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The Abbey Girls #1
Girls of the Hamlet Club
This is the first in a long series, some 60+ books, of a series of girls who are students in a day/boarding school in the west of England.
The Hamlet Club, formed in the first book in the series, Girls of the Hamlet Club, was set up to combat snobbery in the school. Underlying the club’s overt activities of folk-dancing and rambles was its motto ‘To be or not to be’, and its badge, the Whiteleaf Cross. These were both symbols of deeper meanings. The motto, deliberately using a quote from the Shakespeare play Hamlet is taken to mean to make the right choice, usually duty above self-interest, when it arises. Throughout the Abbey Series the various main characters come up against this choice and its consequences, and are shown growing and maturing through making difficult decisions. The badge, taken from a landmark local to the area in which the series is set, is also symbolic—as is any cross—of sacrifice.
The Hamlet Club, formed in the first book in the series, Girls of the Hamlet Club, was set up to combat snobbery in the school. Underlying the club’s overt activities of folk-dancing and rambles was its motto ‘To be or not to be’, and its badge, the Whiteleaf Cross. These were both symbols of deeper meanings. The motto, deliberately using a quote from the Shakespeare play Hamlet is taken to mean to make the right choice, usually duty above self-interest, when it arises. Throughout the Abbey Series the various main characters come up against this choice and its consequences, and are shown growing and maturing through making difficult decisions. The badge, taken from a landmark local to the area in which the series is set, is also symbolic—as is any cross—of sacrifice.
324 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1914
About the author
Elsie J. Oxenham
114 books21 followersA celebrated English girls’ school story writer, Elsie J. Oxenham's was born Elsie Jeanette Dunkerley in 1880 in Southport, Lancashire, She was the daughter of writer John_Oxenham, born William John Dunkerley, who had chosen the pseudonym ‘John Oxenham’. And Elsie decided to adopt the same surname for her writing career.
Her father was a clear influence upon her own writing. Her brother, Roderic Dunkerley, was also an author (published under his own name), as was her sister Erica, who also used the 'Oxenham' name.
She grew up in Ealing, West London, where her family had moved when she was a baby, living there until 1922, when the family moved again, to Worthing. After the deaths of her parents, Oxenham lived with her sister Maida. She died in 1960.
Oxenham, whose interests included the Camp Fire movement, and English Folk Dance traditions, is primarily remembered as the creator of the 38-book 'Abbey Girls' series. In her lifetime she had 87 titles published, and another two have since been published by her niece, who discovered the manuscripts in the early 1990s.
She is considered a major figure among girls' school story writers of the first half of the 20th century -- one of the 'Big Three,' together with Elinor Brent-Dyer and Dorita Fairlie Bruce.
Her father was a clear influence upon her own writing. Her brother, Roderic Dunkerley, was also an author (published under his own name), as was her sister Erica, who also used the 'Oxenham' name.
She grew up in Ealing, West London, where her family had moved when she was a baby, living there until 1922, when the family moved again, to Worthing. After the deaths of her parents, Oxenham lived with her sister Maida. She died in 1960.
Oxenham, whose interests included the Camp Fire movement, and English Folk Dance traditions, is primarily remembered as the creator of the 38-book 'Abbey Girls' series. In her lifetime she had 87 titles published, and another two have since been published by her niece, who discovered the manuscripts in the early 1990s.
She is considered a major figure among girls' school story writers of the first half of the 20th century -- one of the 'Big Three,' together with Elinor Brent-Dyer and Dorita Fairlie Bruce.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
October 29, 2021
When Cicely Hobart goes to Miss Macey’s school in Buckinghamshire she is dismayed to find a division among the girls. The well off girls who live in town belong to exclusive clubs with deliberately high membership fees in order to keep out the poorer scholarship girls who live in the surrounding hamlets. Cicely is well off and could well afford to join the clubs, but instead decides to unite with the other Hamlet girls to form a club of their own. Since she has learnt Morris and Country dancing, she decides to make it a dancing club. The beginning of her dancing lesson marks the only real absurdity in the book - after half an hour of learning Morris steps the girls are clamouring for “something more advanced” (as Mabel Esther Allan pointed out, a Morris dance takes considerably longer than half an hour to learn).
Aside from this though it is a delightful book. Cicely Hobart is a most attractive heroine - enthusiastic, generous, intelligent, passionate about dance and with a strong sense of responsibility - she tries to emulate her hero, John Hampden, who decided to do what was right rather than what was easy. The other girls of the Hamlet Club are attractive characters too, and the beauty of the Chilterns is described in vivid detail. Reading this charming book may make you want to visit the beautiful hamlets which are still there(though no longer cheap to live in).
Aside from this though it is a delightful book. Cicely Hobart is a most attractive heroine - enthusiastic, generous, intelligent, passionate about dance and with a strong sense of responsibility - she tries to emulate her hero, John Hampden, who decided to do what was right rather than what was easy. The other girls of the Hamlet Club are attractive characters too, and the beauty of the Chilterns is described in vivid detail. Reading this charming book may make you want to visit the beautiful hamlets which are still there(though no longer cheap to live in).
September 7, 2024
a charming school story with lots of beautiful countryside and fun country and Morris dancing.
February 11, 2015
This is the first in a long series, some 60+ books, of a series of girls who are students in a day/boarding school in the west of England. Most of the other following books have the words Abbey School in them, but there are some books that have only a tangential relationship to the school. Almost all of the books stand alone reasonably well. There are a number of recurring characters. English folk dancing is a central theme of most of these books, and they're set from some time just before the First World War to perhaps just before the Second. I've read all of them about 2 or 3 times, mostly as e-books because they are hard to find, and if found, are fairly expensive.
April 21, 2024
Thouroughly enjoyed this...so long since I last read it...was like a new book.
It explains why The President is so well thought of in later books though she seems to play a smaller role than the Abbey books. Also explains how it all started.
It explains why The President is so well thought of in later books though she seems to play a smaller role than the Abbey books. Also explains how it all started.
June 9, 2022
A really charming novel about girls at a day school in the 1900s, with a realistic and spirited protagonist. I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of the woods and hamlets in the Chiltern hills where they live. I wish I had discovered this book when I was younger!
August 6, 2023
I'd wanted to read this book for a long time, as Elsie Oxenham's books are a useful source of knowledge about the early folk revival.
It's a very slow burner, but overall I enjoyed it. Oxenham's books have a moral element to them as well as the 'schoolgirl' story and the folk dance connections. I find this aspect of the stories tends to work for me. Difficult decisions are presented as being genuinely difficult - in this case Cecily has to choose between remaining with her friends at her current school, or moving to a totally new place in order to be close to aging grandparents who have never wanted to know her in the past.
The story is set in Wiltshire and much of the early story is spent introducing us to the Wiltshire countryside, the villages and hamlets, the woodlands and views. We also meet some of the characters who Cecily will get to know better later on.
The folk dance aspect comes into play once Cecily starts at her new school and finds it to be very much split into two social groups, the better off pupils, and the girls from the hamlets. There's some strong discrimination against the 'Hamlet' girls who are very much looked down on.
Although from the better off demographic, Cecily had already made friends with some of the hamlet girls before the term started, so she sets herself the task of doing something for them. Unable to join most of the school clubs because of the membership cost, they are soon drawn into the folk dance club that she founds for them.
The dance part of the novel is really interesting from a folk history angle. Here, back in 1914, when general belief is that there weren't any women dancing morris, we see that there definitely were. It's lovely to see familiar Cotswold morris dances in this context. There is also a may queen ceremony, which is probably based on the 'Whitelands' model. ('Whitelands' was a teacher training college, which still has an annual May Queen/King)
All in all, I enjoyed it, and not just for the folk dance. But don't expect any action for the first half of the novel, and remember that 'drive' does not necessarily mean in a car at this period in history!
This novel is out of copyright and can be downloaded for free from https://www.fadedpage.com/
It's a very slow burner, but overall I enjoyed it. Oxenham's books have a moral element to them as well as the 'schoolgirl' story and the folk dance connections. I find this aspect of the stories tends to work for me. Difficult decisions are presented as being genuinely difficult - in this case Cecily has to choose between remaining with her friends at her current school, or moving to a totally new place in order to be close to aging grandparents who have never wanted to know her in the past.
The story is set in Wiltshire and much of the early story is spent introducing us to the Wiltshire countryside, the villages and hamlets, the woodlands and views. We also meet some of the characters who Cecily will get to know better later on.
The folk dance aspect comes into play once Cecily starts at her new school and finds it to be very much split into two social groups, the better off pupils, and the girls from the hamlets. There's some strong discrimination against the 'Hamlet' girls who are very much looked down on.
Although from the better off demographic, Cecily had already made friends with some of the hamlet girls before the term started, so she sets herself the task of doing something for them. Unable to join most of the school clubs because of the membership cost, they are soon drawn into the folk dance club that she founds for them.
The dance part of the novel is really interesting from a folk history angle. Here, back in 1914, when general belief is that there weren't any women dancing morris, we see that there definitely were. It's lovely to see familiar Cotswold morris dances in this context. There is also a may queen ceremony, which is probably based on the 'Whitelands' model. ('Whitelands' was a teacher training college, which still has an annual May Queen/King)
All in all, I enjoyed it, and not just for the folk dance. But don't expect any action for the first half of the novel, and remember that 'drive' does not necessarily mean in a car at this period in history!
This novel is out of copyright and can be downloaded for free from https://www.fadedpage.com/
August 7, 2023
This was definitely a slowburn of a book--at times I felt I was reading almost exactly what I had just read, but that was the only real flaw. I did find the moralizing at the beginning annoying, but it faded into the background after a while.
3.5 stars
3.5 stars
September 12, 2023
I was a bit disappointed with this book but persevered because it’s the first in the Abbey Girls series. I hope the following books are a bit more exciting. The middle class assertiveness really started to grate in both the Hamlets and the Townies
February 23, 2024
I love the Abbey Girls books but the first one made a late entry to my shelf due to being hard to find.
This book sees Cicely meeting the school for the first time, explores the nature of the city folk versus country folk and the different classes and needs. This is the formation of the Hamlet club.
This book sees Cicely meeting the school for the first time, explores the nature of the city folk versus country folk and the different classes and needs. This is the formation of the Hamlet club.
December 7, 2020
Enjoyable girls' school story, involving the split between the Town girls and the Country (or Hamlet) girls, and how a new girl makes a difference.
January 25, 2022
I have been waiting to find this in ebook for a long time so I can finally read the whole story and I am so excited!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews