Scope and content
The archive contains early manuscripts and typescripts by Joyce Lankester Brisley,
including her diary from 1912 - 1919, individual stories, collections of poems, and
two juvenile magazines spanning several years and produced in collaboration with Joyce's
sister, Nina Kennard Brisley. Among the drawings are the set of original illustrations
toMilly-Molly-Mandy again, published by George G. Harrap in 1948.
Record creators history
Joyce Lankester Brisley, children's writer and illustrator, was born on 6th Feb 1896
in Bexhill-on-Sea, Sussex. She was the second of three sisters; Nina was a year younger
and Ethel the eldest. Joyce's father, George Brisley, was a local pharmacist whilst
his wife, Constance, looked after the family. All three sisters attended evening classes
at Hastings School of Art. By the time the girls were in their teens, Ethel was exhibiting
at the Royal Academy and Joyce and Nina were contributing illustrations toHome chat.
After the break-up of the Brisley's marriage in June 1912, Constance Brisley and her
three daughters moved to a small flat in Brixton, London. Joyce and Nina enrolled
at Lambeth School of Art in Oct, seeking to overcome the loss of their father's income
by earning a living from writing stories and illustrating Christmas cards, postcards
and children's annuals.
The family were dedicated Christian Scientists and in 1918, when the family moved
to Barons Court, a contact at their local Christian Science church encouraged both
Joyce and Nina to submit stories and drawings to an American magazine,The Christian
Science monitor. Joyce's first story of Milly-Molly-Mandy appeared inThe Christian
Science monitorin Oct 1925. Stories of the little girl proved popular and the first
collection of them,Milly-Molly-Mandy stories, was published in the UK by George G.
Harrap in 1928.
Nina Kennard Brisley married in 1933 and became the illustrator of Elinor Brent-Dyer's
much-loved Chalet School series. Ethel Brisley died in 1961 and Joyce in Sept 1978,
just a few months after Nina.
Source of acquisition
Given by The Joyce Lankester Brisley Charitable Trust, Mar 2007.
Conditions governing access
This archive is available for consultation in the Blythe House Archive and Library
Reading Room, which is located at Blythe House, 23 Blythe Road, Olympia, London, W14
0QX. The Reading Room is open Tuesday to Friday between 10.00 am and 4.30 pm, access
to it is by appointment only. To request an appointment please email archive@vam.ac.uk
or telephone 020 7603 7493. Access to some files may be restricted. These are identified
at file level.
Conditions governing reproduction
For conservation reasons the photocopying of archival material is not permitted. Archives
may be photographed for study purposes only, at the discretion of the archivist.
Publication note
Milly-Molly-Mandybooks by Joyce Lankester Brisley:
Milly-Molly-Mandy stories, 1928.
More of Milly-Molly-Mandy, 1929.
Further doings of Milly-Molly-Mandy, 1932.
Three little Milly-Molly-Mandy plays, 1938.
Milly-Molly-Mandy again, 1948.
Milly-Molly-Mandy & Co., 1955.
Milly-Molly-Mandy and Billy Blunt, 1967.
The Milly-Molly-Mandy omnibus, 1976.
The Milly-Molly-Mandy second omnibus, 1976.
The Milly-Molly-Mandy storybook, 1996.
Other books written or illustrated by Joyce Lankester Brisley:
Hurrah for the trains, 1919.
Jolly days at the sea, 1919.
Jolly days at the zoo, 1921.
Jolly days with Neddy, 1921
Lambs'-tails and suchlike, 1930.
The dawn shops and other stories, 1933.
Marigold in godmother's house, 1934.
Die Verhaal van Josef, 1934.
Bunchy, 1937.
Adventures of the little wooden horse, by Urusla Moray Williams, illustrated by Joyce
Lankester Brisley, 1938.
My Bible-book, 1940.
Adventures of Purl and Plain, 1941.
The wide, wide world, 1950. (Revision of Elizabeth's Wetherell'sThe wide, wide world,
1851).
Another Bunchy book, 1951.
Children of the Bible days, 1970.
The New Testament story, 1973.
The Joyce Lankester Brisley book, 1981.
Secondary sources on Joyce Lankester Brisley:
Factor, June, 'Joyce Lankester Brisley: an appreciation',Children's literature in
education,vol. 10, no. 4 (Winter 1979), 163-173.
Extent
38 files
Keywords
Subjects:
Children's books -- Great Britain -- History -- 20th century
Children's literature, English -- Illustrations
Milly-Molly-Mandy (Fictitious character) -- Juvenile fiction
Personal names:Brisley , Nina K. Brisley , Joyce Lankester . (1896 - 1978 )
Titles of related works:
Home chat
Titles of related works:
The Christian Science monitor
The Christian Science monitor
Milly-Molly-Mandy stories
Titles of related works:
Milly-Molly-Mandy again
Titles of related works:
Milly-Molly-Mandy
Titles of related works:
Milly-Molly-Mandy stories
Titles of related works:
More of Milly-Molly-Mandy
Titles of related works:
Further doings of Milly-Molly-Mandy
Titles of related works:
Three little Milly-Molly-Mandy plays
Titles of related works:
Milly-Molly-Mandy again
Titles of related works:
Milly-Molly-Mandy & Co.
Titles of related works:
Milly-Molly-Mandy and Billy Blunt
Titles of related works:
The Milly-Molly-Mandy omnibus
Titles of related works:
The Milly-Molly-Mandy second omnibus
Titles of related works:
The Milly-Molly-Mandy storybook
Titles of related works:
Hurrah for the trains
Titles of related works:
Jolly days at the sea
Titles of related works:
Jolly days at the zoo
Titles of related works:
Jolly days with Neddy
Titles of related works:
Lambs'-tails and suchlike
Titles of related works:
The dawn shops and other stories
Titles of related works:
Marigold in godmother's house
Titles of related works:
Die Verhaal van Josef
Titles of related works:
Bunchy
Titles of related works:
Adventures of the little wooden horse
Titles of related works:
My Bible-book
Titles of related works:
Adventures of Purl and Plain
Titles of related works:
The wide, wide world
The wide, wide world
Titles of related works:
Another Bunchy book
Titles of related works:
Children of the Bible days
Titles of related works:
The New Testament story
Titles of related works:
The Joyce Lankester Brisley book
Titles of related works:
Children's literature in education,
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