Figure 1.--In the TV production John and Sue wear clyjing that looks to be 1960s styles. Perhaps the car will help to date it.

A HBC reader reports that he loved the program Worzel Gummidge as a kid. HBC at this time, however, has little information about this program. Worzel Gummidge was a scaregrow. The story begins when John, Sue and Mr. Peters are all driving to their new home, a Romany (gypsy) Caravan at Scatterbrook Farm, John sees a Scarecrow in a field. He claims that it move. Later John persuades his sister to go back to the field, called Ten-Acre field to have a closer look at the Scarecrow, but it starts raining. With no other option, other than to get soaked, John asks the Scarecrow if they can borrow his umbrella. The Scarecrow replies with a deep ‘OO - AARR!’ and the terrified children run off home. Later that evening Worzel heads off for Scatterbrook Farm to get umbrella back and anything else he can find.

Authoress

Worzel Gummidge was the creation of Barbara Euphan Todd. She was born in Arksey, Yorkshire during 1890 and educated at St. Catherine’s School in Bramley in Surrey. When World War I oke out she joined the Voluntary Aid Detachment where she worked throughout the War. Her first story was published in 1924. It was included in The ‘normous Fairy Book which was a charming collection of children’s stories. She experiment with a variety of different stories, but only one proved very popular. It was of course--Worzel Gummidge or The Scarecrow of Scatterbrook Farm. As is the case of many auhors. Barbara Euphan Todd began to tire of Worzel by 1963. She decided to pursue other projects. Her final Worzel Gummidge book, Detective Worzel Gummidge was published in 1963. She died in 1976 having never written another Woersely book.

Books

Barbara Euphan Todd's character Worzel Gummidge proved so successful thart the first book was followed with a series of popular sequels. It was the chosen for the first "Puffin book" in 1941 during the dark days of World War II when Britain still stood alone against the NAZIs. This inexpensive edition helped to introduced the world to one of the endearing characters in English children's literature. Barbara Euphan Todd published her last Worzel book in 1963. The original books continued to be popular and publishers kept reprinting them. Euphan Todd steadfastly refused to write another Woesley book.

Illustrator

I'm not sure yet who the illustrator was.

Figure 2.--The main characters, besides Worzel of course, are John and Sue. Here John wears a colared shirt, grey sdchool shorts and grey kneesocks which are not always pulled up.

Characters

The main character is of course Worzel Gummidge, the talking Scarecrow, a character who contiues to charm British children even today. The principal child charactrers are John and Susan who find Worzel while staying at Scatterbrook Farm. Other characters are the pompous Mrs Bloomsbury-Barton. Saucy Nancy is a ship’s figurehead. There is of course a whole army of Scarecrows. This includes Worzel’s fiance, Earthy Mangold, who was a kind-hearted scarecrow that shooed away the hens so that the sparrows can get the grain. Two of the other Scarecrows are Worzel’s Aunt Sally, who is his real Aunt. Hannah Harrow is an invalid scarecrow who constantly complained. One of her most vexing problems was "the mice". Another scarecrow was Upsidaisy, a scarecrow made from a three legged milking stool who was always falling over.

Plot

Worzel Gummidge was a scarecrow. The story begins when John, Sue and Mr. Peters are all driving to their new home, a Romany (gypsy) Caravan at Scatterbrook Farm, John sees a Scarecrow in a field.He claims that it move. Later John persuades his sister to go back to the field, called Ten-Acre field to have a closer look at the Scarecrow, but it starts raining. With no other option, other than to get soaked, John asks the Scarecrow if they can borrow his umbrella. The Scarecrow replies with a deep ‘OO - AARR!’ and the terrified children run off home. Later that evening Worzel heads off for Scatterbrook Farm to get umbrella back and anything else he can find. All of the books and TV seies follow from that presmise.

Radio

Worzel achieved eben greater popularity in the 1940s when his adventures were broadcast on BBC Radio’s Children’s Hour.

Television

Television came into its own in 1953. Televisiion existed before, but only small number of people had sets. This changed in 1953. Queen Elizabeth was crowned in 1953 and everyone rushed out to get TV sets to view the coronation. Worzel first appeared on television in 1953 as the BBC rushed to expand proggramming. A second production appeared in 1978 and an English reader tells me ran into the 1980s. A third series was producecd in New Zealand during the mid-1980s.

Cast

Worzel was portrayed by Frank Atkinson in the first 1953 BBC series, Worzel Gummidge Turns Detective. By the late 1970’s two of England’s best known writers, Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall, had seen the potential for a Children’s film in Worzel Gummidge and had written a script, they had the backing but they needed a larger than life actor of enormous versatility and their first choice was Jon Pertwee.

Costuming

The Worzel stories always included parts for John, Sue, and other children. Thus childrens clothing is commonly depicted. John usually wears short pants and kneesocks.

Created: August 27, 2001
Last updated: October 22, 2001