Posted by John Wilson on April 21, 2003 at 22:56:03 from 203.96.58.8 user hugo.
Bill Wright’s chronology of PM sets the book in late July 1933, at the beginning of the school holidays. But on the first day (Ch 1; p6 in Red Fox pb) it is already August, as the new death’s head decorations for the D’s are drying “in the hot August sunshine”. The last day of the story is the 11th day, and there are “five whole weeks of holidays still to go.”
Captain Flint & Mrs Blackett are arriving back on the day after the last day of PM (ie day 12), and according to the reply paid telegram that day is the thirteenth of the month (Ch 1 p8). That is also the day that Miss Huskisson arrives in Harrogate to stay with the GA, after the GA left Beckfoot the previous afternoon. Maria Turner’s first letter says that her guest (Miss Huskisson in her testimonial letter) arrives on the thirteenth (Ch 3 p30).
So counting back from the 13th, the first day is the 2nd of August (which in 1933 was a Wednesday. And the burglary (on the 7th day of PM) will be on the 8th of August.
In PM Sammy Lewthwaite the policeman lives with his mother and Billy. When the GA goes missing (Ch 25 p323) Cook tells Billy to go home, and Billy says “Shall I say owt to Sammy if he’s at home?”