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What do I mean by ‘History’? Actually a couple of different things.
When did Ladybird books begin?
Well it depends what you count as a Ladybird book. The company behind them, Wills & Hepworth, started printing the occasional children’s book as long ago as 1914 – but these are very different from the books we associate with the brand.Books in the distinctive Ladybird format first appeared in 1940. The next key date is 1972, when the company was sold at the height of its success. Success gradually waned – although the decision to close down UK printing altogether in 1999 remains controversial. On various blog posts here you will find parts of the story, which I’ll draw together some time soon. In the meantime, here’s a brief summary
‘History’ too can refer to the biographies of the key players – especially the artists, so you’ll find a lot of information here.
It can also refer to the biggest series of Ladybird books, the History series, mainly written by L du Garde Peach and illustrated by John Kenney. Either way, you should find quite a lot of information in the posts below
During the course of the exhibition in Leicester, I was contacted by two or three ex-employees of Ladybird books. One of these was Gordon Hill, who worked as a lithographic printer for Ladybird (Wills & Hepworth) between 1966 and 1977…
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Many of us today who have a love of history may feel this is in part due to the vivid and enthralling Ladybird illustrations in the history books that they grew up with. On Thursday 13th of June, a plaque…
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My top-10 of Ladybird book trivia Or ‘ten things you have probably never wanted to know about Ladybird books’ 10 The price of a Ladybird book (2 shillings and 6) stayed the same for 31 years -from 1940 until 1971…
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This table looks pretty unremarkable. It’s plain and simple and with a formica top. Some of us will remember tables like this in the house of relatives – or perhaps have one lurking somewhere in our own. So what’s it…
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Last week I spent an afternoon surrounded by the artwork of the Ladybird artist John Kenney. I went to The MERL (Museum of English Rural Life) in Reading where the Special Collections are stored. I’ve talked about MERL and the…
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Peter, Jane and narrator – and the Ladybird Artists exhibition This recording for BBC Radio Kent was made at the opening of the Ladybird Artists exhibition in June 2018. In it I talk a little about the…
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So many of us will have grown up with Ladybird books at school in the 1960s and 70s that it’s hard to remember that they weren’t always a fixture on school shelves. The school market certainly wasn’t in the minds…
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Let me tell you story about a Little Red Hen. This is a story that has a moral, only I’m not quite sure what it is. Once upon a time there was a Ladybird book about a little red hen…
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Let’s be honest, in this sad and sorry world, there’s not a lot of work out there for a Ladybird book consultant. But they say every dog has its day. Sometimes a commission comes along that matches a niche interest…
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‘Battle of Britain’ and ‘Shackleton’ In common with Basil Fawlty, golden-age Ladybird books try not to mention the war. This to some extent reflects the spirit of the age – of the 1950s to 70s – to look forward, not backwards,…
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