Morcove’s Character Analyses

By Sylvia Reed

No 2:  Hetty Curzon

SO548-552 Hetty Curzon, Deceitful New Girl heralds Hetty’s arrival at Morcove, and her subsequent expulsion in SO 626-629 Hazel Baynard New Girl v Betty Barton.

‘As reckless as Cora, and twice as clever.’

Hetty’s Father has passed away, as he was a valued business partner of Josiah Grandways who managed to help build up the Grandways empire from the ashes, Josiah takes in the Curzon family.  One does wonder though, how such a fine upstanding man gets involved with Grandways!!   Even though Curzon makes Grandways a rich man, Curzon himself dies penniless and things become very bad for the family until Josiah intervenes.  One of the better things he has done in his life!  Josiah sends Hetty to Morcove, and he also installs Mrs Curzon and Hetty's younger sister Molly in a place ‘somewhere along the Stormwood Road’.  Mrs Curzon is unwell and has been since the death of her husband.  One also suspects that Hetty was a trial for her Mother long before she came to Morcove  Hetty was previously at Burnside School.  Josiah had also planned to send Molly to Morcove,  but this was dependent upon Hetty getting a good report.  Of course this didn’t eventuate, and after the Hetty/Judy affair SO 564–566 Judy Grandways and Dave Lawder,  Hetty is cast adrift by the Grandways family.  It is not known at the time, if Josiah still aids Mrs Curzon and Molly.

Later on in the Morcove saga we also learn the bravery of Lieutenant Curzon, when he saves the life of Pam Willoughby's Father during the War.  Hetty is a strikingly beautiful girl, with blonde hair.   Some illustrations by Leonard Shields show her hair style similar to Pam’s.  Brilliant at the piano and sport.  Also very precocious but…the façade belies what is underneath.  Hetty is skilled in deception.  Everything Hetty does is for Hetty’s own benefit.  When she first arrives, she uses her deception skills to achieve her own ends, and even such girls as Pat Lawrence, Elsie Ashby and Etta Hargrove are taken in.  Betty, at the beginning is also taken in by the act, but not for long.  What sets Hetty slightly apart from the likes of Cora and Ursula, the earlier Audrey, and the still to come Denver sisters - Edna and Fay, is her conscience, and this is where she suffers again and again by her own hand.  Secretly deadly envious of Pam Willoughby and everything she stands for.  During her time at Morcove, by far the worst thing she did was the injuries caused to Pam - SO 592-597 Pam and Hetty Inter Sports.  Her conscience really played upon her after what she did, and especially after her visit to Swanlake and she found out that her Father saved Mr Willoughby’s life during the Great War.  (Mr Willoughby was a Captain, however he didn’t believe in using his rank)  During her time at Morcove, Hetty does some other despicable things, and some of these act upon her conscience.    After lying low for a while after these events, Hetty gradually goes on in her own self seeking but really, self destructive way until her final departure from the Morcove saga in SO 626-629 Hazel Baynard New Girl v Betty Barton.  Hetty doesn’t really like Cora, but she does befriend her in order to serve her own ends, and this she does on and off until her expulsion.  After Hetty is ostracised by the Grandways family, Judy’s Mother, Mrs Cardew takes on financial responsibility for Hetty, and later on, the Willoughby family also assume some responsibility for her, based mainly on the fact that Mr Willoughby owed his life to Mr Curzon during the Great War.

Some stories featuring Hetty:

SO 548–552 Hetty Curzon, Deceitful New Girl

As explained above, this is the first story about Hetty.   She, along with Cora during an illicit outing to the Circus at Droverton, comes across Joyce Marshall.  This is also Joyce’s entry into the Morcove saga, where she remains on and off over the years.  Josiah Grandways has also let it slip that he would like Cora to be Form Captain.  Although Hetty has reason to be grateful to the Grandways family, she does not like Cora, although this fact doesn’t stop her from being outwardly friendly with Cora in order to achieve her own ends.  She aids and abets Cora, and soon the Fourth is against Betty, for having parted Cora and Hetty.  Horace Phillips has a lapse here, as the letter written to Betty regarding their lost faith in her includes Diana Forbes.  Diana was never a supporter of Betty.  Betty meets Hetty’s sister Molly by accident, and it is during this chance meeting with Molly that really open’s Betty’s eyes to the type of person Hetty is.  Miss Massingham, who is also taken in by Hetty’s manner and pretty little ways, becomes temporarily in charge of the school due to Miss Somerfield and Miss Everard having an accident just out of Exeter.  Seeing that the Fourth are in uproar of the apparently unfair action of Betty’s having parted Cora and Hetty, Miss Massingham decides in a weak moment to award the Captaincy to Hetty.  Miss Massingham has never liked Betty, so when an opportunity presents itself, she will unfairly hit out at Betty.  This decision of Miss Massingham really throws the cat amongst the pigeons, and it is not for quite a while that she realises that she has been deceived.  Cora is also starting to realise Hetty’s true personality.  Betty regains the Captaincy, and after a squabble, Hetty and Cora are friendly again and they are soon on their self seeking ways.

SO 564–566 Judy Grandways and Dave Lawder

Hetty overhears a private conversation between Mr & Mrs Grandways that is certainly not intended for her ears.  As the friendship between Hetty and Cora is going along well, and hoping to ingratiate herself further with Cora, Hetty throws hints to Cora, that Judy may not be a Grandways after all.  Since Judy’s reformation, Cora has had little use for Judy. And treats her abominably.  Hetty, being the personality that she is, sees a chance that if she can permanently eradicate Judy, she herself may be the ‘perfect replacement’.  However, it is all thrown back in her face, and Hetty is cast adrift from the Grandways family.  Judy finally emerges from the pitiless existence she has experienced, especially the enmity of Cora, to be the long lost daughter of the widowed Mrs Cardew, and her brother is actually Dave Lawder from Grangemoor. 

SO 574-576 Judy Cardew and Hetty Curzon

During this story, we really learn how unwell Mrs Curzon is.  Judy’s Mother, Mrs Cardew assumes financial responsibility for Hetty, and Judy feels a special responsibility for Hetty, as it was Hetty’s act that ultimately revealed Judy’s true parentage and finally, her happiness.   Hetty seems to want to try and become a better person, yet she somehow lacks the strength or willpower to achieve this transformation, and the influence of Joyce Marshall on Hetty is totally undesirable.  Mrs Curzon asks for Hetty to come home for the weekend as she needs to go to hospital for an operation.  This, she wants to explain to Hetty.  However, at the same time, Hetty has arranged to have an illicit weekend with Joyce Marshall, to attend Daisy Loveland’s birthday party.  Miss Somerfield is under the allusion that Hetty is going home (Another bit of deception by Hetty).  So Hetty goes to the party, Judy finds out via Cora who is furious that she has been snubbed by Joyce.  Cora decides to gatecrash the party.  Judy finds out, and tries to get in touch with Hetty to not go to the party, but to go home to her Mother as requested.  Hetty of course, doesn’t know that Judy’s Mother is her benefactor, and finds Judy’s looking out for her tiresome and she treats Judy with contempt during this story.  Judy is trying so hard to keep Hetty on the right path because she can see the good side of Hetty.  This is the weekend that Hetty should have gone home to her Mother, as she wanted to prepare Hetty with the hospitalisation news.  On the day after the party, Joyce and Hetty go joyriding and their car becomes bogged, and along come Jack and Dave, just in time to help them out.  Jack recognises Hetty from afar because she is wearing her Morcove hat!  One would think that would be the last thing Hetty would want to wear on a joyride!  Dave who has never liked Hetty and thinks that Judy is wasting her time trying to help her, advises Hetty that she should have gone home as requested by her Mother and that now she is in hospital.

Hetty’s exquisite beauty shows when she illicitly attends Daisy Loveland’s birthday party with Joyce Marshall.  Dressed in her rose pink evening dress made for her by Mrs Marlowe, she even takes Daisy’s breath away:  “So pretty I can’t take my eyes off her,” was Daisy Loveland’s own remark, presently.  “She’s at Morcove School, you know; but Joyce is awfully fond of her.  Says she’s so clever, you know.  And dances divinely, Joyce says.”

What Judy is thinking:  “What it must have meant for this other girl, to be free from the Grandways, with their charity on terms.  With all her faults, there was something great, if not good, in this Hetty.  And might not that greatness make for solid worth in the end?” 

Unfortunately Judy’s thoughts on Hetty do not come out as she had hoped.

SO 592-597 Pam and Hetty Inter Sports

In Hetty’s heart of hearts, the one person whom she aspires to be like, is Pam Willoughby.  Hetty is an excellent sportswoman, although not quite in the league of Pam, and she lacks staying power.  Pam has the staying power and sportmanship that Hetty doesn’t have, and Hetty is quite insanely jealous of this fact during the time trials.  She sees a way to harm Pam by striking out at her during the swimming trials for the Inter School Sports between Morcove, Barncombe House and Stormwood.  Of course, this insidious action is unseen by all around, and Pam loses the race, thus putting Hetty as Morcove’s contestant in the Sports.  Pam decides to remain silent about Hetty’s ‘win’, and her silence is misconstrued by Morcove’s girls as jealousy.  Meanwhile, Hetty’s conscience is making her uneasy, so a couple of days she later waylays Pam along the cliff top near Morcove, and tries to justify her actions.  Pam tells Hetty what she thinks of her.  Hetty becomes aggressive and lashes out at Pam which results in  Pam stumbling, and falls over the cliff.  Pam sustains horrific injuries.  Hetty is absolutely horror stricken by her act, and when Pam eventually recovers from her injuries, remains silent about how she came to fall over the cliff.  Hetty is friendly with Cora throughout this story, although Cora soon tumbles to the fact that Hetty has something to hide.  The truth eventually prevails, mainly due to Hetty’s own actions and Ethel Courtway overhearing an argument between Hetty and Cora, where Cora denounces Hetty’s act towards Pam.  It’s also during this story that we also learn what a fine man Mr Curzon was.  He was responsible for saving Mr Willoughby’s life during the Great War – in actual fact Mr Willoughby recommended Mr Curzon be awarded the Victoria Cross for valour.  This in part has an impact on Hetty’s conscience, and she does try to make good although all her efforts come to nothing.  Not unnaturally, Mr Willoughby thinks Hetty is of the same fine upstanding character of her late Father, who saved Mr Willoughby’s life.  How wrong he is!  After Pam’s recovery, and the Willoughbys discover that Hetty is responsible for Pam’s injuries, Pam still insists that her Mother ‘look out’ for Hetty.

Although Mrs Willoughby takes on an interest in Hetty and Mrs Cardew’s financial backing for Hetty is still ongoing, it is unknown.  Somehow Polly finds out about Mrs Cardew’s financial backing -

SO 593: – The madcap grinned.  “She’s just a little fraud, and we all know it.  How much kindness have others wasted on her?  What about your mother’s kindness, Judy, to Hetty Curzon?  Wasted!”

SO 593: – Betty looked pensive.  “Mrs Willoughby seems awfully fond of Hetty!”.  “Yes, isn’t she?”  returned Judy, in a pleased tone.

“I’m glad, I must say.  You can’t wonder, either, for Hetty, besides being the one who discovered poor Pam, the other day, is going to do so much at the Sports.”  Polly paused in the act of walking out.  “The reason is,” she said, with a touch of scorn, “Mrs Willoughby doesn’t know Hetty Curzon as some of us know her!”

SO 593: – Pam’s own parents, showing that extraordinary interest in her which others had been so prone to do so ere now.  Almost making a protégée of her, with all the grand possibilities that such a thing seemed!  And yet -

SO 614-618 Polly Linton at Fallowfield School

Hetty is still friendly with Cora, and Cora has been admitted to this new, though ill-fated Fallowfield School.  Polly, due to an argument between Mr Linton and Mr Minden, is also removed from Morcove and sent to Fallowfield.  This school is desperate for new pupils, so Cora puts it into Hetty’s head that if she can achieve this end, there could be a place for her at Fallowfield.  Mind you, how Hetty could have achieved this supposed placement at Fallowfield when she knew she was being sponsored is not explained!

SO 618: Hetty Curzon was the main the culprit, acting in collusion with Cora Grandways.  When sent for by the Morcove headmistress, Hetty had affected an air of complete innocence; but her answers had given the lie to her looks.  “And it would service her right if she were not allowed to come back to Morcove next term” was Polly’s disgusted comment, made at the tea-table.  “Playing Fallowfield’s game whilst she was at Morcove.  Not that it has done Fallowfield any good after all.  I’ve seen to that.”  Then another laugh went up from all.  Polly’s chums had already been told how deliciously she had spoken out in front of all those parents, causing them to abandon any idea of sending their daughters to Fallowfield next term.  “So I wonder how that school will go on!” exclaimed Helen.  “If you ask me, it will go off!”  grinned the madcap.  “Seems to me, whether it’s school or scholars that are the sham, they all get found out at last.”

SO 626-629 Hazel Baynard New Girl v Betty Barton

Hetty is still at Morcove, Miss Somerfield having decided to keep her on.  Cora was not allowed back after the folding of Fallowfield.  Hazel Baynard is a new girl at Morcove, and shares a study with Pat Lawrence.  Hazel, a very complex girl although she has a common touch about her.  Hazel is friendly with Joyce Marshall of Gorselands, having met her previously at an Hotel in Brighton.  Joyce casually asks after Hetty, as she hasn’t heard from her in a while - there also seems to have been a falling out between Hetty and Joyce.  Hazel realises that making a friend of Hetty may to her advantage, but Hetty doesn’t seem to want anything to do with her.  Ridgeworth Baynard has just become rich due to a sharemarket fraud, and amongst his victims is Betty’s Father, Mr Barton. This fact comes about when Betty’s Mother comes to Morcove the day after new term to tell Betty the bad news, and this visit co-incides with Mrs Baynard bringing Hazel to school.  The two women meet, and Mrs Barton snubs Mrs Baynard, rousing Betty’s suspicions.  A day or so later, Polly comes across a newspaper clipping regarding this fraud, naming Baynard as the perpetrator.  Mrs Baynard herself is quite genuine and lives in constant dread of her husband’s dealings.  One evening whilst Baynard is secretly visiting Hazel, he hands over a huge amount of money in a suitcase and confesses that he is guilty.   Hazel soon secrets the money away, on the moor, about a quarter of a mile from Morcove.  Betty’s family take a small cottage in Sandton Bay for the duration.  A few days later there is another report in the paper absolving Ridgeworth, and naming his secretary as the perpetrator of the fraud.  Meanwhile Hazel, being short of funds, decides to raid the money hidden on the moor, and on her way back to Morcove comes across Laura Dorland, who introduces herself as her Father’s secretary, and says that he is guilty. .  Laura is desperate for even more money, so she springs upon Hazel and takes the money, also threatening Hazel that she will be back.  More or less at the same time, Hetty has come across the rest of the hidden money on the moor and takes it. Seeing a way to ingratiate herself with the Morcove girls, Hazel decides to create a fund to aid the victims of the fraud and starts the fund with a large donation.  Hetty also offers a large donation and starts spending money freely, which creates suspicion amongst the girls.  Hazel slowly sinks deeper and deeper, into the mire and she soon and she owes money here, there and everywhere. She resorts to paying her bills with the funds collected from her aid fund.  The girls are anxious to get this fund off the ground, so they are on Hazel’s back to finalise the collection and get it sent off to London.  When the receipt for the donation doesn’t come, and their name isn’t in the paper, suspicion is also aroused against Hazel.  One can almost feel the tension as the story is read, and slowly the net closes around Hazel, who is again harassed by Laura, who has come to live in disguise as Jessica at Sandton Bay.  Hetty, temporarily is enjoying her new found status with the illicit funds which Hazel knows about but cannot do anything regarding the situation.  Here, Betty’s superb leadership skills and outstanding compassion are shown as she tries to help Hazel, although she knows Hazel is guilty of misappropriating the Morcove fund.  Ridgeworth Baynard goes on an extended voyage, and a reward of £1000 is offered by the Police for any information on the absconded secretary.  After a visit to Sandton Bay, Betty’s sister Doris is almost run over by an out of control car which Laura, disguised as Jessica Newton is driving.  Betty recognises ‘Jessica’ and goes to the Headmistress with this information.

Betty Barton decides that she wants to aid Mrs Baynard, and also Hetty, and when she is presented with the £1000 reward, donates some of the proceeds to that end.