PUNCHBOWL MIDNIGHT

Collins 1951 First Edition

illustrated by Charles Tunnicliffe Set in Punchbowl Farm, Surrey. Lindsey Thornton is faced with the difficulty of protecting the local deer from the wrath of the farmers. She is joined by Tamzin, on holiday from Sussex, and together they manage to have some effect on local events. Beautifully illustrated throughout in black and white. First edition: blue boards, gold blocking; 135x198mm; 254pp; map endpapers (version 1, not credited); 15 b/w illustrations, none full page. Dustwrapper back advertises 'White Boots' by Noel Streatfeild and 'Isle of Strangers' by Ralph Hammond; rear flap has advertisement for Collins Magazine; cover price 8s 6d.

Reprinted:

Collins 1955
Blue boards with gold blocking; 130x190mm; 254pp; map eps as original; all original illustrations; on the reverse of the title page it states: this edition 1955.
The dustwrapper has the same illustration as the first edition. However, on the back are advertisements for 'The Wanderer', 'Punchbowl Midnight', 'Spirit of Punchbowl Farm', and 'Black Hunting Whip'; the inside of the back flap advertises 'No Entry', 'The Midnight Horse', 'Cargo of Horses' and 'Storm Ahead'.
The cover price is printed as 8s 6d, but this has been covered up with a circular red sticker having '6/-' surrounded with the words 'Collins' above and 'nett' below.
[For information on this edition, thanks to Matthew Hyde]
[This price is a bit of a puzzle. Is this the first of the 'six shilling' editions ? Those are really reprints at a cheaper price, rather than cheaper productions like the 'Crown Library' editions. Maybe they decided in 1956 that reprints should be at this reduced price (see 'The Nightbird') ? So in 1955 it would sell at 8s 6d, but the following year be reduced to 6/- ?
However, there was a 6/- edition of 'Hidden in a Dream' published dated 1955. Odd. John]

Other Editions:

[1956 'six shilling edition' listed by ME but not seen]

Children's Book Club edition

Children's Book Club 1953: Hardback with dustwrapper; green boards with black sans serif lettering of author and title on spine only; 130x190mm; 254pp; dated ; dustwrapper not as the original, but attractive: the front picture is a coloured version of the pictures on pages 27 and 68 of the first edition, combined together. The spine illustration is not from the book (see enlarged image); the text illustrations are as the original; Available at 3/6 to members of Foyle's Children's Book Club.

Armada 1963: Paperback edition; map and 13 of the original illustrations; 192pp; cover by Sheila Rose; Armada number C50; cover price 2/6.

cover by Sheila Rose Armada edition 1963

Goodchild 1986

Goodchild 1986: Hardback edition; revised by the author; 22cm; 224pp; no illustrations. ISBN 0-86391-072-6 The dustwrapper by Gordon King has an illustration of the same scene as the original Tunnicliffe one, with the addition of the rest of the deer hunters shown on the back panel. This edition still listed as available from Amazon.co.uk.

Girls Gone By Publishers 2011: New paperback edition. As is usual with these editions, the story is presented in full and with the original map and illustrations from the original edition. Once again, Shelley Edwards has provided a new and delightful Preface, unique to this edition. As with the other prefaces she has provided - for all the previous books republished by Girls Gone By, it is illustrated with family photographs, mostly taken by Monica Edwards. The regular illustrated articles on Monica Edwards: the Person and the Books, by Joy Wotton and articles by Brian Parks on The Real Devil's Punch Bowl and The Unknown Sailor are followed by my Publishing History of this book. The book has 290 pages, the first 51 being extra material and is well bound, as all these editions, with the original artwork on the front cover, the rear showing the spine artwork from the first edition and the 'blurb' from the front flap of the original dustwrapper. (Full cover shown in enlarged picture) A The book can be obtained direct from the publishers, by cheque, for £12 including postage for delivery within the country, for full detail see their site, or write for details - see 'Links' above.

the GGBP edition cover 2011