I’ve very happily revisited this book - and have also obtained the two sequels, only one of which I read as a child. Eve Garnett was born in 1900 in Worcestershire, and studied art at Chelsea Polytechnic and the Royal Academy School of Art.
Perhaps there’s an element of sexism in the level of agency the boys control in their adventures, compared to those the girls experience.īut the book does, as I understand it sets out to, paint a picture of what working class life was like at the time - the professions and hardships of the parents, the daily happenings for the children, the cultural references, the challenges to overcome, and particularly the relationships with people of other classes. Summary More classic fun and adventure with the Ruggles family from One End Street Three of the Ruggles children have measles - but it turns out to be a blessing in disguise as they are sent to Dew Drop Inn, a wonderful house in the country, while they recover. The book remains delightful - there is surprisingly little to age it (although I realise it’s possible that between the 30s and 70s some editing might have gone on) in the style of language or the usual problems that early 20th century texts have. And I remembered enjoying it, I imagine when read to me by my mum, as a small child (it was certainly her choice of a book she had known as a child - possibly even then her own original copy).Īnd so a second-hand 1975 copy very quickly made its way to my shelves, and then, once I’d finished the biography, into my hands and eyes.
I recently read the biography of Terry Pratchett, in which it’s mentioned that as a young child he enjoyed reading Eve Garnett’s tale of a large working class family.
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