Margot Pardoe
Encyclopedia
Margot Pardoe was a children's author whose career spanned over 20 years from the late 1930s to the early 1960s. She wrote as M. Pardoe, and is best known for her Bunkle adventure series.
Margot Pardoe published over 20 books, most of which were extremely popular as well as positively reviewed. The Times Literary Supplement
characterised The Far Island as "realistic as well as charming"; some of her later books were featured on Children's Hour
.
and Paris
, and had holidays in the continent and remote locations in Britain. She married John Swift in 1934 and settled in Somerset
where she began The Far Island. She wrote under her maiden name but only used her first initial, possibly because she had been teased at school about her rhyming name, and possibly because her publisher thought it might help the books appeal to both sexes.
Pardoe and her husband set up a country house hotel called Crossacres which became extremely successful; their only child Philip was born there in 1939. They were forced to sell in 1947, however, when Pardoe almost died from a bout of double pneumonia. During this illness, began to lose her hearing, and from her mid-40s was profoundly deaf. In the 1950s they lived with Pardoe's elderly parents in Hampshire
. She carried on writing, but her success began to wane at the end of the 1950s, with stories about comfortable middle-class families becoming less popular. Bunkle Brings It Off was her last book in 1961.
John Swift died in 1984; Pardoe lived in Norfolk until 1986 when a fall forced her into a nursing home. She lived there until her death in 1996.
Pardoe's books are in many ways similar to other books of that era: as in Enid Blyton
's stories, children have adventures free from supervision; as in Arthur Ransome
's Swallows and Amazons series, these often take place in a rural setting. However, there are some differences which set Pardoe's books, and the Bunkle series in particular, apart. The children do not live in a vacuum; unlike Blyton's St Clare's series, World War II
is mentioned (with the associated inconveniences of rationing and black-out), and the children also age . Bunkle is ten when the first book starts and seventeen in the last; his brother joins the army and his sister is married in the course of the series.
adventures. In Argyle's Mist they travel through time to Celtic Britain, in Argle's Causeway to Norman England, and in Argle's Oracle to classical Greece
.
Margot Pardoe published over 20 books, most of which were extremely popular as well as positively reviewed. The Times Literary Supplement
The Times Literary Supplement
The Times Literary Supplement is a weekly literary review published in London by News International, a subsidiary of News Corporation.-History:...
characterised The Far Island as "realistic as well as charming"; some of her later books were featured on Children's Hour
Children's Hour
Children's Hour—at first: "The Children's Hour", from a verse by Longfellow—was the name of the BBC's principal recreational service for children during the period when radio dominated broadcasting....
.
Margot Pardoe's Life
Margot Pardoe's childhood provided her with many of the settings for her books: she was born in London, educated in HertfordshireHertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
and Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, and had holidays in the continent and remote locations in Britain. She married John Swift in 1934 and settled in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
where she began The Far Island. She wrote under her maiden name but only used her first initial, possibly because she had been teased at school about her rhyming name, and possibly because her publisher thought it might help the books appeal to both sexes.
Pardoe and her husband set up a country house hotel called Crossacres which became extremely successful; their only child Philip was born there in 1939. They were forced to sell in 1947, however, when Pardoe almost died from a bout of double pneumonia. During this illness, began to lose her hearing, and from her mid-40s was profoundly deaf. In the 1950s they lived with Pardoe's elderly parents in Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
. She carried on writing, but her success began to wane at the end of the 1950s, with stories about comfortable middle-class families becoming less popular. Bunkle Brings It Off was her last book in 1961.
John Swift died in 1984; Pardoe lived in Norfolk until 1986 when a fall forced her into a nursing home. She lived there until her death in 1996.
The Far Island
M. Pardoe's first book The Far Island introduces readers to Jean and Dick Fraser, adventure-loving and sophisticated children who have been used to spending their holidays at luxurious foreign resorts. They suffer a culture shock when sent to Mora Island in Orkney by their great-grandmother, but gradually adjust to the new circumstances, and end up discovering the secret of the island. These characters reappear in the Bunkle series of books for which the author is best known.The Bunkle series
There are twelve books in the Bunkle series. Billy de Salis, known as Bunkle, is the youngest of three children of a British Secret Service Agent. The adventures of Bunkle, his brother Robin and his sister Jill include hunting down spies, smugglers, poachers and sinister scientists.Pardoe's books are in many ways similar to other books of that era: as in Enid Blyton
Enid Blyton
Enid Blyton was an English children's writer also known as Mary Pollock.Noted for numerous series of books based on recurring characters and designed for different age groups,her books have enjoyed huge success in many parts of the world, and have sold over 600 million copies.One of Blyton's most...
's stories, children have adventures free from supervision; as in Arthur Ransome
Arthur Ransome
Arthur Michell Ransome was an English author and journalist, best known for writing the Swallows and Amazons series of children's books. These tell of school-holiday adventures of children, mostly in the Lake District and the Norfolk Broads. Many of the books involve sailing; other common subjects...
's Swallows and Amazons series, these often take place in a rural setting. However, there are some differences which set Pardoe's books, and the Bunkle series in particular, apart. The children do not live in a vacuum; unlike Blyton's St Clare's series, World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
is mentioned (with the associated inconveniences of rationing and black-out), and the children also age . Bunkle is ten when the first book starts and seventeen in the last; his brother joins the army and his sister is married in the course of the series.
The Argle series
The Argle books feature the MacAlister children and their tutor in three time slipTime slip
A time slip is an alleged paranormal phenomenon in which a person, or group of people, travel through time via unknown means...
adventures. In Argyle's Mist they travel through time to Celtic Britain, in Argle's Causeway to Norman England, and in Argle's Oracle to classical Greece
Classical Greece
Classical Greece was a 200 year period in Greek culture lasting from the 5th through 4th centuries BC. This classical period had a powerful influence on the Roman Empire and greatly influenced the foundation of Western civilizations. Much of modern Western politics, artistic thought, such as...
.