Angi and I were just discussing about how little is known about the 'William' series of books by Richmal Crompton. So - are there any other fans around here?

As I've said before, I'm a big fan of them. I have written a quiz on him and discussed with Minch about the quiz. Well, according to her, people loved those books in the 1970's and 60's but not many read them now. Whoever does not is missing out on a lot of entertainment !

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Whoever does not is missing out on a lot of entertainment !

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EMPHASIS!

I was a "William" fan when I was a kid. I haven't seen any of the books around for years but if I did, I would buy them to indulge in some nostalgia! I also enjoyed the BBC television series.

I had a new William book every Christmas and birthday for years and years starting from the mid 40's. I adored them. The TV series was very well done, I thought.

I certainly enjoyed the William books when I was a kid in the fifties.

As Angi says, they don't seem to be very well known now. Maybe the world of William is a bit too alien for today's kids. Children just aren't allowed to wander round the countryside all day any more.

Incidentally, can anyone tell me exactly what the "liquorice water" was that the Outlaws always drank? I didn't have that drink in my own childhood.

I'm with you, TT, I can't understand what liquorice water is. Maybe it's a kind of lemonade mixed with a little bit of liquorice.

TT did say that children are not allowed to wander about the countryside. But I manage to do it by reading the books. I mean even though I can't wander about, reading the William books can let me do just that.

Oh, by the way, does anybody know the name of the village where they lived in ?

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...We bought strings of liquorice at a chemists', chopped them up & put them in a bottle of water, shook it till they melted. I've forgotten what it tasted like but it sounds horrible! ...

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Taken from this page. Don't really understand what the page is all about, though!

Angi:

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Oh, by the way, does anybody know the name of the village where they lived in ?

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Nope!

What is liquorice anyway ?

From what I know, it's a dried root of some rhizome. The liquorice referred to here is probably a type of candy, though, flavoured (artificially?) with liquorice.

I've tasted it once, in the form of a 'string', and I can tell you, it's awful!

This site confirms my suspicions that the village is never named in the books.

Well, I can't see any mention of the village there. But I like seeing the posts there.

EDIT: Oh now, I've seen it.

Liquorice
Bengali name is Jashtimodhu
Hindi is Jethimadh or Mulhathi
I am a mine of useless info aren't I?! (I just asked 'im indoors, to tell the truth.)

Ren, are you an Bengali ? Kamon acho ?

Angi lol, no. (that is really me in the photo). My husband was born in Bombay and speaks about 9 dialects fluently, so I asked him .All I know is Dhonyobad.

Oh, I understand. This thread has gone way out of topic so I'm putting it back with a simple question. When William grows up, what kind of job will he take, do you think ?

A bureaucrat!

No, seriously!

I think Harish is right. I suppose that's why schoolboy heroes are never allowed to grow up - because the prospect of them as utterly conventional adults is just too depressing to contemplate. I imagine that when William grows up he'll be in an office job in the City like his father - possibly a job that he got through his father's connections there. I suppose, though, that with his individuality and leadership gifts he might go into business on his own account eventually.

Incidentally, are we ever told whether Robert has a job, and if so what it is? I don't think we are.

I don't think Robert is that old for a job, maybe he's still in college or something.

Perhaps a lawyer or a doctor. I loved the books when I was young too and the television series with 'Violent Elizabeth' as we referred to her, "I'll squeam and I'll squeam until I make myself thick". Ugh!

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"I'll squeam and I'll squeam until I make myself thick"

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That'd be "I'll thcream and I'll thcream and I'll thcream till I'm thick!"

Don't forget the lisp!

My squeam (for scream) was a sorry attempt at the lisp, sorry.

Itth okay!