Morcove’s Character Analyses

By Sylvia Reed

No 1:  Pam Willoughby

As well as being Phillips’ favourite character, much has been written about Pam, especially in Pam and Pat, Two Spirited Girls by Dennis L Bird, published in Collectors’ Digest Annual 1994.   I think that Horace Phillips (Marjorie Stanton) based Pam on his earlier character, Freda Blair, SO 295-303 Freda Blair New Girl, (SGOL 529 The Girl Who Didn’t Like Morcove) published October and November of 1926, with the SGOL reprint in 1936.  Pam came along later in March, 1928.  When the Morcove stories were transferred to The Schoolgirl, several of them had Pam as the heroine.

Dennis’ article relates to how Pam first arrives at Morcove, her subsequent expulsion (Due to Ursula Wade), and eventual return to Morcove in triumph, followed by the saga of the Morgans, and finally the Swanlake legend tale.  As in Dennis’ article: Pam says to Miss Redgrave:  “I don’t care to show how I care,” SO 373-378 Introducing Pam Willoughby (SGOL 611 When Pam Came to Morcove)  That is one of the keys to her nature: a well bred girl who had learned to hide her feelings.  Although Pam was Horace Phillips’ favourite, he certainly allowed her to suffer very badly at times during her sojourn at Morcove.  There are similarities in Pam’s dangerously ill state in SO 592-597 Pam and Hetty Inter-Sports (No SGOL) and SO 788-791 Zillah Raine (No SGOL).  Perhaps Phillips realised that because there were several years in between between these two stories, and that who read the earlier story would no longer be reading The Schoolgirls’ Own, that he could more or less repeat the dangerously ill theme.  Pam’s main adversaries from Morcove throughout the saga are Ursula Wade, Hetty Curzon, Fay and Edna Denver, and Zillah Raine.  They despise her mainly because she is everything that they are not:  Breeding, poise and serenity.  Some outsiders who ‘have it in’ for Pam include Tom and Edna Morgan – SO 445-452 Pam’s Problem With the Morgan Family (SGOL 685 When Pam Made Morcove Wonder); Zelie Duval and Elsie Eastman – SO 630-634 Pam and the Strange Secret of Swanlake; Mimi Lessard – SO 755-758 Morcove in North Africa

It was also obvious that Pam was also the favourite character of many readers of The Schoolgirls’ Own.  Many sign their letters as ‘Pam’, and although we don’t know the actual content of the letters, the Editors replies are published, with the answers their questions.  For example:  In SO 718 page 557: My Dear Readers, there is a reply to:  “The Four Dundonians” – The reason why no story of Pam has yet appeared in the ‘Schoolgirls’ Own Library” is because Pam was not at Morcove at the time of these early adventures.  It is possible that a story of her may be published in the future.  Best wishes. And in due course, the stories were published.

Around the time or sometime prior to SO 788-790 Zillah Raine, there appears to have been an article on Pam in The Schoolgirls’ Own, as in SO 790 A Misfit at Morcove, there are several letters regarding Pam in My Dear Readers.  These letters have been reproduced here:.

Pam is tall, has dark hair cut in a short bob, and violet eyes.  High stepping, like Freda Blair upon whom Horace Phillips decided to create his Pam.  “Yes, well” as Freda said earlier, is Pam’s saying, just as Betty’s is “We’ll manage!”. 

Pam is like her Mother, with the inborn serenity and dignity of a well bred girl, but without the snobbishness and airs can come with high born people.  However, Pam’s candour, and forthright manner occasionally lands her in hot water with her friends.  Polly especially is quick to jump to conclusions and takes umbrage, however she is quick to back down when she realises the true extent of whatever the particular situation is.  As well as being an outstanding beauty, Pam is an accomplished horsewoman, as evidenced in SO 614-618 Polly Linton at Fallowfield School. and SO 630-634, Pam and the Strange Secret of Swanlake.  And a talented pianiste.

Leonard Shields depicts a ‘grown up’ Pam in evening dress in Page 869 of SO 727-730 Pam Willoughby Masquerade in London (SO 727 Page 869)

The above accolades infer that Pam is one of those impossibly perfect people, however that is not the case at all.

Pam’s Father, John Willoughby JP, as well as running Swanlake as a profitable concern, has also spent many years out in India, Ceylon and Burma as a Diplomat on behalf of the British Government.  Over the years, he developed a great affinity for the region and made many friends.  Therefore Swanlake has an extensive collection of Eastern artefacts, and many of Morcove’s stories have these countries as a backdrop, although the actual story location may be Morcove and Swanlake:  Some of these stories are:

SO 426-429, Pam and the Casket of Kangpur (SGOL 647 Morcove’s Casket of Mystery

SO 536-539, Anne Sheridan New Girl (Monica Hope)

SO 630-634, Pam and the Strange Secret of Swanlake

SO 650-653, India

SO 727-730, Pam Willoughby Masquerade in London

SG 383-395, Her Secret at Swanlake

From time to time throughout the Morcove saga, Pam is Captain of the Fourth Form, and stories featuring Pam’s Captaincy are:

SO 710-714 Pam New Form Captain and SO 715-720 Miss Kitten’s Secret.

As I don’t have the full series to these stories, I can’t really comment, apart from the fact that she suffers badly and is ostracised by the Form.  As mentioned previously, what I find surprising is that even after Pam has proves her loyalty to Morcove time and time again – ESPECIALLY after SO 445-452 Pam’s Problem With the Morgan Family  SGOL 685 When Pam Made Morcove Wonder) and SO 592-597 Pam and Hetty Inter-Sports (No SGOL); she STILL sometimes falls foul of the Form, and they do not ‘back her up’ against what is so clearly (Well, to the reader anyway, to be perfectly fair!) circumstantial evidence piled up against her.  Polly again, one of the worst offenders.  Perhaps Betty, with all her shrewdness, can see the bigger picture, remains loyal.

Pam is heiress to the vast estate of Swanlake, in Devon. Swanlake is featured in The Schoolgirls Own Annuals 1934 and 1936.  She is also heiress to the Willoughby London home in Halkin Street (West End), priceless jewels, and £50,000 a year.  That amount of money in the 1920’s and 1930’s would have been huge.

The Willougby family provide employment for quite a large number of people, both at Swanlake and in their London home.  Some names that appear more than once during the Morcove saga include:

Swanlake:

Mrs Greddon, Housekeeper .  Muriel Floddon and Zelie Duval SO 630-634, Pam and the Strange Secret of Swanlake.  Katey, a parlourmaid,  (Katey’s sweetheart is John, the Postman).  Elsie Maud Mullins, Emma, and Gracie, servants.  Harris, the Chauffer

Halkin Street:

Bremlow and his wife..

Swanlake is generally recognised as being about twenty miles from Morcove, although Horace Phillips varies the distance throughout the saga.  By rail from Morcove Road through to Barncombe then on to Disford, then the rest of the way can be ridden by bike.  This information comes from SO 379-382 Pam Willoughby Makes Good (SGOL 627 Called Back to Morcove

Pam has a cousin Billy Charters, who first appears in SO 458-462 Pam’s Unruly Cousin Billy, then he is at Swanlake for Christmas - SO463-468 Christmas at Swanlake (SGOL 706 The Legend of Swanlake).  Billy later on gets mixed up with the dreadful Edna and Fay Denver - SO 710-714 Pam New Form Captain, .where he causes Pam so much grief, then she saves him from drowning I don’t have much information on Billy at this stage apart from the above, so cannot enlarge on his character, however Billy, but he seems to disappear from the Morcove saga after this story.  Evelyn Flinders illustrated the cover of SO 713, which is quite outstanding, so it is reproduced here:

One of Pam’s special friends is Jimmy Cherrol, of Grangemoor, who makes his first appearance into the Morcove saga in SO 635-639 Easter Caravan Tour.  Jimmy doesn’t have any parents, so is brought up by his Uncle.  Dicky Cherrol causes Jimmy a lot of anguish, so Pam becomes a champion of Jimmy.  For the next stories featuring Jimmy and Dicky, Horace Phillips seems to get confused and Jimmy becomes Dicky (As in SO 650-653 India and 654-657 Morcove in Turania)  Later, he becomes Jimmy again, thank goodness!.  Jimmy just worships the ground that Pam walks on.  I wonder what happens to their friendship when they become adults?  I have an inkling that she marries highly, like Paula Creel, as per Mary Cadogan’s tale, and Jimmy remains unmarried, ever faithful to Pam, and her staunch confidante and ally.

Some stories featuring Pam:

SO 373-378 Introducing Pam Willoughby, (SGOL 611 When Pam Came to Morcove)

SO 379-382 Pam Willoughby Makes Good, (SGOL 631 Called Back to Morcove)

SO 397-404, Rebels of Rosemount School (SGOL 639 Driven From Morcove)

Pam’s breeding shines through when she delicately and tactfully treats the problem of returning Etta’s things home to Mrs Hargrove in Droverton.  Then after that, how she treats the chauffeur and then Grace Garfield at the restaurant in Droverton is quite sublime.

SO 426-429 Pam and the Casket of Kangpur, (SGOL 647 Morcove’s Casket of Mystery)

SO 440-445 Paula’s Holiday at Home, Weir Hall (SGOL 681 Morcove’s River Holiday)

SO 445-452 Pam’s Problem With the Morgan Family (SGOL 685 When Pam Made Morcove Wonder)

SO 448: “Understand,” Polly broke out, after bottling up her wrath for a few moments,  “I am finished with Pam.  I’m sorry, but there have been a lot of little things – and now some big things too!  After this, I’m done with her!”

So much could be written about this particular story.  However in a nutshell, Etta Hargrove comes across the duplicitous Morgans in Barncombe, where they are acting out their ‘down on their luck’ story.  Etta and the Fourth come across the brilliant idea of getting Pam to help with getting employment, and they are shocked when she straight out says no.  Unbeknown to Morcove, these Morgans have been sacked from Swanlake for breaking the law and unacceptable behaviour.  They also have a thoroughly nice younger sister named Leila, who is horrified that they are back on the scene after they previously also caused her considerable grief upon the death of their Father.  Pam is treated dreadfully by the Fourth – especially Polly, during this story.  Also Lionel Derwent, who makes his appearance in SO 445-452, and attends Hurstbourne School, makes a brief appearance in this story.

SO 458-462 Pam’s Unruly Cousin Billy (No SGOL)

SO 463-467 Christmas at Swanlake, (SGOL 706 The Legend of Swanlake)

SO 488-491 Tess’ Brother Tom Framed (No SGOL)

SO 592-597 Pam and Hetty Inter-Sports (No SGOL)

SO 630-634 Pam and the Strange Secret of Swanlake (No SGOL)

SO 635-639 Easter Caravan Tour (No SGOL)

SO 666-670 Pam’s Protegee Shirley Branson (No SGOL)

SO 691-695 Morcove’s Feud With Grangemoor (No SGOL)

Fay and Edna Denver are newcomers to Morcove School.  They are the follow on nasties, to replace Audrey Blain, Cora Grandways and Ursula Wade, with the sole intention to inflict mayhem and unrest at Morcove.  Both are hothouse beauties, frivolous and shallow.  They recognise in Pam all the qualities they lack and therefore become insanely jealous of Pam, and when Pam easily outclasses Fay Denver in the heats of the quarter mile in the lead up to the sports, the sisters’ scheming begins.  As Fay and Edna have an equally shady cousin at Grangemoor in the name of Bertie Denver, who is always ready to aid and abet them, they come up with an almost water tight scheme.  Edna is also attracted to Jimmy Cherrol, who, as we know is especially friendly with Pam.  Jimmy is far too polite a fellow to show his dislike of the sisters.  Fay and Edna carry out their dastardly act, with the result that suspicion falls upon Pam for causing trouble between Morcove and Grangemoor Schools.

Even Pat Lawrence, who early on recognises the type of girl Pam. also doubts her in the Grangemoor affair.  This surprises me, because apart from Pam’s loyal circle, Pat should be the last to condemn Pam.  But, then, I am seeing all this from an adult angle.

SO 693  “I am your friend still, Pam – or I wouldn’t accept these flowers.  I’m going to believe in you.  I am sure, if you say so, it was so.  A chance meeting, even a second time.  But, Pam, I don’t know about the others.”

“Let them all think as they like, Betty.”

Still the captain lingered, gazing at this girl – fairest of all the roses that Swanlake had ever grown.  Loveliest of all types of British girlhood’ just a rose of a girl, nothing exotic or over-cultured, but simply and delicately beautiful.

SO 695  “By the way,” Pam said quietly, “I don’t want any forgiveness.  It will be for me to forgive the Form – when it finds out what an injustice it has done me.”

SO 710-714   Pam New Form Captain, (No SGOL)

In this story, Betty has been in a car accident which results her being in hospital and then she has long convalescence.  Part of Betty’s convalescence takes place in the Headland Hotel, where Mrs Barton brings her to stay.  Pam is made Form Captain. Morcove’s Fourth Form have a new Mistress, in the name of Miss Kitten.  Unbeknown to Morcove, this Miss Kitten is bogus, having assumed the identity of her decent, upright sister.  This is not made known to the reader at once.  Miss Kitten takes on a hatred of Pam (I don’t have the lead up to this, so don’t know the reasons why).  For some reason, Miss Kitten shows a favouritism towards the Denvers, which is inexplicable to the Morcove girls.  Edna Denver is now attracted to Billy Charters, Pam’s cousin.  Pam, after some trouble caused, aided and abetted by Billy, the scheming Denvers and Miss Kitten’s vitriolic personality, is ostracised by her Morcove chums, and so she decides to go home to Swanlake.  During the afternoon, she meets up with Jimmy Cherrol and has a heart to heart talk.  After Jimmy has gone, she is wandering up the drive when she hears a cry for help.  It is Billy.  He has been out on a punt on Swanlake’s lake when it capsizes.  Billy can’t swim.  She jumps in and rescues him from drowning. 

SO 713:  The crowd had hushed, abruptly, to catch what she was saying.  Pat Lawrence instantly rejoined:  “It can all end at once, Pam Willoughby, if you’ll say you’re sorry.”  There are several things I’m sorry about,” she answered.  “And one is, that you ever made me captain.”  The words – the tone – the sublime composure of the girl!  In this moment, when feeling was running so high, it was forgotten that Pam was only displaying her usual inborn dignity.

SO 713: - Billy Charters to Pam:  “Pam!” he rasped at last, floundering up to goggle his eyes at her.  “You – you saved me!”  Then she smiled.  “I don’t call that saving you, Billy.  It will take more than that to save you!”  And, leaving him to consider this, she calmly walked away.

SO 715-720   Miss Kitten’s Secret (No SGOL)

The Denvers, Edna and Fay, have tumbled to the real identity of Miss Kitten.  Therefore they are playing her for all she is worth, so that they can have illicit pleasures.  The rest of the Form, under the splendid Captainship of Pam, are suffering badly.

SO 716:  “For a long time,” Fay struck in, “the Captain has had her knife into us!”  “That isn’t so,” Pam protested.  “The whole Form knows that you have been spared a hundred times over because to report you would most likely mean getting you expelled.  You have taken advantage of what we all know in the Form – that Miss Somerfield was very reluctant to have you back this term.  You’ve both traded on the desire to give you a chance –“  “Is all this necessary?” Miss Kitten struck in bleakly.

And then again, SO 716:  It is a shame, Miss Kitten,” she said hotly, “That I have had to say so much.  As a mistress you might have been expected to see all that – instead of shielding these two as you are doing.”  “How dare you!” Miss Kitten quivered.  “If I have much more of your impudence –“.  “There is something – some reason for this!” Pam said very quietly.  “That you can overlook what these girls do, and that they can stand there – knowing they are safe from punishment!  Yes, now I understand why they boasted that they didn’t care what I might do!  There is – favouritism!”

SO 716 once more:  After Pam has been set upon by Miss Kitten:  “Now I say to your face, Miss Kitten – you are unfit to be a mistress!  Don’t touch me again!”

SO 727-730 Pam Willoughby Masquerade in London (No SGOL)

As previously mentioned, Mr Willoughby has a special affinity for India and Burma.  In this story, Mr Willoughby is asked out to India by a Prince friend of his, to help restore peace a particular sovereign state where there was an uprising, caused by the Ameer of Abdur-Khan, that state’s ruler.  Pam is under threat of being kidnapped in order to prevent Mr Willoughby from carrying out his task.  I wonder if this sovereignty was anywhere near to that of Hunda Khan, whom Mr Willoughby helped in the previous India story?  Also in this story, Phillips allows Pam to smoke!!!! which I find quite abhorrent.  In SO 727, Leonard Shields portrays Pam in one of the most exquisite illustrations I have seen, apart from the portrayals in SO 445-452 Pam’s Problem With the Morgan Family, (SGOL 685 When Pam Made Morcove Wonder).

SO 788-791 Zillah Raine,
is the last story to feature Pam in The Schoolgirls’ Own.  Again, I don’t have the full series, however I do have SO 790 which shows the illustration by Leonard Shields of Pam ill, after her treatment by Zillah Raine, Morcove’s new girl from Virginia, USA.   Attached is the illustration.

After The Schoolgirls’ Own folded, the Morcove stories were transferred to The Schoolgirl.  Stories featuring Pam in The School are:

SG ?-? Her Secret at Swanlake

SG 435-445 Schoolgirls in Society.  This was indeed the last Morcove story.