Posted by Owen Roberts on December 22, 2006 at 23:46:08 from 195.92.67.75 user OwenRoberts.
In Reply to: Re: Swallowdale - The Postscript? posted by Ed Kiser on December 21, 2006 at 16:39:02:
"Wonder who really "authored" that postscript. Rather well done, really."
I am not so sure Ed.
If one takes the final date in the novel as the 11th August, on the basis that the 12th August is always the start of the English grouse shooting season. " The Glorious 12th"
The story timeline covers 17 days. Counting back this means Day 1 is the 26th July.
The Walkers had travelled north on the 25 July being the previous day.
In 1931, the 25th July was a Saturday the traditional day for holiday travel and the usual start for accommodation bookings.
The 25th July would be the first Saturday after the breaking up of boarding schools for the summer holidays.
Usually some boarding schools, including the one I attended, the last day of term was on a Thursday finishing before lunch. This allowed pupils to make a good start for travelling home. In earlier July , one might be taking O or A level external examinations.
It is possible that AR, when he was writing SD, had a 1931 calendar in front of him and would have at the back of his mind school term dates and normal holiday traveling days.
However to be fair, this does not resolve the problem with the phrase "August had come again". Also the Swallows need not have traveled on a Saturday, but whether there would have been space to accommodate them at Holly Howe is another matter.