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Billy Bunter's Own (1953-1961)


Billy Bunter's Holiday Annual

Bristol Evening World

Billy Bunter's Own was an attempt to capitalise on the undoubted success of the Bunter books published by Charles Skilton; and also to resurrect the pre World War 2 tradition of hardback annuals for children being bought as Christmas presents by fond relatives. The volumes were published in the September of the relevant year, and illustrated by C.H. Chapman. The first volume sold for 10/6, but all the subsequent volumes had fewer pages and sold for 8/6.

The first three annuals were published by Mandeville Publications and had distinctive yellow dust jackets; Mandeville also being responsible for the Tom Merry novels. Mandeville went out of business (or possibly moved out of the business of publishing Charles Hamilton's work) at some point in 1955/6 - there was no Annual for 1956 published. Spring Books took over publication of the Tom Merry series and Oxenhoath Press took over publication of Billy Bunter's Own. The volumes from 1957 on all had board picture covers as a consequence.

The stories from the annuals are now available to read on the Friardale site.

Year

Page

Title

Author

1953

Dust wrapper: Bunter the Champion! [Bunter in football gear being carried off the field by the team]

6

Foreword

Frank Richards

7

Greyfriars Who’s Who

Anon.

9

Billy Bunter’s Christmas Box

Frank Richards

92

Sport: FA Cup winning goal [b&w photo plate]

93

Sport: a winning ski jump [b&w photo plate]

98

Some typical incidents in the life of William George Bunter [illustration]

C.H. Chapman

100

Billy Bunter’s letter home [poem]

101

Treasure of Temooka [King of the Islands]

Charles Hamilton

108

H.M.S. Vanguard [b&w photo plate]

109

H.M.S. Bold Pioneer [b&w photo plate]

125

The Ghost of Rookwood

Owen Conquest

160

The Slackers of High Coombe [School for Slackers]

Charles Hamilton

186

Foes of the Forest [Lyn Strong & Bobolobo]

Charles Hamilton

194

Bunter Minor’s Birthday Cake

Frank Richards

1954

Dust wrapper: [Bunter and three Removites tobogganing]

Quiet! I Feel Sure I’m Going to Catch Something in a minute [b&w plate]

C.H. Chapman

6

Foreword

Frank Richards

7

The Right Thing

Frank Richards

16

An attack by pirates? … [b&w photo plate]

Anon.

17

Looking like giant gulls … [b&w photo plate]

Anon.

87

What Happened to Snooks [poem]

Frank Richards

90

Six For Sammy!

Frank Richards

98

Jack and Jill [Jack of All Trades]

Frank Richards

106

The Fathead of Felgate [Felgate]

Frank Richards

117

Shanghai-ed [King of the Islands]

Charles Hamilton

145

Bessie Bunter’s Big Idea

Hilda Richards

1955

Dust wrapper: Bunter the Hunter! [Bunter falling off a horse]

Captain William Morgan Bunter (1750 perhaps) [b&w plate]

C.H. Chapman

5

Wibley to the Rescue

Frank Richards

77

Bessie Bunter’s Big Bang

Hilda Richards

85

Good Old Skip [Felgate]

Frank Richards

98

A Near Thing for Bundle [Dolcot]

Frank Richards

104

Too Good to Be True

Frank Richards

113

Bobolobo’s Leap [Lyn Strong & Bobolobo]

Charles Hamilton

121

A Spread For Sammy

Frank Richards

1957

Cover illustration: Billy Bunter goes sailing [Bunter and Removites on a small sailing boat]

3

Contents

5

The Disappearance of Billy Bunter

Frank Richards

100

Billy Bunter’s Boundary

Frank Richards

111

Fireworks at Felgate [Felgate]

Frank Richards

122

Just Like Bessie Bunter

Hilda Richards

1958

Cover illustration: Bunter comes a cropper [Bunter falling off a bicycle]

The Fat Owl rolled into an armchair [colour plate]

C.H. Chapman

3

Contents

5

Who Wants Bunter?

Frank Richards

16

Bunter! You will take 50 lines… [colour plate]

C.H. Chapman

31

French Leave

Frank Richards

54

The Greyfriars’ Ventriloquist

Frank Richards

74

The Deep End

Frank Richards

89

Billy Bunter Owns Up

Frank Richards

106

Lucky for Lovell [Rookwood]

Owen Conquest

129

Something for Sammy

Frank Richards

1959

Cover illustration: Billy Bunter goes hunting [Bunter on horseback jumping a wall]

   

Billy Bunter goes hunting [colour plate]

C.H. Chapman

 

3

Contents

 
 

5

Was It Bunter?

Frank Richards

 

42

Bunter Turns the Key

Frank Richards

 

64

Circus Luck [Jack of All Trades]

Frank Richards

 

86

Lovell Knows Best [Rookwood]

Owen Conquest

 

102

Awful for Aubrey [School for Slackers]

Charles Hamilton

 

116

Just Skip [Felgate]

Frank Richards

 

125

Sammy’s Snowball

Frank Richards

 

132

Bessie Bunter in Luck

Hilda Richards

1960

Cover illustration: Bunter catches a crab [Bunter bathing at the seaside, with a crab gripping his toe]

   

Billy Bunter catches a crab [colour plate]

 

1

Coker’s Christmas Pudding

Frank Richards

47

Hard Lines

Frank Richards

 

72

At the Eleventh Hour [Lyn Strong and Bobolobo]

Charles Hamilton

 

92

Skip's Stratagem [Felgate]

Frank Richards

 

102

Compton's Catch [School for Slackers]

Charles Hamilton

 

112

The Rio Kid Horns In [Rio Kid]

Ralph Redway

     

1961

Cover illustration: Just see what we have got for you this time [Bunter brothers cooking]

1

Just see what we have got for you this time [plate]

C.H. Chapman

3

Contents

5

Brainy Bunter

Frank Richards

59

Both Bunters and a Box

Frank Richards

78

Home For the Hols

Frank Richards

94

A Rookwood Rag [Rookwood]

Owen Conquest

106

One Good Turn [Jack of All Trades]

Frank Richards

115

Surprise For Sammy

Frank Richards

123

Unexpected [Felgate]

Frank Richards


Billy Bunter's Own 1953 © Mandeville Publications 1953 Billy Bunter's Own 1954 © Mandeville Publications 1954 Billy Bunter's Own 1955 © Mandeville Publications 1955 Billy Bunter's Own 1957 © Oxenhoath  Publications 1957 Billy Bunter's Own 1958 © Oxenhoath  Publications 1961 Billy Bunter's Own 1959 © Oxenhoath  Publications 1957 Billy Bunter's Own 1960 © Oxenhoath  Publications 1961 Billy Bunter's Own 1956 © Oxenhoath  Publications 1961

Billy Bunter's Holiday Annual

Bristol Evening World

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