Jennings (novels)
Encyclopedia
Children's literature
Children's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve; it is often defined in four different ways: books written by children, books written for children, books chosen by children, or books chosen for children. It is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes...
concerning the escapades of J C T Jennings, a schoolboy at Linbury Court preparatory school in England. There are 25 in total, all written by Anthony Buckeridge
Anthony Buckeridge
Anthony Malcolm Buckeridge OBE was an English author, best known for his Jennings and Rex Milligan series of children's books...
(1912–2004). The first, Jennings Goes to School (ISBN 0-333-65523-0) appeared in 1950 and new titles were published regularly until the mid-1970s (the last for fourteen years was Jennings at Large in 1977, the only book to feature Jennings during the school holidays), with two more in the 1990s (Jennings Again in 1991 and That's Jennings in 1994). When published in France the name of "Jennings" was changed to "Bennett" while in Norway he is known as "Stompa".
Style
Much of the humour rests on misunderstandings attributable to Jennings's literal-mindedness and impetuosity. In the earliest novels in the series there are some LatinLatin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
puns, but Buckeridge discontinued these, apparently to maximise their appeal. The earlier novels present an idealised version of rural or small-town, middle class English life in the years between the Second World War and the social revolution of the 1960s; the later ones are still rooted in this era (as Buckeridge admitted) but reflect the changing times surprisingly well.
The stories invented some vernacular language for the boys to use. In particular they coined the word "ozard". The post-war slang "wizard" generally meant "good" or "very good". "Ozard" derives from "Wizard of Oz
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a children's novel written by L. Frank Baum and illustrated by W. W. Denslow. Originally published by the George M. Hill Company in Chicago on May 17, 1900, it has since been reprinted numerous times, most often under the name The Wizard of Oz, which is the name of...
" and was used to describe anything the boys disliked or dreaded. It was also used to describe the anger of Mr. Wilkins, which could be "ozard", "ozard squared" and occasionally "ozard cubed".
Characters
- J C T (John Christopher Timothy) Jennings — son of a businessman whose home is at Haywards HeathHaywards Heath-Climate:Haywards Heath experiences an oceanic climate similar to almost all of the United Kingdom.-Rail:Haywards Heath railway station is a major station on the Brighton Main Line...
in the stockbroker belt. He is good-natured and well-meaning, but his tendency to act on impulse results in him getting in to trouble frequently. Buckeridge told BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
reporter Michael CrickMichael CrickMichael Crick is a British journalist, author and broadcaster. Crick was a founding member of the Channel 4 News Team in 1982. He worked on the BBC's Newsnight between 1992 and 2011, acting as the programme's political editor from 2007 to his departure...
that the fictional Jennings had been modelled on a schoolfriend, Diarmaid Jennings (1913–2009). - C E J (Charles Edwin Jeremy) Darbishire — mild-mannered and short-sighted, the son of a clergyman, the Reverend Percival Darbishire, from whom he has inherited a habit of sententiously citing proverbProverbA proverb is a simple and concrete saying popularly known and repeated, which expresses a truth, based on common sense or the practical experience of humanity. They are often metaphorical. A proverb that describes a basic rule of conduct may also be known as a maxim...
s (generally prefixed with "My father says..."). Darbishire is Jennings's right hand man. Inherently more cautious than his best friend, he usually finds himself drawn into situations in which he would rather not be involved. - Venables, Atkinson, Temple, Bromwich (Major) — classmates of Jennings in form 3 and fellow boarders in dormitory 4. Temple's nickname was Bod, from a tortuous schoolboy logic involving his initials, CAT (Charles A Temple), becoming Dog, then Dogsbody, and finally Bod.
- Pettigrew, Marshall — day pupils whose privileges Jennings "borrows" in order to assist him in bending school rules.
- Binns Minor, Blotwell — shrill-voiced first-formers who are treated with condescension appropriate to their years by Jennings and his contemporaries
- Mr L P (Lancelot Phineas) Wilkins (Old Wilkie) — Jennings's formForm (education)A form is a class or grouping of students in a school. The term is used predominantly in the United Kingdom, although some schools, mostly private, in other countries also use the title...
master, a man of little patience and a volcanic temperament very occasionally redeemed by a heart of gold. - Mr Michael Carter — Jennings's housemasterHousemasterIn British education, a housemaster is a member of staff in charge of a boarding house, normally at a boarding school . The housemaster is responsible for the supervision and care of boarders in the house and typically lives on the premises...
, a man of great imperturbability and patience, with a phenomenal ability to detect dissembling and violations of school rules. Nicknamed "Benedick", from his use of the Latin phrase "benedicto, benedicatur" (the second word sounding like "Benedick Carter"). This character was said by Buckeridge to be based on himself. - Mr M W B (Martin Winthrop Barlow) Pemberton-Oakes (The Archbeako) — the headmaster, a classical scholar with a capacity to command immediate discipline.
- Mr Hind — Music master, mild of manner, trailing clouds of smoke from his cherrywood pipe — also teaches art to Form I.
- Mr Topliss — teaches shooting once a week in shooting range behind gymnasium.
- Matron — the school matronMatronMatron is the job title of a very senior nurse in several countries, including the United Kingdom, its former colonies, including the Republic of Ireland, although the title Clinical Nurse Manager has become acceptable as an alternative.-History:...
: she is sympathetic and understanding, but with a keen ability to spot malingerers. - Miss Angela Birkenshaw (Aunt Angela) — Jennings's absent-minded aunt.
Most of the first names of characters have been revealed (John Christopher Timothy Jennings; Charles Edwin Jeremy Darbishire; Robin Atkinson; Charles Temple, etc.), but true to the form of British boarding schools, they generally are known exclusively by their surnames.
Minor recurring characters:
- Hawkins (Old Nightie) — the night watchmanSecurity guardA security guard is a person who is paid to protect property, assets, or people. Security guards are usually privately and formally employed personnel...
. - Robinson (Old Pyjams) — the oddjob man. His nickname is obviously a pun on the nightwatchman's nickname of Old Nightie.
- Lieutenant General Sir Melville Merridew DSODistinguished Service OrderThe Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
MCMilitary CrossThe Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
Bart — retired general, the school's most distinguished alumnusAlumnusAn alumnus , according to the American Heritage Dictionary, is "a graduate of a school, college, or university." An alumnus can also be a former member, employee, contributor or inmate as well as a former student. In addition, an alumna is "a female graduate or former student of a school, college,...
, and frequent bestower of half-holidays. - Miss Thorpe — tireless voluntary charitable worker within the Linbury community.
- PC Honeyball — Linbury's village policeman.
- Farmer Arrowsmith — owner of a farm adjoining the school grounds.
- Dr Basil Featherstonehaugh Hipkin — an absent-minded zoologist who meets Jennings and Darbishire when they accidentally push him into the river while they are on an illicit boating expedition.
- George the Third — matron's cat, a large ginger tom.
- Mrs Caffey — Linbury Court's housekeeper, "Mother Snackbar".
The novels usually followed a format of three major subplots per 16-chapter novel. This practice in turn facilitated a popular BBC radio
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
version on Children's Hour
Children's Hour
Children's Hour—at first: "The Children's Hour", from a verse by Longfellow—was the name of the BBC's principal recreational service for children during the period when radio dominated broadcasting....
.
List of novels
- Jennings Goes to School 1950
- Jennings Follows a Clue 1951
- Jennings' Little Hut 1951
- Jennings and Darbishire 1952
- Jennings' Diary 1953
- According to Jennings 1954
- Our Friend Jennings 1955
- Thanks to Jennings 1957
- Take Jennings, for Instance 1958
- Jennings, as Usual 1959
- The Trouble With Jennings 1960
- Just Like Jennings 1961
- Leave it to Jennings 1963
- Jennings, Of Course! 1964
- Especially Jennings! 1965
- A Bookful of Jennings 1966 (also titled 'The Best of Jennings')
- Jennings Abounding 1967 (also titled 'Jennings Unlimited')
- Jennings in Particular 1968
- Trust Jennings! 1969
- The Jennings Report 1970
- Typically Jennings! 1971
- Speaking of Jennings! 1973
- Jennings at Large 1977
- Jennings Again! 1991
- That's Jennings 1994
Radio Adaptations
"Jennings Goes to School" and "Jennings Again!" were adapted for radio by Anthony BuckeridgeAnthony Buckeridge
Anthony Malcolm Buckeridge OBE was an English author, best known for his Jennings and Rex Milligan series of children's books...
, and read by Stephen Fry
Stephen Fry
Stephen John Fry is an English actor, screenwriter, author, playwright, journalist, poet, comedian, television presenter and film director, and a director of Norwich City Football Club. He first came to attention in the 1981 Cambridge Footlights Revue presentation "The Cellar Tapes", which also...
. The adaptions were released on audio cassette in 1991, and are currently being rebroadcast on BBC Radio 7.
External links
- Diarmaid Jennings - Daily Telegraph obituary