Above: The cover of the first book the image of Crompton that featured on the cover of her biographyīorn Richmal Lamburn in Bury in 1890, Crompton was the daughter of a curate and the middle of three children. Although the first story featuring schoolboy William Brown was published in a magazine in 1919, it was the release of author Richmal Crompton's first book about the 11-year-old schoolboy that sparked a phenomenon. He was the Harry Potter of his day, and had a red-headed friend to boot. 'And what I think was remarkable was that she poured her genius into this character called William Brown. I think her sense of comedy which was in her and her observation of people and character was just immense. Speaking of Crompton, Mr Jarvis, 80, said: 'I think she was a genius. Narrated by comedy writer Edward Rowett, the programme hears from actor Martin Jarvis, whose voice became known to millions of fans after he began reading the Just William books on the radio in the 1970s.
Now, that figure stands at 12million.Īs fans this year mark the 100th anniversary of Crompton's first book, the story of Just William's impact on the literary world and society has been told in a BBC radio documentary that airs on Sunday. Its title became synonymous with synonymous with the overall series and by the time of Crompton's death, the tales of William's escapades with his friends Henry, Ginger and Douglas had sold more than nine million copies. Just William, which was published in 1922, began a series of 38 books that Crompton, a former school teacher, continued writing until 1968, a year before she passed away aged 78.
He was the Harry Potter of his day, and had a red-headed friend to boot.Īlthough the first story featuring schoolboy William Brown was published in a magazine in 1919, it was the release of author Richmal Crompton's first book about the 11-year-old schoolboy that sparked a phenomenon.
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