Tag Archives: Period story

The Girl in the Iron Collar

Mandy

Plot

In the year 871, Rowena, a young Saxon girl, is sentenced to wear an iron collar and be banished from her village for (accidentally) betraying Edmund, the King of East Anglia, to the Vikings, who then killed him. Then she finds the triple-crowned cross of the Angles where King Edmund had hidden it. Without the cross, nobody can claim to be their king, and she helps Alfred of Wessex to take up his rightful role as King of the Saxons. In return, he pardons her and removes her collar.

Notes

Appeared

  • The Girl in the Iron Collar – Mandy:  #22 (17 June 1967) – #31 (19 August 1967)

The Lost Children

Judy, ,

Plot:

Blind Dianne Hart was made a  servant when her cousin, Ralph Stone, inherited her late father’s coal-mine. She was horrified when Stone brought in orphans and made the youngest of them work a night-shift underground. She decided on a rescue attempt, hoping to get them to a secret hide-out where three others were already concealed.

lost children

Notes:

  • Art: Bert Hill
  • Reprinted and translated into Dutch as “De kinderen in de mijn” (The Children in the Mine”) – Debbie #8 (1978).

Appeared:

  • The Lost Children –  Judy:   #932 (19 Nov. 1977) – #945 (18 Feb. 1978)

The Fashion House Phantom

Judy,

Plot:

When orphan Aggie Ruddle went to work at the exclusive Edwardian fashion house, The House of Revere, as a menial servant, she hid her natural talent for sewing and design. Unknown to anyone, Aggie altered a dress, resulting in an important new customer for the fashion house. Everyone else believed it to be the work of the Fashion House Phantom.

fashion house phantom

Notes:

  • Artist: Don Walker

Appeared:

  • The Fashion House Phantom –  Judy:   #930 (05 Nov. 1977) – #945 (18 Feb. 1978)

The House of the Ravens

Judy,

Plot

In the year 1812, Paula Ravenswood and her young brother, Nicholas, went to live at Ravenswood Hall after the death of their parents. Nicholas was the last heir to the House of Ravenswood, whose fortunes were guarded by ravens. It was said that disaster would come to the family when all the ravens had gone. Now only one remained, weak and injured. One day, Nicky ran to the stables and left the raven in a hiding place, the low, cool oven in the kitchen range.  A wind blew the  door open and a prowling cat entered the kitchen.

house of ravens

Notes

  • Artist: John Armstrong

Appeared

  • The House of the Ravens –  Judy: #620 (27 November 1971) – #633 (26 February 1972)

  • Reprinted – Judy:  #1050 (23  February 1980) – #1063 (24 May 1980)

Laurel and the Talking Doll

Bunty, ,

Plot

In Victorian times, gypsy girl Laurel Lee makes a living by giving puppet shows. Laurel’s sister Leona is accused of stealing a necklace and goes on the run. One of the puppets, Fairy Goodwish, starts coming to life to give Laurel clues to track down the real thief.

Notes

  • Artist: John Woods
  • Advertised as Laurel and Her Talking Doll in Bunty #838
  • Translated into Dutch (as Laura en de sprekende pop) – Debbie Stripstory #2/1979.

Appeared

  • Laurel and the Talking Doll– Bunty: #839 (09 February 1974) – #848 (13 April 1974)
  • Reprinted – Bunty: #1305 (15 January 1983) – #1314 (19 March 1983)
  • Reprinted – Best of Bunty #4 (June 2001)

Sisters of Deceit

Judy, , ,

Plot:

When orphan Helen Mostyn reached Victorian England from America, she was horrified to hear her half-sister, Jade, plotting against her life. Grandmother Mostyn planned to leave her fortune to the two girls but would not sign her will until she had seen Helen. Pretending that the real Helen Mostyn was lost overboard on the homeward voyage, Helen agreed to impersonate herself! It was her only chance of remaining safe while preventing Jade from harming their grandmother. Jade’s cousin, Gaston Garvel, was an accomplice in the evil plan.

sisters of deceit

Notes:

  • Art: Oliver Passingham
  • Reprinted and translated into Dutch as “Helen’s bedrog” (Helen’s Deceit) – Debbie # 21 (1980).

Appeared:

  • Sisters of Deceit  – Judy: #1014 (16 June 1979) – #1025 (1 September 1979)

 

Dark Days for the Hungry Hopes / The Voyage of the Hungry Hopes aka The Hungry Hopes in The New World

Debbie

Plot

It is the year 1840, a hungry year. When Jess Hope’s father dies, she sets out to get the family to America. But they run into problems, and these are hungry times. A sequel follows the Hope family voyage and arrival in the New World.

Hopes

Notes

  • For issues #184 and #185 the title changed from The Voyage of the Hungry Hopes to The Hungry Hopes In The New World.
  • The Voyage of the Hungry Hopes/The Hungry Hopes in the New World – Reprinted in colour and translated to Dutch as “De grote reis van de familie Venema’ – Debbie (magazine folded after 6 issues leaving stories unfinished)
  • Dark Days for the Hungry Hopes – reprinted in black & white and translated as  ‘De grote reis van de familie Venema’ – Debbie Groot Verhalenboek 6 (1978)

Appeared

  • Dark Days for the Hungry Hopes –  Debbie: #165 (10 April 1976) – #172 (29 May 1976)
  • The Voyage of the Hungry Hopes/The Hungry Hopes in the New World – Debbie #180 (24 July 1976) – #185 (28 August 1976)

“I’ll Look after Davey!”

Debbie, , ,

Plot:

Mary Armstrong and her brother Davey are taken to the workhouse. Davey is adopted, and Mary does not trace him until three years later. She gets work as a servant at Burwell Grange, Davey’s adoptive home. She is not revealing herself as she realises the Burwells do not love Davey; they just want him so they can inherit a fortune. Worse, other relatives are out to kill Davey so they can inherit the fortune, and they realise Mary is a threat when she saves Davey from a murder attempt.

Davey

Notes:

Appeared:

  • “I’ll Look after Davey!”–  Debbie: #433 (30 May 1981) – #442 (1 August 1981)

The Magic Mirror [1981]

Debbie, , , , , ,

Plot:

Something strange happens with the old mirror in Angie Durrant’s room. Angie finds herself in a different age, as a little slavey called Abigail. Another servant, Milton, cheats Lady Mirabel, the daughter of the house, and Angie gets blamed. Angie realises she is reliving the life of the real Abigail, who was blamed for Milton’s crime.

Mirror

Notes:

  • Photo story

Appeared:

  • The Magic Mirror–  Debbie: #432 (23 May 1981) – #435 (13 June 1981)