a gallery of the Lone Pine novels illustrated with the Girls Gone By editions which are well worth picking up as they reprint the original texts and illustrations along with copious amounts of introductory matter. At the time of writing they've reprinted nineteen novels out of the twenty. I've also noted some online resources if you want to explore Saville's life and career any further.

PUBLICATIONS

Novels (series: Marston Baines; Brown Family; Buckinghams; Jillies; Lone Pine; Michael & Mary; Nettleford; Susan & Bill)
Mystery at Witchend (Lone Pine), illus. G. E. Breary. London, Newnes, Oct 1943; as Spy in the Hills, New York: Farrar & Rinehart, 1945.
Seven White Gates (Lone Pine), illus. Bertram Prance. London, Newnes, Oct 1944.
Trouble at Townsend. London, Transatlantic Arts, Jun 1945.
The Gay Dolphin Adventure (Lone Pine), illus. Bertram Prance. London, Newnes, Nov 1945.
Jane's Country Year, illus. Bernard Bowerman. London, Newnes, Nov 1946.
The Riddle of the Painted Box, illus. Lunt Roberts. London, Noel Carrington, Jun 1947.
The Secret of Grey Walls (Lone Pine), illus. Bertram Prance. London, Newnes, Dec 1947.
Redshank's Warning (Jillies), illus. Lunt Roberts. London, Lutterworth Press, Jun 1948.
Two Fair Plaits (Jillies), illus. Lunt Roberts. London, Lutterworth Press, Nov 1948.
Strangers at Snowfell (Jillies), illus. Wynne. London, Lutterworth Press, Sep 1949.
Lone Pine Five (Lone Pine), illus. Bertram Prance. London, Newnes, Nov 1949.
The Master of Maryknoll (Buckingham), illus. Alice Bush. London, Evans, Mar 1950.
The Sign of the Alpine Rose (Jillies), illus. Wynne. London, Lutterworth Press, Oct 1950.
The Flying Fish Adventure, illus. Lunt Roberts. London, John Murray, Oct 1950.
The Elusive Grasshopper (Lone Pine), illus. Bertram Prance. London, Newnes, Sep 1951.
All Summer Through (Nettleford), illus. Joan Kiddell-Monroe. London, Hodder & Stoughton, Nov 1951.
The Luck of Sallowby (Jillies), illus. Tilden Reeves. London, Lutterworth Press, Mar 1952.
The Buckinghams at Ravenswyke (Buckingham), illus. Bush. London, Evans, Sep 1952.
The Ambermere Treasure (Jillies), illus. Marcia Lane Foster. London, Lutterworth Press, Apr 1953; as The Secret of the Ambermere Treasure, New York: Criterion, 1967.
The Secret of the Hidden Pool, illus. Lunt Roberts. London, John Murray, Aug 1953.
The Neglected Mountain (Lone Pine), illus. Bernard Prance. London, Newnes, Sep 1953.
Christmas at Nettleford (Nettleford), illus. Joan Kiddell-Monroe. London, Hodder & Stoughton, Sep 1953.
Spring Comes to Nettleford (Nettleford), illus. Joan Kiddel-Monroe. London, Hodder & Stoughton, Sep 1954.
The Long Passage (Buckingham), illus. Alice Bush. London, Evans, Apr 1954.
Susan, Bill and the Wolf-Dog (Susan & Bill), illus. Ernest Shepard. London, Thomas Nelson & Son, Jul 1954.
Susan, Bill and the Ivy-Clad Oak (Susan & Bill), illus. Ernest Shepard. London, Thomas Nelson & Son, Jul 1954.
Susan, Bill and the Vanishing Boy (Susan & Bill), illus. Ernest Shepard. London, Thomas Nelson & Son, Mar 1955.
Susan, Bill and the Golden Clock (Susan & Bill), illus. Ernest Shepard. London, Thomas Nelson & Son, Mar 1955.
Saucers Over the Moor (Lone Pine), illus. Bernard Prance. London, Newnes, Sep 1955; abridged as Saucers Over the Moon, John Goodchild Publishers, 1984.
The Secret of Buzzard Scar (Nettleford), illus. Joan Kiddell-Monroe. London, Hodder & Stoughton, Oct 1955.
Susan, Bill and the Dark Stranger (Susan & Bill), illus. Ernest Shepard. London, Thomas Nelson & Son, May 1956.
Susan, Bill and the "Saucy Kate" (Susan & Bill), illus. Ernest Shepard. London, Thomas Nelson & Son, May 1956.
Wings Over Witchend (Lone Pine). London, Newnes, Sep 1956.
Young Johnnie Bimbo, illus. Lunt Roberts. London, John Murray, Nov 1956.
Treasure at the Mill, illus. Harry Pettit. London, Newnes, Feb 1957.
The Fourth Key, illus. Lunt Roberts. London, John Murray, Sep 1957.
Lone Pine London (Lone Pine). London, Newnes, Oct 1957.
The Secret of the Gorge (Lone Pine). London, Newnes, Sep 1958.
Four-and-Twenty Blackbirds (Brown Family), illus. Lilian Buchanan. London, Newnes, Mar 1959; as The Secret of Galleybird Pit, London, Armada, Jul 1967.
Small Creatures, illus. John Kenney. London, Ward (Truth in a Tale), Jun 1959.
Mystery Mine (Lone Pine). London, Newnes, Oct 1959.
Susan, Bill and the Bright Star Circus (Susan & Bill), illus. Terry Freeman. London, Thomas Nelson & Son, Jul 1960.
Sea Witch Comes Home (Lone Pine). London, Newnes, Sep 1960.
Susan, Bill and the Pirates Bold (Susan & Bill), illus. Terry Freeman. London, Thomas Nelson & Son, Mar 1961.
Not Scarlet But Gold (Lone Pine), illus. A. R. Whitear. London, Newnes, Sep 1962.
A Palace for the Buckinghams (Buckingham), illus. Alice Bush. London, Evans, May 1963.
Three Towers in Tuscany (Baines). London, Heinemann, Oct 1963.
Treasure at Amorys (Lone Pine), illus. Freeman. London, Newnes, Apr 1964.
The Purple Valley (Baines). London, Heinemann, Nov 1964.
Dark Danger (Baines). London, Heinemann, Nov 1965.
The Thin Grey Man, illus. Desmond Knight. London, Macmillan, Jan 1966; New York: St. Martin's Press, 1966.
The Man With Three Fingers (Lone Pine), illus. Michael Whittlesea. London, Newnes, Apr 1966.
White Fire (Baines). London, Heinemann, Nov 1966.
Strange Story. London, Mowbray, Oct 1967.
Power of Three (Baines). London, Heinemann, Apr 1968.
Rye Royal (Lone Pine). London, Collins, Oct 1969.
The Dagger and the Flame (Baines). London, Heinemann, Jun 1970.
Strangers at Witchend (Lone Pine). London, Collins, Oct 1970.
Good Dog Dandy (Brown Family). London, Collins, May 1971.
The Secret of Villa Rosa (Buckingham). London, Collins, Nov 1971.
Where's My Girl? (Lone Pine). London, Collins, Nov 1972.
The Roman Treasure Mystery (Brown Family). London, Armada, Aug 1973.
Diamond in the Sky (Buckingham). London, Collins, Nov 1974.
Marston, Master Spy (Baines). London, Heinemann, May 1978.
Home to Witchend (Lone Pine). London, Armada, Oct 1978.

Novels as D. J. Desmond
John and Jennifer on the Farm. London, Thomas Nelson & Sons, 1948.

Collections
Where the Bus Stopped. Oxford, Blackwell, Apr 1956.
The Flower-Show Hat, illus. Bertram Prance. Worcester, Malcolm Saville Society, Apr 2000.

Non-fiction
Country Scrap Book for Boys and Girls. London, National Magazine Company, Oct 1944; revised, London & Chesham: Gramol, 1945.
Open-Air Scrap Book for Boys and Girls. London & Chesham, Gramol, Nov 1945.
Seaside Scrap Book for Boys & Girls. London & Chesham, Gramol, Sep 1946.
The Adventure of the Life-Boat Service. London, Macdonald, Dec 1950.
Coronation Gift Book For Boys & Girls. London, Daily Graphic/Pitkins, Nov 1952.
King of Kings. London, Nelson, Nov 1958; revised, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire: Lion, Sep 1975; Huntingdon, Ind., Our Sunday Visitor, 1977.
Malcolm Saville's Country Book. London, Cassell, Oct 1961.
Malcolm Saville's Seaside Book. London, Cassell, Apr 1962.
Come to London: A Personal Introduction to the World's Greatest City. London, Heinemann, Apr 1967.
Come to Devon. London, Benn, Apr 1969.
Come to Cornwall. London, Benn, Jul 1969.
Come to Somerset. London, Benn, Mar 1970.
See How It Grows, illus. Robert Micklewright. London, Oxford University Press, Sep 1971.
Eat What You Grow, illus. Robert Micklewright. London, Carousel, Apr 1975.
Portrait of Rye, illus. Michael Renton. East Grinstead, Sussex: Goulden, Nov 1976.
Wonder Why Book of Exploring a Wood, illus. Elsie Wrigley. London, Corgi, May 1978.
The Countryside Quiz Book, illus. Micklewright. London, Carousel, Jul 1978.
The Story of Winchelsea Church. Sussex, Winchelsea Church, 1978.
Wonder Why Book of Exploring the Seashore, illus. Jenny Heath. London, Corgi, May 1979.
Wonder Why Book of Wildflowers Through the Year, illus. Elsie Wrigley. London, Corgi, Sep 1980.
The Seashore Quiz Book, illus. Robert Micklewright. London, Carousel, Jun 1981.
The Silent Hills of Shropshire, with Mark O'Hanlon, illus. John Allsup. Worcester, Mark O’Hanlon, Nov 1998.

Non-fiction as D. J. Desmond
Amateur Acting and Producing for Beginners. London, C. Arthur Pearson, 1937.

Others
Words for All Season, edited by Saville, illus. Elsie and Paul Wrigley. Guildford, Surrey, Lutterworth Press, Aug 1979.

Short Stories
Rain for Saint Swithin's (extract from Jane's Country Year; Best Children's Stories of the Year II, ed. Leonard Gribble, London, Burke, 1947)
Harvest Holiday (Michael & Mary; The Wonder Book for Children, 1948)
The Unwelcome Stranger (Michael & Mary, extract from The Riddle of the Painted Box; Best Children's Stories of the Year III, ed. Leonard Gribble, London, Burke, 1948)
The Flower-Show Hat (Lone Pine; The Guide Gift Book, 1950).
A Strange Couple (Lone Pine, extract from Lone Pine Five; Story Trove, ed. Leonard Burke, London, Burke, 1950)

Non-fiction
Stonewall Jackson (by D. J. Desmond; My Garden's Good-Night, ed. Theo A. Stephens, London, My Garden, 1939)
Guardians of Our Coast (Adventure and Discovery for Boys and Girls no.2, London, Jonathan Cape, 1947)
The Eternal Romance of Farming (Discovery and Romance for Boys and Girls no.2, London, Jonathan Cape, 1947)
The World's Greatest Port (Adventure and Discovery for Boys and Girls no.3, London, Jonathan Cape, 1948)
Craftsmanship in a Machine Age (by D. J. Desmond; Adventure and Discovery for Boys and Girls no.3, London, Jonathan Cape, 1948)
The Story of Milk (Discovery and Romance for Boys and Girls no.3, London, Jonathan Cape, 1948)
Warriors of the Sea (The Lasting Victories, London & Redhill, Lutterworth Press, 1948)
London's Fire Fighters (Adventure and Discvoery for Boys and Girls no.5, London, Jonathan Cape, 1950)
My Gardener Smithson (My Garden Bedside Book, ed. Theo A. Stephens, London, My Garden, 1951.
A Little Girl Becomes Our Queen (Mickey Mouse Weekly, 30 May 1953)
Message of the Coronation (The Children's Newspaper, 6 Jun 1953)

Screen Plays
Trouble at Townsend (1946)

Radio Plays
Mystery at Witchend, adapted by Barbara Sleigh (Children's Hour, 1943). Petersfield, Hampshire, David Schutte, Jun 2008.
The Gay Dolphin Adventure (Children's Hour, 1946). Petersfield, Hampshire, David Schutte, 2009.
Seven White Gates (Children's Hour, 1946). Petersfield, Hampshire, David Schutte, 2009.
Redshank's Warning (Children's Hour, Aug 1948)
The Riddle of the Painted Box (1948)
The Buckinghams at Ravenswyke (
The Secret of the Hidden Pool (BBC Home Service, Nov-Dec 1953)

About the Author
Beyond the Lone Pine by Mark O'Hanlon. Worcester, M. O'Hanlon, 2001.

Further reading 
The Complete Lone Pine by Mark O'Hanlon. Worcester, M. O'Hanlon, 1996; revised, Ludlow, Mark O'Hanlon, 2005.

Websites
The Malcolm Saville Society.
Malcolm Saville Centenary Website.

Biographies
The Author (The Malcolm Saville Society)
Malcolm Saville (Wikipedia)

Interviews
Anthorgraph no.3: Malcolm Saville (Interview by Pat Triggs; Books for Keeps no.3, Jul 1980; still available at internet archive)

Articles
The Lone Pine Series by Jim Mackenzie (Collecting Books and Magazines)

(* Updated from its original appearance on 23 May 2009.)