Sunday Times Where Was I? Holiday Competition

Near as I can figure it, the most likely answers this week, seem to me to be:

Q1. Enid Blyton

Q2. Swanage

(NB for question one, according to some sources,the author was sometimes also known as 'Mary Pollock')

From the initial clues given, it looks like the author is probably getting the ferry across the mouth of Poole harbour, in Dorset, probably from North Haven Point to South Haven Point. Northwest of that position lies Brownsea island, which according to some of the references I checked is in the region of 500 acres (202 hectares) in area and has a castle which was constructed circa 16th century. Brownsea island was possibly used as the model for 'Whispering Island', in the astonishingly prolific author Enid Blyton's 'famous five' books, which were first published c1942. Blyton was alleged to have referred to it as 'Keep Away Island' because of the potty eccentric owner who didn't want any visitors there, a Mrs Bonham-Christie, who probably glugged gin and shouted "Good God Wilkins, who are those people orn the lawrn? be orft or I'll set the doorgs on you!"......

Travelling south from the South Haven Point ferry terminal brings us to the village of Studland and it is here the references say, that Enid Blyton met the character who was to inspire PC Plod, in the Noddy series of books which were first published c1949, possibly a local copper by the name of  PC Christopher Rhone. Many of her works have had a hatchet taken to them by the thought police (Imagine if they were to do the same things to Pliny the Elder, Benvenuto Cellini's or any other historical writers' books), though it's also likely that in these very litigious times, the publishers are covering themselves against being sued for defamation. Some people say that she was way out where the trolley buses don't run, when it came to her views on people that didn't fit in with the backward and primitive 1940's/1950's British 'elites' ' ideal view of the world (ie just about everyone).

A few miles south of Studland lies the town of Swanage and there were two piers there, the one that is still standing is said to be 642ft in length and was allegedly constructed circa 1896. Blyton and her second husband are reputed to have enjoyed swimming around both of the piers. The character of Bill Smugs is said to have been inspired by the childhood nickname of someone Blyton met in the Grosvenor  hotel in Swanage in the 1940s, who told her that he would like to have been in the secret service and would also like to be in a book. Blyton put him in the first of her 'adventure' books series, 'The Island of Adventure' as a secret agent called Bill Cunningham who used the alias of Bill Smugs.

Corfe castle, to the north west of Swanage, was said to be the model for 'Kirrin' castle in one of her books. According to some sources, a king called Edward the Martyr (father Edgar) was murdered at Corfe castle c978 .

Link to the competition

Where Was I? competition