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The Manor House School
Angela Brazil (1868-1947) was one of the first British writers of the "modern" School Girls' Stories genre-written from the characters' point of view.
Along with her sister Amy, Angela studied at Heatherley School of Fine Art in London. She was quite late in taking up writing, developing a strong interest in Welsh mythology, and at first wrote a few magazine articles on mythology and nature. It was possibly thanks to her sister Amy that she finally began work on a novel at the age of 35.
Exceptionally with respect to many of her contemporaries writing in this vein, Brazil did not write any books in a series - each stood on its own with different characters every time. These were considered to deal accurately and sympathetically with the highs and lows in the lives of middle-class schoolgirls, including the tangle of emotional friendships.
Her works include: 'The New Girl at St. Chad's' (1911), 'For the Sake of the School' (1915), 'The Luckiest Girl in the School' (1916) and 'The Jolliest School of All' (1922).
Along with her sister Amy, Angela studied at Heatherley School of Fine Art in London. She was quite late in taking up writing, developing a strong interest in Welsh mythology, and at first wrote a few magazine articles on mythology and nature. It was possibly thanks to her sister Amy that she finally began work on a novel at the age of 35.
Exceptionally with respect to many of her contemporaries writing in this vein, Brazil did not write any books in a series - each stood on its own with different characters every time. These were considered to deal accurately and sympathetically with the highs and lows in the lives of middle-class schoolgirls, including the tangle of emotional friendships.
Her works include: 'The New Girl at St. Chad's' (1911), 'For the Sake of the School' (1915), 'The Luckiest Girl in the School' (1916) and 'The Jolliest School of All' (1922).
159 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1911
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About the author
Angela Brazil
236 books36 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Born in Preston, Lancashire in 1868, Angela Brazil (pronounced "brazzle") was the youngest child of cotton mill manager Clarence Brazil, and his wife, Angelica McKinnel. She was educated at the Turrets - a small private school in Wallasey - and then, when the Brazils were living in Manchester, at the preparatory department of the Manchester High School, and (as a boarder) at Ellerslie, an exclusive girls’ school near Victoria Park. She subsequently attended Heatherley's Art School, in London, with her sister Amy, and sketching remained a life-long interest.
With the death of Clarence Brazil in 1899, the family left the North-West of England for Llanbedr, Wales, where they took up residence in their former summer house. It is believed that, at some point during this period (1899-1911), Brazil worked as a governess, although she does not mention it in her autobiography, My Own Schooldays (1925). In 1911, she moved to Coventry, where she kept house for her doctor brother, living in that city until her death, in 1947.
Brazil's first children's novel, A Terrible Tomboy, was published in 1904, and is believed to have been autobiographical, featuring the adventures of a young Angela (Peggy), and her friend Leila Langdale (Lilian). It was only with the 1907 publication of her second novel, The Fortunes of Philippa, that she turned to the genre in which she would become so influential: the Girls' School Story.
Brazil is often described by readers as "the first author of modern girls' school stories," and her publisher Blackie once claimed, in a bit of promotional hyperbole, that she had originated the genre! While not actually true - the genre predates her by some time, and other authors of modern girls school stories, such as May Baldwin, were publishing before she was - Brazil was certainly immensely influential, in the genre's move away from a didactic, moralistic model, towards one aimed more at entertainment. Her books are told from the perspective of her girl characters themselves, and were immensely popular with young readers, both in her own lifetime, and afterward. All told, she published close to sixty children's novels, most of them girls' school stories.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Born in Preston, Lancashire in 1868, Angela Brazil (pronounced "brazzle") was the youngest child of cotton mill manager Clarence Brazil, and his wife, Angelica McKinnel. She was educated at the Turrets - a small private school in Wallasey - and then, when the Brazils were living in Manchester, at the preparatory department of the Manchester High School, and (as a boarder) at Ellerslie, an exclusive girls’ school near Victoria Park. She subsequently attended Heatherley's Art School, in London, with her sister Amy, and sketching remained a life-long interest.
With the death of Clarence Brazil in 1899, the family left the North-West of England for Llanbedr, Wales, where they took up residence in their former summer house. It is believed that, at some point during this period (1899-1911), Brazil worked as a governess, although she does not mention it in her autobiography, My Own Schooldays (1925). In 1911, she moved to Coventry, where she kept house for her doctor brother, living in that city until her death, in 1947.
Brazil's first children's novel, A Terrible Tomboy, was published in 1904, and is believed to have been autobiographical, featuring the adventures of a young Angela (Peggy), and her friend Leila Langdale (Lilian). It was only with the 1907 publication of her second novel, The Fortunes of Philippa, that she turned to the genre in which she would become so influential: the Girls' School Story.
Brazil is often described by readers as "the first author of modern girls' school stories," and her publisher Blackie once claimed, in a bit of promotional hyperbole, that she had originated the genre! While not actually true - the genre predates her by some time, and other authors of modern girls school stories, such as May Baldwin, were publishing before she was - Brazil was certainly immensely influential, in the genre's move away from a didactic, moralistic model, towards one aimed more at entertainment. Her books are told from the perspective of her girl characters themselves, and were immensely popular with young readers, both in her own lifetime, and afterward. All told, she published close to sixty children's novels, most of them girls' school stories.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
May 19, 2024
One of Angela Brazil's better school stories with some engaging characters. There is an old manor house with secret passages and lost treasure. A nice easy read available on Project Gutenberg.
June 24, 2024
I loved this one! The Manor House School is not just a school story, but had some historical narrative and a mystery. That's a lot rolled into a mere 160 pages, so it's a bit of a page turner as well.
When there is a leak in the pipes in the Winterburn Lodge, the school girls are relocated far into the countryside at The Manor House School for just one term, within a matter of days. Yes, let's just overlook that. Here, they find a delightful old manor house with beautiful gardens in the midst of an enthralling countryside. All the girls gush about how lovely the remote countryside looks, and I found myself gushing as well.
The story revolves around the Manor House, which belongs to Monica, another young girl who attends some classes at the school and has rented it out to the school for the summer. Despite inheriting the beautiful house, Monica and her sick mother are impoverished and could do with some hard cash as well. Cicely and Lindsay, the two main characters in the book, come across a puzzle while exploring the mansion and it leads to a treasure hunt. The two girls have plenty of adventures and finally end up helping out Monica.
There is plenty of the usual schoolgirl stuff packed in this as well, which was enjoyable. Brazil likes to infuse her heroines with saint-like behaviour but since Monica takes this character in this book, we are free to enjoy the exploits of the more normal girls, Cicely and Lindsay! Even Monica's saintliness is toned down in comparison to Brazil's other works.
When there is a leak in the pipes in the Winterburn Lodge, the school girls are relocated far into the countryside at The Manor House School for just one term, within a matter of days. Yes, let's just overlook that. Here, they find a delightful old manor house with beautiful gardens in the midst of an enthralling countryside. All the girls gush about how lovely the remote countryside looks, and I found myself gushing as well.
The story revolves around the Manor House, which belongs to Monica, another young girl who attends some classes at the school and has rented it out to the school for the summer. Despite inheriting the beautiful house, Monica and her sick mother are impoverished and could do with some hard cash as well. Cicely and Lindsay, the two main characters in the book, come across a puzzle while exploring the mansion and it leads to a treasure hunt. The two girls have plenty of adventures and finally end up helping out Monica.
There is plenty of the usual schoolgirl stuff packed in this as well, which was enjoyable. Brazil likes to infuse her heroines with saint-like behaviour but since Monica takes this character in this book, we are free to enjoy the exploits of the more normal girls, Cicely and Lindsay! Even Monica's saintliness is toned down in comparison to Brazil's other works.
January 4, 2013
Someone has already mentioned that this is an unchallenging read, and that is pefectly true. The writing is somewhat prissy, and the girls too good to be true, not good in the sense of not being naughty but good in the fundamental sense of free from malign or malicious intent of any kind-quite the contrary. Even allowing for the ideal world which the writer undoubtedly was seeking to create the world-wise comments and language which the heroines utter stretched my credulity. The plot is interrupted by excursions and diversions which do not do more than extend the length of the book. On the other hand, the portrait of English life for some in the England of the time is faithfully and I suspect accurately performed and the undertone of a emotion, the affection of the two heroines towards the elder girl they admire, is a delightful undertone and understatement. The delicacy shows up the wretched crudity and callousness of most writing of our age, but virtue is taken to an extreme when Monica, the idealised elder girl, states that she would willingly sacrifice her inheritance (which is potentially immense if a riddle can be solved) in order to restore her aging mother to health (for how many years?); it reminds me too much of a quantity of do-gooders and saints in my own family and raises my hackles. I personally do not like people who wear their saintliness on their sleaves with publically paraded marks of self-sacrifice and virtuousness. In fact, Monica is too good to be liked and too good to be true but I would not dream of mentioning that to young Cicely and Lindsay, who are all fun and games and quite delightful and whose endeavours on Monica's behalf are utterly good and admirable in a way I can admire because like true saints, they do not realise themselves that they are good to the bottom of their generous hearts.
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November 17, 2012i read a lot of school/pony/ballet books when i was small, but never, as far as i can remember, any by Brazil. presumably the library didn't have them, otherwise i would have hoovered them up along with everything else. i assume this one is representative of her output. i enjoyed it - it's a smooth, unchallenging read - but i was mostly struck by how it gives its 12 to 13-year-old heroines an identity as girls and schoolgirls. that sounds circular and obvious but it must have been quite revolutionary at the time. saintly Monica is so dull compared with the irrepressible Lindsay and Cicely - the moral imperative might be with the former but if i'd been reading it in 1910, i know i'd have identified with the latter.
December 30, 2012
Perhaps because this story centered on younger girls it felt more fresh and exciting than some of Brazil's other work. The two girls never thought twice about exploring something, and spent half the book in trouble for doing so. They ferreted out the mystery eventually though, and their idol Monica received a great gift in the form of the two girl's curiosity. I really enjoyed this one, and am giving a rare five stars to this author. While I enjoy her books, this one was a stand out for me for sure.
August 12, 2009
Lindsay and Cicely solve the mystery of groans in the attic. If you like your British school stories with just a hint of Nancy Drew, this might fill the bill. The school itself is the most interesting character.
March 15, 2013
My first girls own book of 2013. Must read more of them! Angela Brazil is someone I've not read much of and was writing earlier than the girls own authors I usually reads. That makes her books slightly different but not glaringly so. I liked it.
January 9, 2011
Possibly one of her best books. Cicely is a good character, and she does a lot of snooping around.
January 10, 2013
Good school story. Fuses a lot of the typical school story things with some Famous 5 style adventuring.
February 19, 2015
This book's aged surprisingly well, all things considered. Going to look for more of Brazil's novels.
August 17, 2017
A girls' boarding school is temporarily removed to a manor house in the English countryside in the early 20th Century. Many adventures are recounted, including a treasure hunt.
September 14, 2023
The girls of Winterburn Lodge, a boarding school for young ladies, are in for a treat. While the building that houses their school is being repaired, they will spend the summer term in the country, lodging in an enormous manor house.
I used to adore the school stories of Enid Blyton, but Angela Brazil has always been hit or miss for me. This was a hit. There were adventures, mysteries, puzzles, and grand friendships - all incorporated into a well-written school story. One slight downer - a racial slur was used to describe a type of music. Surprisingly, the rest (while definitely of its era) was free from prejudice.
I used to adore the school stories of Enid Blyton, but Angela Brazil has always been hit or miss for me. This was a hit. There were adventures, mysteries, puzzles, and grand friendships - all incorporated into a well-written school story. One slight downer - a racial slur was used to describe a type of music. Surprisingly, the rest (while definitely of its era) was free from prejudice.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews