Margaret Biggs
Margaret Biggs(born 9 July 1929,Orpington, Kent) is a popular and collectible exponent of the girls'School story.She is best known for herMelling Schoolseries of books, first published by Blackie in the 1950s.[1]The series is set at a weekly boarding school and is unusual in that it shows boarding school life and home life side by side. The interaction between girls and boys is also atypical of the genre at that time. The Melling series was republished byGirls Gone By Publishersin the 2000s and the reprints, whilst retaining the original text and artwork, have new introductions by Margaret Biggs, who is ‘taking great pleasure in the republication of her books’. Ms Biggs has also written two new volumes in the series,Kate at Melling,set twelve years after the earlier books, andChanges at Melling,which were published byGirls Gone By Publishersin 2008 and 2009 respectively.[2]
Biography
[edit]Margaret Biggs moved to Hertfordshire in 1935 where she was educated atQueen Elizabeth's School for GirlsinBarnet.After leaving school in 1946, Biggs obtained employment in the editorial department ofEvans Brotherspublishers where she metJacqueline Blairmanwith whom she co-wrote her first school story. Prior to that her published writing had consisted of short stories and magazine articles.
Margaret Biggs married David Cadney in 1953. They have three children.
Works
[edit]Melling series
- The Blakes Come to Melling,Blackie, 1951. ISBN B0000CI0SM
- Republ. byGirls Gone By Publishers,2004.ISBN1-904417-38-8
- The New Prefect at Melling,Blackie, 1952. ISBN B0000CI7ZY
- Republ. byGirls Gone By Publishers,2004.ISBN1-904417-51-5
- Last Term for Helen,Blackie, 1953. ISBN B0000CIKD0
- Republ. byGirls Gone By Publishers,2005.ISBN1-904417-64-7
- The Head Girl at Melling,Blackie, 1954. ISBN B0000CIT5P
- Republ. byGirls Gone By Publishers,2005.ISBN1-904417-77-9
- Susan in the Sixth,Blackie, 1955. ISBN B0000CJ83R
- Republ. byGirls Gone By Publishers,2007.ISBN978-1-84745-022-7
- The New Girl at Melling,Blackie, 1956.
- Republ. byGirls Gone By Publishers,2006.ISBN1-904417-97-3
- Summer term at Melling,Blackie, 1957. ISBN B0000CJRRL
- Republ. byGirls Gone By Publishers,2007.ISBN978-1-84745-012-8
- Stories of Melling School,Blackie, 1960.OCLC638627763(Containing:The Blakes come to Melling,The New Prefect at Melling,and,Last Term for Helen)
- More stories of Melling School,Blackie, 1961. ISBN B0000CKXIN (Containing:The Head Girl at Melling,Susan in the Sixth,and,Summer Term at Melling)
- Kate at Melling,Girls Gone By Publishers,2008.ISBN978-1-84745-035-7
- Changes at Melling,Girls Gone By Publishers,2009.ISBN978-1-84745-077-7
Other titles
- Triplets at Royders(with Jacqueline Blairman), Sampson Low, 1950?
- Christmas term at Vernley,Blackie, 1951
- Republ. byGirls Gone By Publishers,2012.ISBN978-1-84745-144-6
- Bobby at Hill House,Warne, 1954
- Republ. byGirls Gone By Publishers,2014.ISBN978-1-84745-170-5
- Dilly goes to Ambergate,Blackie, 1955
- Republ. byGirls Gone By Publishers,2011.ISBN978-1-84745-113-2
- The Two Families,Blackie, 1958
- Republ. byGirls Gone By Publishers,2010.ISBN978-1-84745-091-3
Short stories
- "Mary's New Friend" inA Book of Girls' Stories,Golden Pleasure Books, 1964
- Lucinda's Long AfternoonandPip and the Famous AuthorinGirls' Choice: A New Book of Stories,Hamlyn, 1965
References
[edit]- Sue Sims and Hilary Clare,The Encyclopaedia of Girls' School Stories,Ashgate, 2000
See also
[edit]- TheChalet Schoolseries of books written byElinor Brent-Dyer.
- The genre authorAngela Brazil