Elizabeth Fry, 1973, Series 561 (later cover style)

Elizabeth Fry was the 30th title in the 561 series, colourfully written by L du Garde Peach and it was the first of the History books to be illustrated by Roger Hall.  John Kenney was originally commissioned to illustrate it but sadly, his ill-health caused him to bow out of his amazing partnership with Peach; both men died soon after.  This book was never issued with a dustwrapper.

Fry was a character much more talked about when I was young than she is now – despite her recent sojourn on a bank note.  I suppose pious Victorian reformers are out of fashion.  But she did amazing work and I’m glad Ladybird wrote about her, even if the book didn’t sell as well as many.  (There are so many interesting female figures in history that Ladybird didn’t cover and growing up with Ladybird I was always on the look out for the women in history – but the books merely reflect the curriculum and historical focus of their time so there’s no point in fretting about it now).

This copy:

The first edition of this book was issued with the traditional full cover picture on the front.  Later this was changed to update the cover – putting the illustration inside a blue frame.  This copy has matt boards and the blue framed cover picture but is the original version inside.

This book is in very condition inside and out.  Typically for books with this style of cover, the white background has gets a bit grubby but this copy has fared better than most.  Inside the pages are clean and tight.  It dates to the 1970s and there’s an original price of 24p on the back