** types of English children's literature -- series Boys Own Paper








English Children's Periodicals: Boy's Own Paper


Figure 1.--This July 1958 cover from the "Boy's Own Paper" announces a photo competition and the continuation of a Biggles serial. The "Boy's Own Paper" was the most popular British publication for boys.

Perhaps the most well known British periodical for boys was the Boy's Own Paper (BOP) which at first was a weekly publication. This periodical was published for years. It was founded in 1879 and published by the Religious Tract Society. This stalward publication became an instituition in the life of many English. It had an increadible publication history and was printed in many different formats. The BOP ran until until 1967, by which time it had become a monthy publication. There were also Boy's Own Annual, which at first was just a bound collection of the weekly issues. At its peak, it had a circulation of about 250,000. The publicatuion was a real treat in the days before radio and television and diverse organized after school activities. Issues almost always included adventure stories, most commonly with imperialist themes. There were also essays, letters, puzzles, and a variety of competitions to generate interest in the readership. One HBC reader describes the content as "generally patriotic". Photo competions were popular after World War II when many boys had cameras. An early issue in 1881 issue had articles about famous men (Darwin, Edison, Lubbock, and Whymger) and an article on "Strange weapons and starnger ways of using them". (We are not sure who Lubbock and Whymger were.) The stories involved were not just pulp writing. Julve Verne was a frequent contributor to early issues. Authors like Verne would publish their books in serial form in this and other periodicals. Verne's These serial runs would pre-date the first English edition of his books. Often the magazines ran serail stories on popular figures. We note in the 1950s serials on the popular Biggles characters. There was a similar girls publication, the Girl's Own Paper.

Popularity

Perhaps the most well known British periodical for boys was the Boy's Own Paper (BOP). The publicatuion was a real treat in the days before radio and television and diverse organized after school activities.

Format

BOP was at first was a weekly publication. This periodical was published for years.

Founder

It was founded in 1879 and published by the Religious Tract Society. This stalward publication became an instituition in the life of many English.

Publication History

It had an increadible publication history and was printed in many different formats. The BOP ran until until 1967, by which time it had become a monthy publication.

Annual Version

There were also Boy's Own Annual, which at first was just a bound collection of the weekly issues. At its peak, it had a circulation of about 250,000.

Content

Issues almost always included adventure stories, most commonly with imperialist themes. There were also essays, letters, puzzles, and a variety of competitions to generate interest in the readership. One HBC reader describes the content as "generally patriotic". Photo competions were popular after World War II when many boys had cameras. An early issue in 1881 issue had articles about famous men (Darwin, Edison, Lubbock, and Whymger) and an article on "Strange weapons and starnger ways of using them". (We are not sure who Lubbock and Whymger were.) The stories involved were not just pulp writing. Julve Verne was a frequent contributor to early issues. Authors like Verne would publish their books in serial form in this and other periodicals. Verne's These serial runs would pre-date the first English edition of his books. Often the magazines ran serail stories on popular figures. We note in the 1950s serials on the popular Biggles characters. Sample stoties in Boy's Own Paper included: Arthur L. Salmon "The Making of a Scout" (December 21, 1912); R.R. Salmon, "My Wanderings Among the Arabs," (February 10, June 8, 1912) and "Nature Printing," (March 1, 1913); Ross Salmon, "Bush Fire," (June 1955), "Jungle Terror," (January 1954), "Speckle-Face Deer," (November 1953), "Stormy Round-Up," (October 1953), "Tico," (July 1954), and "Trapped by Wild Boar," (Feb 1956).

Gender

There was a similar girls publication, the Girl's Own Paper.






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Created: September 12, 2002
Last updated: September 19, 2002