Margery Gill

I loved the book  “A little Princess” by Frances Hodgson Burnett when I was younger.

Margery Gill illustrated the copy I read. I looked her up and came across this quote

John Ryder, publisher “her serious, unsentimental view of childhood suiting the kitchen sink realism prevalent in children’s books at the time. (Margery Gill )  remarked “that is often how children are — taking their own lives seriously”. from Wikipedia

You’re not kidding! I think I must have hugely identified with the girl on the cover visually as well as the story. Sent off to boarding school, away from my brothers and my family, all alone in the world, abandoned and no money.

In a previous post  I had celebrated  and said goodbye to Pa from the Laura Ingalls Wilder books, I think it is time to say thank you and goodbye to the Little Princess. I am no longer alone and abandoned in the world, she kept me going at the time but I no longer need her example of how to keep me going in adversity.

In looking up Margery Gill I found 2 other covers that she had done in that era.

“A candle in her room”  is summarised as “a malevolent doll found in the attic affects three generations of young women, until at last one is able to break the spell and destroy it. The book explores the themes of love of family across generations...”

“A requiem for a Princess”  is summarised as “An English girl’s path towards becoming a concert pianist is blocked when she discovers she has been adopted. ....she questions her identity and everything familiar about her life.......she gains a new perspective on her life......resolves her confusions and regains a positive perspective.

I think those covers are a nice metaphor for my pathway in the last ten years with new female protagonists to identify with.

And I do spend quite a lot of my day waiting for the cat to come in.

Incidentally, the girl in the book can’t be a concert pianist because of her chillblains. I KNEW there was something holding me back in my piano playing!  It must be my chillblains and nothing to do with lack of coordination, rhythm or practice!