The Four Marys

  • The Four Marys – Bunty: #01 (18 January 1958) –  #2249 (17 February 2001)
  • Writers: Maureen Hartley (2 Stories: “Creefy’s Rival” and “The Mystery Virus”), Rhoda Miller, Judy Maslin [and other unknowns]
  • Artists:
    • Bill Holroyd (#01-#15),
    • Either James ‘Peem’ Walker or Jim Lorimer worked on the story after Holroyd. (1958-1981)
    • Manuel Cuyàs (#434 – #436)
    • Selby Donnison (1980s)
    • Jim Eldridge (Late 1980s – 2000s)

Plot

Four girls all named Mary attend a reputable boarding school, St. Elmos. They become firm friends and usually go by their nicknames Raddy, Simpy, Fieldy and Cotty. Throughout their time they have many adventures and solve some mysteries.

Thoughts

This is one of the most well remembered stories, and that has to be partially due to its longevity. A 40 year run is quite impressive. The strip appeared in the majority of the issues but wasn’t a continuous run from first to last issue. There was a couple of breaks particularly in the 80s, though they never went away for too long. There were some reprints over the years particularly towards the end of Bunty.

1950s/1960s

The first 15  issues were drawn by Bill Holroyd, and each girl had their own distinctive look.  The early years had an Enid Blyton tone to the stories, they had the usual boarding school routines,  as well as chase up some mysterious going-ons.

fourmarys_02

While all the girls had their own personality and talents, Mary Simpson was probably one of the most inspirational to young girls. A smart working class girl, that had earned her place in a good school, yet had to contend with being looked down on by some snobs. Bunty in the late 50s was aimed at a more working class background and at the time it was quite a novelty to put a scholarship girl as a main character.  Overall it seems the big appeal of the story was the relationships and friendship of the girls. (Mel Gibson discusses such things in her essay: What Bunty did next….)

While it’s true that the friendships were very important, probably most people had their favourite Mary. Personally I always had a soft spot for Mary Cotter, the talented but often shy and clumsy Mary. Mary Radleigh was the daughter of an Earl but also hated anyone putting on airs and graces, she was loyal and down to earth. Mary Field was the active sports mad girl, that could be a little too pushy at times. Of course 2 other regular characters were the snobs; Mabel and Veronica, who disliked Simpy for her lower class upbringing and the Marys in general for being popular and goody two shoes!

The boarding school itself was full of traditions. Dr. Gull was the head mistress, sometimes known as the Squawker (and the first years were called the Newts). While the girls were allowed to go to the local town, Elmbury, they were expected to behave appropriately, wear their full uniform and there were certain shops they weren’t allowed visit. Miss Creef was the third form mistress, who held up the various traditions but was also described as firm but fair.

Story arcs from this decade included; a mystery surrounding  a hermit teacher Miss Johnson who turns out to be a former student; Lady Josephine Bramily. She has amnesia after a boating accident. Luckily, Mary Simpson and head girl, Ann Fairlie, help her  recover her memories so she can go reclaim her inheritance. Another mysterious teacher Miss Mandy seems to have hidden past with a young cockney that involves thieving. The girls help a young girl Hilda secure a job as maid in the school, only to discover someone’s out to get her fired.  Mary Cotter damages her eye in a lab accident and  nearly does worse damage when she mixes up eye ointment with a bottle of bleach, luckily Simpy catches her in time, and eventually Cotty’s eyes recover (although by the end of the series, her eyesight declines and she ends up having to get glasses!).  A group of girls dub themselves ‘the avengers’ and punish any girl that has done any wrong doing. Simpy discover that it is Raddy and Fieldy doing such things after they let her join them in dunking a cheating prefect Avril in a bath.

fourmarys_01

Early on the stories usually consisted of 2 pages, though later this got expanded to 3 pages. The girls interestingly didn’t refer to each other by nicknames, for the first few years they continued to just call each other Mary. I’m not sure when exactly the change happened but it made sense to start giving them each a distinctive name to be referred as.

1970s

There was a lot of reprinted stories in the 70s.  It was quite common to reprint shorter serials in these comics and with a long running strip like the Four Marys it may have been hard to keep the weekly turnover of new stories. Presumably it was also thought that readers of the first printing would have outgrown the comic by then.

Some of the new stories included; the school being threatened by a flood. A cycle trip with the cycle club led by Miss Creef, Mabel and Veronica mess with Simpy’s old bike in the hopes of getting back to the school earlier. Simpy manages to borrow an old 3 wheeler bike and enter in a race. She doesn’t win but the winner gives her the prize of a new bike for being so entertaining. Cotty believes she is under a gypsy curse and those close to her are getting harmed, it turns out to be a combination of  Mabel and Veronica playing some tricks and a scheme to take over the school. Raddy has trouble looking out for her cousin Sonia.  A feud between Mr Crowe, a local farmer, and the school starts over the school using the right of way to walk through his land.

4marys_04

1980s

Like I mentioned before the 80s saw the Four Marys on some breaks. On one of these breaks the regular ongoing story had some similar themes, involved 3 friends in a ballet boarding school called The Three Imps. Perhaps they were testing out permanent replacements or maybe they just needed a break, but the Marys did return again and with a new artist. At the end of the 80s a new format seemed to settle with the Marys. With them being the first story in the issue, and the more modern School’s Out (which was replaced with The Comp by 1989) as the last story of the issue. Dr Gull had been replaced by the more forward thinking Miss Mitchell, and the girls even got to interact with boys from St. Bartophs boarding school.  The end of 1989 was also when Bunty got a new colour update. While some stories were still in black and white, The Four Marys were now fully coloured.

4marys_05

Some stories in the 1980s include the girls rallying a strike to stop Miss Creef being dismissed after a fall out with Dr Gull. A group of unruly circus girls joining the school temporarily. A new American pupil Lana  gets elected captain of the Bee’s House and wants to hold up all St. Elmos traditions including challenging the village boys to a football match, running barefoot down to the town and raising the house flag on the clock tower. A mystery involving the school’s founder Margaret Carews actual death. A temporary Home Economics teacher who has been secretly keeping her toddler daughter at the school. A competition sees the Marys all split up into different teams, this causes problems but in the end they all come together. St Elmo’s comes under threat of closure when they start to lose students, of course the school is saved with the help of the Marys.

1990s/ 2000s

So the 90s started with the Four Marys in colour and now expanded to 4 pages. The Four Marys was trying to change with the times, with the more up to date Miss Mitchell, continuing to modernise the school, and even Cotty stopped wearing her hair in 2 plaits. The girls were now frequently seen out of uniform as they were able to wear their regular clothes down town and like I mentioned before they were even mixing with boys. Still even with this more modern tone, the girls still has familiar adventures; dealing with new teachers with hidden agendas, threats to the school and tests of their friendships. By the end of the 90s earlier stories were reprinted a lot.

4marys_06

Stories in the 90s included; Mary Field having trouble when her cousin becomes her teacher, causing the other girls to think she’s a teacher’s pet. The girls go on a trip to America with Miss Creef and help foil a jewel thief. The girls try to help a girl they believe is being held captive. It turns out the wheelchair bound, Ailsa, who just has an overprotective aunt, but agrees to let her join St. Elmos. When a famous fashion designer comes to St. Elmos to unveil her new collection, it seems someone is out to sabotage her.  A story set in the past shows the Marys first term in St. Elmos. Raddy gets held captive by robbers who coerce Miss Mitchell into letting them hide out the school. The other Marys soon get suspicious of the new “gardener” and Miss Mitchell’s story that Raddy was sent home sick.

4marys_10

In the final story for The Four Marys, it looks like they will be split up when Cotty fails her exams and will have to leave St. Elmos. Luckily she passes her resit test, Raddy gets elected as form captain and Simpy ends the strip on line “The Four Marys forever”

bunty_2249_4maryslastissue

Final Thoughts

The Four Marys certainly had lasting power, although by the 80s/90s I think they were considered somewhat old fashioned, and so there was changes made to modernise them. At the same time the Marys were permanently stuck in the 3rd form, similar story-lines were repeated and in some ways they felt quite worn out. Still they appealed to a lot of readers. Personally growing up I did enjoy the Four Marys but I  was definitely more interested with The Comp. Funnily reading back the older issues even though it was before my time I actually find the 60s stuff appealing to me more, the art was more simplistic and it had a nice charm with the setting and stories. I think sometimes the Marys could come off a little too good and helpful at times, but still they weren’t without their flaws and their solid friendship it seems is one of the things that interested people.

The art changed a lot over the years and while the artists all did well, my personal favourites are  James Walker (60s) and Selby Donnison (80s).  There was a lot of adventure, mystery, fun and characters that you could get invested in.

Quick Links:

The Four Marys – Characters                                List of Appearances 

42 thoughts on “The Four Marys

  1. Towards the 2000s we started getting a lot of Marys reprints from the 1990s. One was where the first years had resurrected an old secret society that specialised in pranks, especially for revenge on unpopular girls. But it all backfires when a prank puts Veronica in danger on a remote island (the Marys rescue her, of course). Miss Creef bans their society.

    The 2000s was a time for a lot of reprints in Bunty in general, some under revised titles. But for me, these reprints were a bad sign, as they were a strong indication that Bunty was declining. And when they finished “The Comp”, it was the ultimate sign that the end of Bunty wasn’t far off.

  2. i loved reading Bunty as a child in the 80s. i’d love to have some of the stories from it in a hard back book.

  3. No mysteries … But lots of strange weirdness … Like lessons in how to drink champagne without burping and how to get out of a sports car without showing your knickers! Seriously, and the usual weekly rankings on Sunday evenings in ‘drawing room’ for deportment, manners and conversation. Bizarre 🙂

  4. My sister and I used to have comics bought for us as kids, I had Beano & Dandy and my sister got the Bunty…..I preferred reading the Bunty. I loved the four Marys.

  5. A little poem I wrote based on my memories of Christmas in the 1950’s/60’s.

    CHRISTMAS MORN
    Christmas morn, up at Dawn
    All is sparkly and shiny and red,
    Stocking at end of the bed,
    A tangerine and a thru penny bit
    ‘Beano’ and ‘Dandy’s’ comic wit –
    ‘The Four Marys’ always a hit.
    Down the stairs it’s all rush and bustle
    Mother’s chivvying, adults hustle
    Loops of green and gold and red
    Paper bells and stars on thread
    Tables laid and toasts are said
    Merry Christmas!
    Carole Trenaman

  6. Like another bloke on here – My sister used to get Bunty, Judy etc – whilst I had Beano and Dandy. Much preferred my sisters magazines. The four Marys in the Bunty being the coolest one of the lot!
    Ahh Happy days!!!

  7. Was Bunty , the first comic for girls , first one I remember
    was School Friend ! And the Silent 3 ..

    1. Bunty was not the first comic for girls but it was the last one running from 1958 until 2001. The “School Friend” name appeared first as a more text based magazine in 1919. The more familiar picture story comic School Friend first issue is dated 20 May 1950 and contained the first appearance of The Silent Three – Betty, Peggy & Joan and their adventures at St. Kitts’ boarding school.

      1. You are obviously perfectly correct, lorrsadmin, when stating that Bunty was not the first comic/story paper for girls, but I think it’s worth pointing out that it was the first one to be produced by D C Thomsons, as well as being the last one.

  8. Andy Tew drew a Four Marys story, about the 1740-1750 mark or thereabouts. And the Aunty Hard Heart artist filled in at one point, about the time he or she was drawing “Move Over, Maria”.

  9. My goodness me! The Four Mary’s were the best, especially the 50’s/60’s ones: Dr Gull & Miss Creef sure hand a handful sometimes-couldn’t wait to get my older Sis to finish the comic!

  10. I liked reading comics in the late 50s, early 60s. My favourite characters were Red Rory, Olac the Gladiator and the Four Marys. More subtlety in them than the cheap bang-bang Westerns with the good cowboys and bad injuns(Glad my instincts were right). Don’t know the comic but I liked Katy Somers and her friends Mary and Jennifer (only a shadow of the Marys though). Might I add that DC Thompson bound up the entire Red Rory, the Summer Specials of the Marys, Innocent Angela and other pieces for me.. for a reasonable price. Also I used the British Library. They were happy days!!

      1. If you are associating ‘happy days’ with the days when your favourite comics appeared in your local newsagent’s , Mistyfan, then I can understand your frustration. However, that view does seem rather negative, would you not agree? After all you do have a decent collection of girls comics that you can always dip into whenever you have enough spare time, and you can buy more when you have enough money to lay out on them, as I know you have done from 30th Century Comics from time to time. Another idea is to buy, or even better, borrow from a local library, novels written specifically for girls. I assume you have a system over there that is similar to our Inter-Library Loan one. Over the last three years I have acquired 364 such novels, two still to arrive, about eighty still to read. In my house at the moment all days are ‘happy days’ I’m pleased to say.

  11. I liked reading the Four Marys stories in both the annuals and the comics but don’t remember the fifth Mary and wondered in which story she was and if it was possible to get hold of the booklet stories today?

    1. The Five Marys was only a one off story, I don’t have that book, so not sure how it concluded. Here’s a picture of the cover: http://www.comics.org/issue/1137146/cover/4/ the fifth Mary was called Mary Priest.

      There are other stories where a new Mary joined the gang such as in “Silent Illness” but things quickly revert back to the status quo.

      Ebay, Amazon and 30th Century comics (http://30thcenturycomics.co.uk/catalogue-index/girls-picture-libraries/) all sell the picture story library books, although none seem to have that particular issue at the moment.

  12. With the box-office success of Wonder Woman and hit TV shows like Jessica Jones & Supergirl, I think now’s the time for a movie adaptation of the Bunty comic book series

      1. It wouldn’t have to be US produced, but those successes do show female comic characters can be popular. I always thought Valda would make a good film/TV series. There’s also Riverdale which shows soap stories like The Comp could work. I’m sure there’s plenty that could be adapted if they wanted.

          1. Beano Studios would be the people to call, Quiet Storm. It’s DC Thomson’s children’s multimedia department, named of course for their one surviving kids’ comic.

  13. I’m far too busy currently to look through my collection of BUNTY, but from memory I am as certain as I can be that Mabel Lentham’s friend Veronica’s surname was Laverly, not Lavery.

  14. Hi there to all, because I am actually eager of reading this weblog’s post to be updated regularly. It includes pleasant data.|

  15. Delighted to read reminiscences of the 4 Marys. We recalled 3 surnames and there you were! Such fun! My husband loved them as much as me growing up but for different reasons! His ‘first crush’! Love to all on Memory Lane.

  16. Some weeks ago, the artist Keith Robson left a post on the Girls Comics UK Facebook page, identifying a DCT staff artist called Jim Lorimer as the Four Marys artist for the “ late sixties /early seventies”. This was no end of a surprise to me, as I had thought it was definitely known that James Walker was the Four Marys artist from May 1958 until around 1981, when Selby Donnison took over.

    I’m not sure what to think about this. Keith Robson’s comment was backed by contemporary personal reminiscences – he was a member of the DCT art department at the time – and recalls the “rather old-fashioned style” of the art, which is a fair description of it for the late 60’s and 70s. Also, the one or two examples of Walker’s other art that I’ve been able to find do look different in style to the Marys – more spontaneous and dramatic.

    On the other hand, David Roach, Ray Moore and “Sleuth” of Lastdodo have all previously identified Walker as the artist.

    I did wonder whether there might have been two separate artists involved over this period, but having pored over the examples which I have, I can’t see a definite difference. The overall style does change – the figures in particular become stiffer and rather doll-like after the first few years – but it still looks to me broadly like the work of the same person.

    So I’m not sure that we can regard the identification of Lorimer as definitely proven. In the circumstances, I suggest it probably isn’t worth altering the dozens of references to Walker on this site at the moment, but I think it would be worth making a note on this post that the artist from 1958 to 1981 was either Jim Lorimer or James “Peem” Walker.

    1. Hmm a bit of mystery, it could be a possibility of one imitating the style of the other, or perhaps similar to the 90s artist for years was identified by people as Barrie Mitchell, until Jim Eldridge confirmed it was actually him.

Leave a Reply to Bryan Fraser Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.