THE STORY PAPERJANUARY 1959 COLLECTOR No. 68 1: Vol. 3 Front Pagt, Tiu S<:hool Friend Number 287, Nonmber 8, 1924 COMIC PAPERS OF THE PAST By LEONARD PACKMAN PART TWO Dan Lmo's Comic Journal-A very scarce paper today. Pro­ Comic Cuts-Another of the duced at the time when Dan best-known comic papers of all Leno was at his wonderful be.r time. Who can forget "Tom" on the "Halli." The proprietors (the "Ticket-of-leave Man"; the nlwiously were tryln� to "c"'h "Menagerie Man"; "Jolly Tom") in"! 93 issues (26.2.1898 to 2.12.· and the "Mulberry Flatires" 1899). Published by Thr Pro­ (Miss Olcmaid, Frowsy Freddir, prietors of Dan Leno's Comic Oofbird Esq., and Bachelorboy) 1 Journal, 28 Maiden Lanr, Lon­ 3006 issues (17.5.1890 to 12.9.- don, W.C. 1953). Published by Amalgam'd Press. Dauler-Anothcr Bath produc­ Comic Life-Originally Pi<!torial tion and an cxcrllcnt paper. Primed on yellow pap<r, it con· Comic Ufe and printed on pink tained a full-sited four-page in­ paper. As a multi-coloured paper Ovalrincy's ran for many years, fcaruring But­ set, The Oun Comic, terball and Tall Thomas on the printed on pink paper. 294 is· sues (19.8.1933 to 8.4.1939). Pub­ front page. A great favourite of the 1914-18 period. 1543 issues lished by Target Publications. (14.5.1898 to 21.1.1928). Origi· Favorite-Companion to 8111- nally published by Henderson rerfly and Merry and Brightbut be­ but taken over at a late date by came a First World War casualty. Amalgamated Press. 324 issues (21.1.1911 to 31.3.- Comic Home Journal-Printed 1917). Published by Amalgam'd on pink paper, and a very good Press. produdion. 488 issues (11.5.1895 Film Fun-One of my only two to 10.9.1904). Published by Amal­ comic papers still running, but gamated Press. bearin� no relationship today Crackers-A 12- age coloured with that of my boyhood. A comic and one of the casualries grand paper in the 'twenties, of the last war. Copies arc very particularly for those who were difficult to obtain today. 615 Is­ film fans at that time. Still sues ( 23.2.1929 to 31.5.1941). Published byAmalgamated Pre«. (Con1inutdon Pace2J6} 244 An Amattur Magavne Publislud Since 1941 The Story Paper Collector No.68-Yul.3 Priccltss THEY WROTE OF CLIFF HOUSE SCHOOL By W. O. G. LOFI'S tell me what reply was of course perfectly has happened to the girls correct, but in a way was not "CANof ANYONECliff House? The sto· very fair to the writers who con· ries were published in ceiv<d the Cliff House tales Tiu School Friend, and the au­ for so many years when he, thoress was Hilda Richards. Frank Richards, had in fact only Was this a nom-de-plume of written the first six stories pub· Mr. Frank Richards, or was she lished in Tht School Fritnd. perhaps a close relative 1" In his Autobiography Frank This extract is from a reader's Richards sums up his writings letter that was printed in the fnr The School Friend In a few English edition of Tiu SunduJ lines, and pref<rs to keep his TiW?s a short time ago. The fol­ original written chapters on the lowing week saw a reply from subject unpublished. This was, ( Mr. Frank Richards in which am sure, very disappointing to he stated: "In answer to the the many old readers of Bessie read.r's query, may l say that Bunter and Co. who had per­ Bessie Bunter is very much alive, haps looked forward to readinR and since the war l have written the inside story of these famous a number of srnri<s of Cliff characters, and even to discover­ House under my pen-name of in2 the reasons why he wrote Hilda Richards." only the first half dozen stories. This rather carefully worJcJ Frank Richards, of course, had 246 THE STORY PAPER COLLECTOR created the school of Cliff"House a week of Cliff" House to write, many years before the first issue The Amalgamated Press set of The School Friend appeared. Frank Richards an almost im· Marjorie Haieldenc, Clara Trev• possible task, and no human lyn, and Bessie Bunter had been could possibly keep it up for featured in many of the Grey· long. Perhaps also H. A. Hinton, friars stories in The Magnet with Editor of The Magntt, The Gem, Harry Wharton and Co. and The Bo,s' Friend, who had This article is Intended to just returned from war service, spotlight the other authors who was very disturbed to find a wrotf' of Cliff" House after those rival for Mr. Richards' scrvicrs. first six stories by Fronk Rich­ Whatever the real reason, the ards, and to give them the credit outcome was that The School due for giving so much pleasure Friend, which had been founded with their deli2htful yarns to on the works of Frank Richards, countless thousands of readers was to be in future written by for 10 many years. But first let other authors and the Editor me explain why Mr. Richards was forbidden to accept any wrote only the first six numbers. more work from him. The Editor of The School Friend 1919 Frank Richards was was Mr. Reginald Eves, • very Nwriting full length stories for capable and likable man. He put The Magner and The Gem each his heart and soul into making Iweek, plus shorter talcs of Jimmy a success of his paper, and firmly Silver and Co. of Rookwood for believed in looking after his the weekly &,s' Friend, 1 really readers and keeping faith with amazing output for any writer. them. In his first editorial he But such was the demand for made a statement which I know his work by the readtr, that for a fncr to be p.rfedly true: when The Amalgamated Press "I shall have the greatest plea­ decided to start a new paper for sure in sending a prompt rrply the girls' market Frank Richards to every reader who writes to was asked to write the stories. me." Long before I contem· This was to be a sister paper to plated writing this article, a for­ The Magnet and was called TM mer contributor of The Amal­ School Friend. Ir was hoped that gamated Press told me that Mr. this new venture would soon be Eves thought so much of keep· as popular with girls as TMMag­ ing close touch with his readers ner and The Gem were with boys. that he used to rake their letters With this extra 20, 000 words home to answer at the week- ProotPase, The Schoolgnl Number 558, April 6, 1940 248 TIIE STORY PAPER COLLECTOR ends. Mr. Richard McCarthy, on well known plac<S as Courtfield, his lonely sheep-station out in Pegg, and the River Sark. Queensland, still treasures the When it was decided to bring letters Mr. Eves sent him at a another author in to write the later date while Editor of The Cliff House stories, a former Champion and The Triumph, al­ Editor of Cheer /3o:ys Cheer and though this is now over thirty The /3o:y's Journal was called to years ago. the School Friend office in a rush. With such efficiency and suc­ His name was Horace Philips. cess it is not to be wondered at Mr. Philips was a first class writer that, after fifty years of faithful for the female mind, but for him service, Mr. Eves was recently to try ro imitate Frank Richards' cleaed to the company's board style was very hard indeed. His of direaors. first manuscripts were so heavily "subhcd" that there was more FlRST ISSUE of Tlie School pencil than typing, for his own HEFriend was dated May 17th, natural style was a cut between 1919, and the openinR story Ouida and Mrs. Henry Wood. If Trelated how Bessie Bunter ar­ one can imagine East Lynne hav­ rived at the school. The story inR to be "rnbbcd" into plausible was apdy cntidcd The Girls of "Richards" one can get somt Cliff House. To fill the remainder hint of the editorial difficulties. of the paper there was a serial, The Editor, perhaps realizing The Schoolgirl Crnsoes, written by that he would never get a perfect "Julia Storm," which name hid copy of r he style of the first the identity of a former Editor stories, gave some sort of hint of The /3o:ys'Realm, Gilbert Floyd, cautiously to his readers, in the better known as uDunc::1n editorial of Number 6, of the Storm" of the Bombay Castle style to appear in future tales: stori cs in The /3o:ys' Friend. "The first six stories of Cliff The second issue told how House girls which have app<ared Barbara Redfern won the cap· have all been of a humorous taincy of the form from Marjorie nature, and I'm sure that the Hazeldene, and the next four time has now arrived for me to stories were also written by Fronk give a story of a slightly different Richards. Like Greyfriars, Cliff type." House was situated in Kent, and So the story which appeared the ma ny Magner readers who in Number 7. entitled Barbara read The School Friend instantly Redfem's Secret. was written by felt at home in reading of such Horace Philips, still of course THEY WROTE OF CUFF HOUSE SCHOOL 249 under the pen·name of "Hilda fiction under the names of"Joan Richards." This W05 of the real Vincent" and "Hilary Marlow" sob.scuff in which Mr.