This book appeared in our family when my sister and I were 8 and 10 respectively. Neither one of us remembers where we got it from or if it was a present. My mother cannot remember either. It has been one of my most loved children's books - ever. It is the story of a boy, Patch, evacuated from Hackney to the country in the Second World War. Despite living in poverty with an abusive father in London, he hates it and wants to go back home. The he meets up with Ben Lovell, a pedlar, who takes Patch under his wing and takes him with him on his rounds in the countryside. Patch gradually matures and blossoms in his new life and, at the end of the book, is adopted by Ben and remains in the countryside.
This book was published by Harrap & Co in 1949. This was pre-IBSN numbers so nothing can be traced that way. Inside we are told that 'This book is produced in conformity with the authorised economy standards' and there is very little information of any other kind. The origin of this book is in the stories that the author used to tell during the war years to the children she had to live with her, with ages ranging from five to seventeen. There is a fairly strong religious element to this book and I have to say it is not the most well written book I have ever come across, but it has a delightful charm about it that captured me from first reading and has stayed with me ever since. It is illustrated by an artist called Bay Robinson and I have searched on the web and sites trying to find out information on both the author and the illustrator, but to no avail.
My original copy was getting more and more battered and I had given up hope of ever tracking down another when, to my utter astonishment and delight, a copy turned up on Alibris in Dayton, Ohio of all places. I immediately bought it and was even more delighted to see it had its original dust jacket, mine had long since perished.
I wonder if anybody out there has heard of this book and can unravel the mystery of the author. As far as I know, she never wrote another book. She gives her name as B M H Goddard.
This book is simply delightful and old fashioned. Can you imagine a young boy being allowed to roam the countryside with a single, older man nowadays? The social services would soon put a stop to that.......
