Figure 1.--This 1925 cover of a "Herbert's Strang's Annual" shows the ever-popular school games (sports) theme. The accompaning story in the book of course deals with rugby football at an exclusive public (meaning private) school. These stories usually dealt with rugby or cricket and much less commonly football (soccer) which many headmasters considered suitable only for working-class boys. |
We note Herbert Stang's Annual for boys which was first published in 1912. There was also a Mrs Strang's Annual for Girls which was published from 1919-26. Evntually the Oxford University Press replaced Froude/Hodder & Stoughton in 1927 and renamed the publication the Oxford Annuals for Boys and Girls. These were not as popular as some of the other annuals. We have few details about the contents of these annuals. We believe they were primarily story annuals. As is the case of these annuals, the illustrators are usually not identified. They were primarily story annuals and had some interesting stories by excellent writers. We also note The Big Book of School Stories for Girls, ed. Mrs Herbert Strang. London: OUP, 1934. We note a variety of editions of children's books under the Herbert Strang name.
We note Herbert Stang's Annual for boys which was first published in 1912. There was also a Mrs Strang's Annual for Girls which was published from 1919-26. Evntually the Oxford University Press replaced Froude/Hodder & Stoughton in 1927 and renamed the publication the Oxford Annuals for Boys and Girls.
These were not as popular as some of the other annuals.
We have few details about the contents of these annuals. We believe they were primarily story annuals. They were primarily story annuals and had some interesting stories by excellent writers.
As is the case of these annuals, the illustrators are usually not identified.
We also note The Big Book of School Stories for Girls, ed. Mrs Herbert Strang. London: OUP, 1934. We note a variety of editions of children's books under the Herbert Strang name.
The 1925 cover of a "Herbert's Strang's Annual" shows the ever-popular school games (sports) theme. The accompaning story in the book of course deals with rugby football at an exclusive public (meaning private) school. These stories usually dealt with rugby or cricket and much less commonly football (soccer) which was considered suitable only for working-class boys at many of these private schools. Quite often boys at these schools into the 1950s could be punished for playing football (footer or soccer) in their free time, or even kicking a ball. A HBC reader at Norfolk Cathedral School reports that this was a school rule. Many other schools had similar rules or at least did not have footer as a school sport. This was not an absolute rule, however, and footer was played at some schools. There were also some footer stories in these boy' publications. In fact football ('footer') features quite a lot in Frank Richards' 'Magnet' stories about Greyfriars.
Anonymous 1. Children's Annuals.
Navigate the HBC literary pages' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Return to the main Main English children's annuals page]
[Return to the main Main children's literary page]
[Return to the main Main literary page]
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Introduction]
[Activities]
[Biographies]
[Chronology]
[Clothing styles]
[Countries]
[Bibliographies]
[Contributions]
[FAQs]
[Glossaries]
[Satellite sites]
[Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]