The School at Thrush Green

Thrush Green #9

by Miss Read

Chronicles the paths of two schoolteachers, Dorothy Watson and Agnes Fogerty, on the brink of retirement, as they adjust to a new home, face new challenges, and carry on with village life

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, British Literature, Audiobook, Cozy, Novels, Humor

244 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

Dora Jessie Saint MBE née Shafe (born 17 April 1913), best known by the pen name Miss Read, was an English novelist, by profession a schoolmistress. Her pseudonym was derived from her mother's maiden name. In 1940 she married her husband, Douglas, a former headmaster. The couple had a daughter, Jill. She began writing for several journals after World War II and worked as a scriptwriter for the BBC.

She wrote a series of novels from 1955 to 1996. Her work centred on two fictional English villages, Fairacre and Thrush Green. The principal character in the Fairacre books, "Miss Read", is an unmarried schoolteacher in a small village school, an acerbic and yet compassionate observer of village life. Miss Read's novels are wry regional social comedies, laced with gentle humour and subtle social commentary. Miss Read is also a keen observer of nature and the changing seasons.

Her most direct influence is from Jane Austen, although her work also bears similarities to the social comedies of manners written in the 1920s and 1930s, and in particular the work of Barbara Pym. Miss Read's work has influenced a number of writers in her own turn, including the American writer Jan Karon. The musician Enya has a track on her Watermark album named after the book Miss Clare Remembers, and one on her Shepherd Moons album named after No Holly for Miss Quinn.

In 1996 she retired. In 1998 she was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for her services to literature. She died 7 April, 2012 in Shefford Woodlands.

Reviews

[Julie Durnell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always a pleasurable time catching up with the residents of Thrush Green!

[Melody Schwarting · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another delightful visit to Thrush Green. Peaceful mundanity to keep me sane in these extraordinary days. I adore how Miss Read can make me care about a corner of newspaper dragging through marmalade, and have Feelings about a near-retiree keeping a cat. In Surprised by Joy, C. S. Lewis refers to a conversation with a friend (Arthur, I think?) who had no end of ecstasy in the first line of Jane Eyre: "There was no possibility of taking a walk that day." The homeyness and domesticity evoked by that line are rampant in Miss Read's work, and they send me into no end of ecstasy, particularly when I am fighting the urge to become a hermit.

I'm very glad the Kindle editions preserve the illustrations. Most of the books in Miss Read's corpus go on regular sales and are easy to acquire--they can be hard to find used or at libraries, which is how I source most of my books. Since the illustrations are pen and ink, thus black and white, the quality is not lost on an e-reader.

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm going to do a combined review for all the remaining Thrush Green books (with the exception of Christmas) because although they are all excellent, they are also all basically the same, in the way that episodes of The Archers are all the same. So, still worth reading; but hard to differentiate one book from another.

The attraction comes from seeing the seasons ebb and flow, and picking up the stories of the characters. There are changes - characters die, babies are born, houses are built, newcomers arrive, people retire, fall ill and/or become increasingly eccentric. There is no reference to events in the outside world - the importance is attached to events in the local community. And those events are rarely dramatic (this isn't Midsomer). They are real.

Anybody who is considering relocating to a village should read these books to get an idea of what they would be moving to. And anybody who thinks these books are unrealistic, or sentimental, has either never lived in a village, or didn't join in properly when they did!

[Tania · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best kind of comfort read.

[Hope · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another pleasant visit with the folks at Thrush Green. Not a lot happens, but it was nice to see the two faithful teachers find their happy ending.

[Laurel Hicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m always ready to spend some time at Thrush Green.

[Rebekah Giese Witherspoon · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘He left her with that baby, you know,’ continued Nelly. ‘Treated her awful, but it never made no difference to Her Love. When he called her back, she just come. There’s nothing so wonderful as Love, is there, Miss Fogerty?’ Agnes tried to recall who it was who had said that she felt that a sound bank balance and good teeth were really more important, but refrained from uttering these sensible sentiments, in the face of Nelly’s maudlin expression.

It's so lovely and comforting to return to Thrush Green, that beautiful village in the Cotswolds with rambling roses and honey-colored stone cottages. My favorite part of this 9th novel of the series is a new character: the stray cat who adopts Agnes Fogerty. The friendship and mutual nurturing of these two is absolutely precious and made me misty-eyed with happy tears. I also love that even crusty, grumpy Albert Piggott can be kind and thoughtful when hanging out with his old school chum Dotty (and I've really been missing quirky, funny Dotty for the past couple of books...so glad she's back).

Where I found it: library ebook.

Recommended for: fans of comforting, villagey reads. The novels in this series can be read in any order, but I think it's more enjoyable to start with book 1.

[ValeReads Kyriosity · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't like reading serieses out of order, but for some reason, only two of the Miss Read books are available in audio, and since Audible had them for supercheap on sale, and I've been wanting to read them for ages, I caved. This was a nice addition to the sadly underpopulated pleasant domestic fiction genre. The most stressful drama in the book was over the fate of a stray cat, and I'm am perfectly content with that level of ease. When I win the lottery (which I never play...there's the rub), I shall hire some English lady with a pleasant voice to narrate all the Miss Read books for me. (And O. Douglas and Elizabeth Goudge, too.) Gwen Watford did a find job with this one.

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

[Linore · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gentle and leisurely addition even for an unashamedly leisurely series, #9 is no less a delight for its slower pace. Each book tends to highlight certain characters of Thrush Green, reinforcing and deepening our understanding of them, and in this case it is our dear schoolteachers Dorothy Watson and Agnes Fogerty under the spotlight. But we get to visit all our old friends in the town and witness their little conflicts, most of which seem touchingly familiar because Read's handling of human nature is superb. (If you don't recognize yourself in at least a few of the characters, well, perhaps you're not breathing.) Her acute appreciation for fauna and flora is as sharp as ever, and we live through the changing seasons of the year with the residents, sympathizing with their challenges and appreciating their delights. All this, as always, within the lovely confines of a beautiful Cotswold village where readers really do get to 'stop and smell the roses' and leave our hectic lives behind. 4.5 stars

[Carol Bakker · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've listened to this book five years ago, but am now reading through Miss Read's Thrush Green series in print and in order. I downgraded my rating from 4 to 3 stars. While I thoroughly enjoyed the allusions to other books and the Bible, the Brit vocabulary, and the gentle village life that somehow manages not to be too smarmy, I don't intend to read this series again.

I love a book that reminds me What a warming thing friendship was, thought Agnes...

And this soliloquy was another treasure.

In this brief pause between activities, she suddenly became conscious of living completely in the present. It came but rarely. One was either looking back anxiously wondering which duties had been left undone, or forward to those duties which lay before one.

Now, in temporary limbo, she felt the sun on her arms, heard a frenzied bee tapping on the window for escape, smelt the dark red roses which stood on the desk, and saw, with unusual clarity, the iridescent feathers of the wood pigeon pecking in the playground. All her senses seemed sharpened.

***** ***** ***** ***** *****
I knew I was in for a treat when I heard the first sentence: "January," said Miss Watson, "gives me the jim-jams!" Miss Read is straight-up comfort reading.

The story deals with two teachers—-Dorothy Watson and Agnes Fogerty--approaching retirement who keep house together in a non-sexual domestic partnership. I read somewhere that 25% of the English male population were killed in WWI, making this kind of living arrangement not uncommon. Miss Read weaves a story from the tensions the two experience when Dorothy wants to buy a new car (Agnes doesn't) and Agnes wants a cat (but Dorothy decidedly doesn't).

Put that way, it sounds like a dreadfully boring book. But I love the world of sextons, cardigans and tea in the Cotswolds.

[Michelle Hartman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one was a bit sad as the beloved school teachers, both retire and move away from Thrush Green. Still better than to have died in a spectacular British Murder mystery. Very soothing and gentle reads these are prefect books for these Covid times. Or any stressful time. You will get very hungry because there is a lot of talk about food.

[Alisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harold's eyes sparkled at the prospect. 'What was the car you drove earlier?' he enquired.
Dorothy frowned with concentration. 'Now, what was it? I know it was a red one, with rather pretty upholstery, but I can't think what make it was.'
Harold looked flabbergasted.
'I'm sure the name will come back to you when you are not thinking about it,' said Isobel soothingly. 'Like throwing out the newspaper and knowing immediately what ten down was in the crossword. Harold, Agnes's glass is empty.'
Recalled to his duties as host, Harold crossed to the side-table, but he still appeared numb with shock at the abysmal ignorance of the female mind.

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good and sweet, in the end. A lot of it involves gossip, and at one point I wondered where on earth it was going, but perhaps if I had read the earlier books and known the characters better I would’ve had more context to enjoy it more. I did enjoy it, though.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reread for the umpteenth time, this time as an audio book. Still delightful.

[Lisa Brantly · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 always nice to be back in thrush green. Enjoy watching all the problems get worked out.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I'm getting a little sad I'm getting to end of this series!

[Mimi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found that I wasn't absorbed always and it was a bit to get back into the story, but it is always lovely to spend time in Thrush Green.

[Marti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thrush Green's two teachers plan to retire, and they'll move away to buy a cottage. Plus, Dorothy decides to re-learn to drive. The Lovelace sisters start spending money to lunch at the Fuchsia Bush and to hire household help.

[Isabella Leake · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel lukewarm about this book. Maybe I haven't read enough Thrush Green to appreciate the coziness and charm of returning to a familiar place, because I think that is about all you could say for this installment. There was much less to appreciate (or at least much less for me to appreciate) in this book than in Winter in Thrush Green. Not a failure of a book, but not a success either: hence the lukewarm feelings. It almost felt like the author had lost her touch—whether temporarily or, by 1987, permanently, I don't know.

I can't see ever rereading this book, and I'm considering getting rid of my copy (that I fortunately acquired for free). And I may give up on Thrush Green altogether...though I do own three other installments that were all written prior to this one. I should at least try them out eventually.

In the meantime, I am returning to Fairacre, earlier works of the author, and the character Miss Read, all of which I like much better than late-career Thrush Green and its less-than-enchanting cast of characters.

[Pamela Shropshire · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the title implies, this visit to Thrush Green is focused on the impending retirement of the two schoolteachers, Headmistress Miss Dorothy Watson and her assistant and infants’ teacher, Miss Agnes Fogerty. They both deal with concerns and conflicts, some separately and some which intersect.

Dorothy decides she wants to take up driving once again and buy a car. She hasn’t driven since she was a young woman and Agnes has serious doubts about this endeavour. Harold Shoosmith acts as a sort of surrogate husband for the various single women of the village. He suggests taking a few driving lessons from Ben Curdle, who, like his late grandmother, holds the collective esteem of the villagers for being sensible and wise in practical matters.

She takes his advice and except for a single unfortunate occurrence when one of Percy Hodge’s dogs runs in front of her (fear not, animal lovers! The dog sustained only a mild concussion and and few abrasions), all goes swimmingly. Encouraged by her success, she orders a white Metro (aka Austin Metro and Rover Metro).

Agnes is more nervous about retirement. She worries about missing her youngsters. But even more vexatious is The Cat. She has secretly been feeding a bedraggled tabby. She learns from her students that it was abandoned by its family who left suddenly because of unpaid debts (people who abandon pets should never again be allowed to own any! 😡). When Dorothy finds out, she is quite scathing; Agnes’s heart is broken. Isabel finds her at the bottom of the garden, sobbing. Isabel tactfully tells Dorothy how much the cat means to Agnes, who feels deeply sorry and ashamed. To make amends, she buys a wicker cat basket and insists on installing a cat door and that Agnes train the cat, now christened Tim, to sleep inside.

It only remains for the ladies to finish out the school term and attend the going away parties from their Thrush Green friends. The PTA presents them with a cut glass fruit bowl and the school governors gifts them a brass carriage clock. On the final day of term, the school children offer a more modest but equally heartfelt bouquet and box of candy to each. And when moving day arrives, after the new term has begun, Dorothy and Agnes and Tim drive out of the village with all the children lining the school yard and waving them off.

Of course, there are the usual dramas and comedies of village life. The Lovelock sisters are burgled again and it seems the culprit it the boyfriend of their cleaner, who disappears on the same day as their silver.

Thrush Green enjoys a nicely hot beginning of July; however, the hot weather outstays its welcome and no rain falls for weeks. Lawns and gardens turn brown and watering is forbidden, causing the more belligerent to complain. After all, they grumble, England usually gets more rain that it knows what to do with; why can’t the excess be stored up for times of drought? (Good question, actually.)

Winnie Bailey’s nephew, Richard, has reconciled with his wife, gallery-owner Fenella, and at the end of the book, is pregnant with their third child.

Dotty has got Kit to dig a small pond for her ducks and she then consults Albert about what kind of plants would be best. He suggests a stone coping and some flowers in tubs, that can be changed and moved as needed. These two eccentric characters have formed an oddly adorable friendship based on the mutual love of nature and animals.

Everyone agrees that Thrush Green will be different with Dorothy and Agnes gone, but they reassure each other with the fact that Barton is close enough for frequent visits.

Lovely as always!

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this to be a lovely calm book. It centers around Dorothy and Agnus 2 teachers who have taught many years at Thrush Green.
They together decided it was time to retire. They must seek out new property to live, learn to drive, and accept the thanks of the Thrush Green population. A small black cat comes into the picture. Some side stories about the Lovelock sisters and Dorian, a single mom, who works for them.

We meet Ginny Bailey and her nephew Richard. I listened to this and found the reader quite good.
If you are looking for a pleasant book describing country life this is a good one. Miss Read the author has a fine series of books surrounding English country living around middle of the Twentieth Century.

[Toby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Miss Read’s books! They’re cozy, quiet, and relaxing stories of village life. These are NOT plot-driven novels, so be aware of that when you read them, because nothing much happens in terms of action... but you experience daily village life in all of its nuances and relational contexts.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

My second foray into the cozy Thrush Green series by Miss Read. The characters are mostly the same as in the last book I read (Affairs at Thrush Green), but the main narrative thread in this book goes to the two older ladies, Dorothy Watson and Agnes Fogerty. The women are ready to retire from their jobs as teachers at the village school and they plan to move to Barton-on-Sea where the weather is better and the living is easier. Between their difficulties finding the right place, Dorothy deciding to buy a car and learn how to drive it, and the distraction of Agnes secretly adopting a stray cat which threatens the friendship between D and A, there’s plenty of roadblocks to navigate through. I love how the tension with the cat was resolved and the loving friendship between these two single women.

Other stories:
The Lovelock spinsters try to find some good help around the house. The rector Charles Henstock finds just the right candidate, a young single mother named Doreen who has come back to the village where her mother, Gladys Lilly lives. She decides to take the part-time job, but the spinsters have completely unrealistic expectations about how much work she can do. When they are robbed and Doreen disappears, everyone fears the worst.

Nelly Piggott has formed a friendship with Gladys Lilly and tries to encourage her in her anxieties about Doreen. Gladys fears that Doreen may be vulnerable to reuniting with the father of her child, a ne’er-do-well who has done prison time.

Albert Piggott (Nelly’s husband), recovering from a long illness, undertakes to help elderly Dotty Harmer with the duck pond that she’s establishing on her property.

Winnie Bailey’s nephew, Richard, has announced that he might like to move back to Thrush Green with his wife. This is not entirely good news, as Richard tends to be selfish and inconsiderate; Winnie’s friends are concerned that he will just take advantage of her kindness and generosity. When Richard visits, Winnie finds out that Richard wants to get Fenella (his wife) away from a fellow named Roger, with whom she has had an affair. He brings Fenella and their two children (one of whom is his stepson, Fenella’s son) to visit and the atmosphere between the married couple doesn’t look promising. Richard’s story arc was actually a good one, as things happen to bring he and his wife back together in harmony.

These are enjoyable books, cozy reads, indeed!

[Peter Burns · Rating 5 out of 5]

The headmistress of the school and her assistant have finally decided to retire after many years of teaching. They live together in the house attached to the school and they decide they will move together to a seaside town. The book goes from January to September of the same year. The assistant befriends a stray cat who she eventually names Tim. At first the headmistress is against feeding the cat, but eventually they adopt Tim and bring him to the seaside town. The headmistress also learns to drive and gets a new car. The assistant wants a white one so they have to wait for a while because no white one is available at the local dealer. While learning to drive the headmistress hits a dog but the dog is not badly injured. At the same time as all this is happening three spinster ladies, who are known for their parsimony, hire a maid. Eventually the maid, who is a single mother, lets her boyfriend into the house so he can steal much of the spinster’s silver . The man who takes care of the church recovers from an illness. His first trip out of his house is to a pub. Later he helps a woman improve her duck pond. Another man punches his wife’s boyfriend in the nose. Eventually he reconciles with his wife. The village gives the departing teachers gifts including a crystal decanter, a clock, flowers and chocolate.

I find these stories amazingly comforting. Miss Read is the writing name for Dora Saint, who was herself a school headmistress. She wrote two long series of books: The Thrush Green books and the Fairacre books. Many years ago I read all of them. Every once in a while I like to go back and read one again. They are still very good!

[Susan in NC · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars for this lovely visit to Thrush Green. This time, the two school teachers are finally retiring, but the difficulties of finding a suitable home in the seaside town they want to retire to is a thorn in their sides for much of the story.

There are also bumps along the way as the headmistress deals with learning to drive, buying her first car. The headstrong Dorothy (the headmistress), always used to taking charge, almost overwhelms her meeker fellow teacher and housemate, Agnes; I wasn’t sure they’d be able to work out their differences in time to retire and relocate as planned. Much more realistic book, I felt, with two such disparate personalities falling out at such a stressful time.

We also see the rather dreadful, miserly Lovelock sisters still seeking household help, very unrealistic in their demands and expectations. An interesting and again, more realistic, outcome towards the end of the story. I wonder if the author will follow up in future books?

I will definitely read on to find out.

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars.
This is one of my least favorite in the series. I thought the beginning was slow but it did pick up about half way through.

Dorothy Watson and Agnes Fogerty, are retiring after teaching for many years at the Thrush Green school. The story centers around their hunt for a house in Barton-by-the-Sea, Miss Watson learning to drive a car, and a new furry friend for Miss Fogerty.

Once again, the charming people of Thrush Green pitch in to help one another. I love how this little Cotswold community embraces their inhabitants- forgiving idiosyncrecies and praising what is good and generous in each other.

It is always a pleasure to visit.

[Mia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book that describes life in the Cotswold area of England from an affectionate point of view. The world according to Miss Read contains many characters. Everyone knows the business of everyone else, gossip seems to be a strong connecting force between the members of the community. This is an imaginary world, in an imaginary village, charming and one reads it through the lens of a different type of glasses: rose-colored. We know we are reading fiction, but that doesn’t make it enjoyable, rather like drinking warm cup of cocoa in front of a fire, with your cat on your lap.

[James Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Thrush Green series begins winding down. The two older teachers at the school are finally able to retire and they make plans on where to go and what house to buy. The people who run the school and others make their plans for going-away gifts. Tom worries about what will happen to his dog after it dies.

Miss Watson takes driving lessons but not everything goes perfectly. There's a drought. Richard's marriage has problems as do the three Lovelock sisters.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stress works in interesting ways. Dorothy has been the head teacher for so long that she just wants to micromanage her and Agnes's retirement. It almost sinks the ship, but friends come to the rescue. However, we are helping offspring; we are slowing down as we age, and we have another burglary.
Tim, Dorothy, and Agnes finally head off to Barton and their new home. Our next installment should be interesting.