THE JUST WILLIAM SOCIETY

The Just William Society is a group of friendly people united in their love for the immortal rascal created by Richmal Crompton.

It is open to all William admirers young and old from all around the world.

 

Each year the Society organises a meeting to which all William fans are invited. There are books, talks, news, discussions not to mention the acting of one of the radio plays – in short everything a William fan could desire.


In these pages you will find full details of how to join us.

For more information info@justwilliamsociety.co.uk

NOTICES & LATEST NEWS

In Richmal Crompton's lifetime, besides her William books, she also published 10 volumes of short stories for the adult market, and 40 novels. Following years of research, including her own account book, David Schutte discovered another 125 short stories published in magazines in the 1920s and 1930s which had never previously been collected in book form. He has published 25 of these in The House in the Wood (2022), and 27 in The Apple Blossom Lady (2023).(see below)

But, starting with Punch in 1920, Richmal Crompton also wrote over 250 humorous sketches (averaging around 720 words each) for The Humorist, London Opinion and The Passing Show. Her first published short story collection published in 1926, Kathleen and I (and, of course, Veronica), features 52 of these pieces, with 7 more written to complete the book. Another 34 were included in the 42 sketches that make up Enter – Patricia published in 1927.

David's research has so far unearthed another 159 pieces that have never been reprinted, and he has now presented the majority in a new volume for Miss Crompton’s legion of fans to enjoy. Crompton tells each tale from a male point of view and so has great fun revealing the failings of these storytellers, as well as the mysteries and idiosyncrasies of their ladies.

Two of the characters that recur in a large number of these uncollected sketches are Clare and Delia. In some cases Crompton adapted the original published piece by changing the heroine’s name to suit the book collection, e.g. a few tales featuring Angela, Clare, Belinda or Delia occasionally became Kathleen, and a few Clare and Delia sketches became Patricia. David has taken a similar liberty, but only with a couple of tales.

He has compiled the book in five sections, featuring Clare, Kathleen, Patricia, Delia and a pot pourri of other characters, often unnamed.

Hardback in d/w priced at £25.

Orders to David Schutte 01588 680058 davidschutte002@gmail.com

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THE APPLE BLOSSOM LADY (and other stories) 2023 [David Schutte], following on from "The House in
the Wood" here is the second volume of “lost” stories for adults (with their original illustrations) that
have never previously been collected in book form (apart from two that appeared in anthologies), 27 tales (and
one of them illustrated by W Heath Robinson), once again a perfect mix of adventure, mystery, romance,
fantasy, the supernatural and, of course, humour. 223 pages, 110,000 words, publication date is 28th September,

It will retail at £30, but only £26 for JWS members post free in the UK (post extra overseas). Just quote “JWS” with your order.

Orders to David Schutte 01588 680058 davidschutte002@gmail.com

 

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John Clark died in California of natural causes on 18th July 2023 . He was 90 years old.

He was the Just William of the radio series.

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Another William song!

Here is another song about William written and performed by Invisible Tom.

You can

listen to it here -

https://invisibletom.bandcamp.com/track/william-just

or if you have spotify -

william song

 

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RICHMAL CROMPTON’S “LOST” STORIES

Following detailed research by David Schutte on Richmal Crompton’s uncollected stories for adults,an exciting development has been his discovery of at least forty-five tales by Miss Crompton that are NOT in her account book, and completely unknown to any of us or, I suspect, just about the entire world!

The even better news is that he has just signed a contract to publish a brand new Richmal Crompton collection of 25 of the 120+ “lost” stories that he has now identified. The House in the Wood (and other stories) will be published on 15th November (Richmal Crompton’s birthday) 2022 (the centenary of the first publication of Just William) with the original illustrations from the magazines. All of the stories have never been published in book form before, and none of them have ever appeared in the Society magazine. He has chosen stories that are a mixture of adventure, mystery, romance, fantasy, the supernatural and, of course, plenty of humour! These stories date from 1919 and through the 1920s with just a couple from the 1930s.

It will be a hardback in dustjacket with 222 pages and 110,000 words, and will retail at £30, but only £26 for JWS members post free in the UK (post extra overseas). Just quote “JWS” with your order. There will only be 300 copies of the first edition, but if it does well enough, there could well be a second volume to follow!

Orders to David Schutte 01588 680058 davidschutte002@gmail.com

 

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2022 was the centenary of the very first William book published in 1922.

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At long last the magazine binders are now available. Sorry for the long delay!

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We have heard from Tim Graham that his father, Eddie has died, aged 89. Eddie would be better known to JWS members as William Graham who starred as William in two post-war films: Just William’s Luck (1947) and William Goes to the Circus (aka William Comes to Town) (1948).

He took a keen interest in the Society. In our magazine No. 2, David Schutte describes tracing and visiting him at his home with the subsequent long interview appearing in this and the following magazine. At David’s suggestion he attended our 1996 meeting in Leicester and Paula describes in the same magazine the presentation he gave, with amusing stories of the shooting of the films and extracts from them.

In Magazine no 34 Alan Ring describes how he and Mary Cadogan met him in 2014 at a special William evening at London’s Cinema Museum. Again he amused the audience with his stories of the making of the films.

Our condolences go to Tim and all members of his family.

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NEXT MEETING.

The next meeting will take place in April 2024.

Now booked. Please see the meeting page for details.

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Latest Magazine news - see magazine page.

Please see the Magazine page for more details.

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Below a tongue in cheek article by Simon Procter.

The Lost William Book

A lost, or ghost, book is any author’s work for which no copy is known to exist. Many books have been published on this subject matter, and for those with an interest in what they may be missing out on I can recommend highly Stuart Kelly’s The Book of Lost Books and Rick Gekoski’s Lost, Stolen or Shredded: Stories of Missing Works of Art and Literature.

Books may be lost for many reasons: famous library fires, accidentally misplaced manuscripts, or an author’s last wishes that their unpublished juvenalia or salacious papers are disposed of by family or executors.

Keen William collectors will already know that there were 38 William titles published between 1922 and 1970, with Just William - The Book of the Film considered an appendix to the main series.

However, there is a substantial hint of a lost 39th title from no less a source than the great Just William illustrator himself, Thomas Henry.

In the Newnes’ Holiday Annual 1926 a Thomas Henry cartoon shows an advertisement for William the Immortal available at 2/6; which would have been the standard price for William hardback books at that time.

So far I have been unable to locate a copy of this book but the hunt continues. As the annual was published in the summer of 1926 it would be conjecture where the missing title would fall in sequence among Still William [1925], William - The Conqueror [1926] and William - The Outlaw [1927]. As all short stories from the Happy Mag are accounted for it is again hypothesis as to where more short stories would have been originally published. As Newnes had a fondness for cheery synonyms for their monthly humour magazines (Happy Mag, Sunny Mag, Jolly Mag) I am searching the British Library for similarly named series. If anyone has come across anything along the lines of Gleeful Mag or Slightly Bemused Weekly I would be delighted to hear….add Delightedly Mag to that list.

I can confirm that this title has been subsequently used, at much later date, by another party known to members of our society. However, should any member be aware of or locate a copy of the original lost William book I would be cheered to be contacted.

Response by David Schutte.

Dear all,
The elderly gentleman in the picture looks suspiciously like my great grandfather. He was known for seeing into the future, and I wonder if he was
complaining about the use of a title that he had foreseen his great grandson using in 1990, to be published on his 140th birthday... And in the picture he is
exactly the same age as I am now...
David

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