From Newsgroup: uk.media.radio.archers
On 18/06/2026 17:03, BrritSki wrote:
On 18/06/2026 16:33, Jenny M Benson wrote:
Something that was said to-day caused me to ask my sister if she
remembered Melia, Pip & Roundy.
Now, as I am remembering them from about 77 years ago these were
character in little books that we somewhat similar to comic strips.
The books were about 6" wide and 3" deep and there were 3 (I think)
black and white illustrations on each page.-a I can't remember whether
the stories were relayed in speech bubbles or printed under the pictures.
Can anyrat confirm that I am not talking utter nonsense.-a Googling has
shown me that Melia, Pip and Roundy were (minor?) characters in
stories by Enid Blyton and appear to have been published in colour in
"normal" storybook format.-a Not at all what I am remembering.
I have given up on Google as a search engine for anything out of the ordinary.
Duck-duck-Go came back with <https:// sundayinoldmoney.blogspot.com/2020/11/remember-remember.html>
Including the text "a strip book from Enid Blyton's now forgotten Mary
Mouse series, charmingly illustrated in naive pen-and-ink by
watercolourist Olive F. Openshaw. When the dollrCOs house family children Melia, Pip and Roundy decide to hide their illicit box of fireworks up
on the roof next to the chimney, you just know it's not going to end well..."
And then a further search on Mary Mouse (who seems to be the main
character) + Melia Pip Roundy came vback with lots more, including
several images that seem to be the format you describe above
<https://www.abebooks.co.uk/first-edition/MARY-MOUSE-Strip-Book-ENID- BLYTON/32207487860/bd>
<https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/267558024673? mkevt=1&mkcid=1&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5339129536&toolid=20006&customid=bbe2e15571a71fda31af8b61650acc37&loc_physical_ms=69213&loc_interest_ms=&msclkid=bbe2e15571a71fda31af8b61650acc37
Believe it or not the links above work depite being munged up by TB
I also found:
You are referring to the beloved children's book characters created by
British author Enid Blyton. Mary Mouse is a tiny mouse who starts off
exiled from her mousehole but becomes a maid at the dolls' house,
employed by the Sailor Doll. Melia, Pip, and Roundy are the children of
the Doll family that Mary looks after.The Mary Mouse SeriesOrigins: The
books were famously printed in a tiny, landscape format (approx. 15 cm x
7 cm) by Brockhampton Press. They were created during WWII when paper
was heavily rationed.The Stories: Mary's adventures range from going to
the seaside and up in a balloon to exploring nursery rhyme land and
attending garden parties.The Children: While Mary looks after her own
six children, she acts as a caregiver and guardian to the doll children
Melia, Pip, and Roundy, bringing them along on her various escapades.You
can check out some of the surviving vintage editions and nostalgic
prints available on platforms like eBay UK or read about them on Wikipedia.
And <
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Mouse>
Mary Mouse is a fictional character "imagined" by Enid Blyton, a
prolific British children's author, in the mid 20th century. Mary Mouse
is a mouse exiled from her mousehole who becomes a maid at the dolls'
house, employed by Sailor Doll.[1]
The original publications were in an unusual format, 15 cm |u 7 cm (6 in
|u 2+3rUa4 in) softback pictorial. Due to the austerity and paper shortages
of the times, during and after World War II, the first editions were
cheaply made with simple colour illustration and stapled bindings
overstuck with linen edging.
Loved mainly by girls, this character's memory has lived on. The
original books (published by Brockhampton Press of Leicester at a price
of one shilling) are highly collectable, perhaps because few remain in reasonable condition. The books were immensely popular in Blyton's days
and eventually sold one million copies.[2]
Books
Mary Mouse and the Dolls' House (1942), illustrated by Olive F. Openshaw
More Adventures of Mary Mouse (1943), illustrated by Olive F. Openshaw
Little Mary Mouse Again (1944), illustrated by Olive F. Openshaw
Hallo, Little Mary Mouse (1945), illustrated by Olive F. Openshaw
Mary Mouse and Her Family (1946), illustrated by Olive F. Openshaw
Here Comes Mary Mouse Again (1947), illustrated by Olive F. Openshaw
How Do You Do, Mary Mouse (1948), illustrated by Olive F. Openshaw
We Do Love Mary Mouse (1950), illustrated by Olive F. Openshaw
Welcome, Mary Mouse (1950), illustrated by Olive F. Openshaw
Hurrah for Mary Mouse (1951), illustrated by Olive F. Openshaw
A Prize for Mary Mouse (1951), illustrated by Olive F. Openshaw
Mary Mouse and Her Bicycle (1952), illustrated by Olive F. Openshaw
Mary Mouse and the Noah's Ark (1952), illustrated by Olive F. Openshaw
Mary Mouse to the Rescue (1954), illustrated by Olive F. Openshaw
Mary Mouse in Nursery Rhyme Land (1955), illustrated by Olive F. Openshaw
A Day with Mary Mouse (1956), illustrated by Frederick White
Mary Mouse and the Garden Party (1957), illustrated by Frederick White
Mary Mouse Goes to the Fair (1958), illustrated by Frederick White
Mary Mouse Has a Wonderful Idea (1959), illustrated by Frederick White
Mary Mouse Goes to Sea (1960), illustrated by Frederick White
Mary Mouse Goes Out for the Day (1961), illustrated by Frederick White
Fun with Mary Mouse (1962), illustrated by R. Paul-Hoye
Mary Mouse and the Little Donkey (1964), illustrated by R. Paul-Hoye
PLus a note on the format <
https://web.archive.org/web/20041024034139/http://masonwilley.tripod.com/id42.html>
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