The Just William series is a sequence of 38 books written by English author Richmal Crompton. The books chronicle the adventures of the unruly schoolboy William Brown.
The books were published over a period of almost 50 years, between 1922 and 1970. Throughout the series, the protagonist remains at the same 11 years of age, despite each book being set in the era in which it was written. The first book was Just William, and often the entire series is named after this book. Each book, with the exception of the novel Just William's Luck, is a collection of short stories.
The series has spawned various television, film, theatre and radio adaptations. It also has a large fan following, with such groups as the Just William Society.
Synopsis of the series
Setting William Brown is a middle-class schoolboy of 11, who lives in a country village in Southern England. A number of guesses have been made about where the stories are set. In Pensions for Boys in Sweet William (1936), it is suggested that the village is about 50 miles from London. It has also been suggested (in Margarey Disher's book Growing Up with Just William) that it is situated somewhere around Bromley, Kent. It has also been suggested that the village is in Oxfordshire near Bicester. A road sign shown in a Thomas Henry illustration from "William Gets A Move On" in "William Does His Bit" reads "London A1", which would place the village north of London.
William is the leader of his band of friends, who call themselves the Outlaws, with his best friend Ginger and his other friends Henry and Douglas. His scruffy mongrel is called Jumble.
A William story often starts when William or the Outlaws set out to do something, such as putting on a play, collecting scrap metal for the war effort or looking after Violet Elizabeth Bott. William always manages to get into trouble with his parents, although he can never quite understand why. His well-meaning efforts often result in unfortunate outcomes.
Sometimes William can be very moral – he is inspired to tell the truth for the duration of Christmas Day in William's Truthful Christmas (Still William, 1925) with unhappy results:
[William has just received a geometry question and a book on church history for Christmas.]
"Did you like the book and instruments that Uncle and I gave you?" said Aunt Emma brightly. "No," said William gloomily and truthfully. "I'm not int'rested in Church History an' I've got something like those at school. Not that I'd want 'em," he added hastily, "if I hadn't em." "William!" screamed Mrs. Brown in horror. "How can you be so ungrateful!" "I'm not ungrateful," explained William wearily. "I'm only being truthful..."
Current events The books within this series often reflected current events within the 20th century. William the Conqueror (1926) for example reflects pre-World War I imperialism, while 1930s books like William The Dictator (1938) dealt with Fascism and 1940s books like William and the Evacuees (1940) were set against the backdrop of World War II. Later on, William and the Moon Rocket (1954) and William and the Space Animal (1956) were written during the space race. Despite the changing events, William and other characters do not age.
Characters William Brown – The main character in the series, an 11-year-old schoolboy in a village in England. Leader of the Outlaws, William is unique in schoolboy literature – confident, strong-willed, independent-minded with original world-views, a born leader who is keen to be chief in any undertaking of the Outlaws. He cares little for his clothes or appearance, wears a scowl as his best "company manners" and hates small talk. He loves to play Red Indians and pirates, and readily embarks on any project, from catching wartime spies or making a "moon rocket", to editing a "newspaper" or organising a "circus" or "show", often featuring his pet dog Jumble as reluctant star. William usually has a withering contempt for girls and women (except his mother) though there are notable exceptions and he can even be chivalrous on occasion. He has a soft spot for a neighbour, Joan who admires him enormously. A rebel and die-hard optimist, William often shows a strong sense of responsibility when the situation demands, an unwillingness to back out of challenges and a bulldog-like determination to overcome hurdles. His imagination and predilection for adventure constantly get him into difficult situations. William and the outlaws often engage in elaborate schemes to earn money with mixed results. He is frequently inspired to “help” others he deems in need but runs into unforeseen complications in his efforts but as fortune favours the brave, William often comes out on top though is sometimes reprimanded and punished by his parents for his misdeeds. His 'motto' is: Doin' good, rightin' wrongs, spreadin' happiness and walking down the narrow path of virtue.
Ginger Flowerdew/Merridew – William's best friend and member of the Outlaws. "Ginger" is a nickname derived from the colour of his hair: We never learn his real first name, though his surname is either Flowerdew or Merridew (one of the author's many inconsistencies). He has an elder brother called Hector, who is friends with William's older brother Robert. He is notoriously optimistic. The Just William stories often involve only William and Ginger, leaving out the other Outlaws.
Henry – One of William's friends and the oldest member of the Outlaws. He is considered well-read and well-informed. He has an elder brother, John, and also an unnamed baby sister, with whom he is perpetually warring. In the earliest stories, he is said to be William's rival for leadership of the Outlaws. Douglas – One of William's friends and a member of the Outlaws. He is the most prudent and discreet of the group; unoptimistic and usually the voice of objection when William reveals his 'Plans'. He has an elder brother, George, Robert's friend. In the earlier stories, his catchphrase is "By Jove".
Jumble – William's scruffy mongrel, a mixture of many breeds.
Margaret or Mary Brown – William's long-suffering mother. Despite innumerable disappointments, she never loses faith in William, saying often to the other Brown family members when they object of him that, 'He means well'. Mrs Brown's first name is Margaret in William Again, 2, but Mary in Just William's Luck, 17, William – the Explorer, 5, and William's Treasure Trove, 5. John Brown – William's sardonic father, often vexed by William's troublesome behaviour, but at times giving subtle hints that he agrees with his son by rewarding him with money. Some of the stories also suggest that Mr Brown was very much like William in his youth, where he was friends with Ginger, Douglas and Henry's fathers.Just William 10 He works in an office, and frequently takes time off due to his 'liver' (i.e., drinking). He is a Conservative, according to William.Just William: Home for the Holidays.
Ethel Brown – William's elder sister, a pretty redhead who is incredibly popular among the local adolescent males in the village, with The most persistent being Jimmy Moore. Ethel is variously aged in the stories between 17 and 21. William himself can never understand why people are attracted to her because she is usually quite mean to him. Ethel does, however, have quite a soft spot for William; she is genuinely distressed when she believes him to be sick, though William is often faking it.
Robert Brown – William's grown-up brother who is infatuated by a succession of girls, each of whom he swears is "the most beautiful girl in the world" until he moves on to the next. Robert's age (like Ethel's) varies between stories: he is sometimes as young as 17 and sometimes as old as 22 (though in the novel Just William's Luck he confirms his age as 21). He is a hopeless romantic whose world view is coloured by the heroic novels he reads. He is also something of a "social climber", eager to impress his friends and family with his worldly knowledge and important acquaintances. Several of the stories involve Robert attempting to impress a girl, but irritated and embarrassed by William in the process. He is supposedly a Liberal, though William dismisses this as "Just Swank". He is supposedly "at college", probably Oxford or Cambridge, though this is never specified. Violet-Elizabeth Bott – The lisping spoiled daughter of the local nouveau riche millionaire, Mr. Bott, who forces the reluctant Outlaws to allow her to join them on their adventures with her effective threat: "I'll and and till I'm ". She was introduced in the fifth book Still William (1925) in which she featured in three stories. She appeared in one story in the sixth book William the Conqueror (1926), but was not seen again for several years. In most stories her lisp is on the "s" (dogs → ) but in some books it changes to the "r" (princess → ).
Mr. & Mrs. Bott – Introduced early in the series as new inhabitants to the village, Mr. and Mrs. Bott are a nouveau riche millionaire couple who spoil their daughter Violet Elizabeth. Mr. Bott made his millions by patenting and selling "Bott's Digestive Sauce" (allegedly made from squashed beetles). While Mr. Bott is fairly easy-going, his wife is a social climber, eager to impress high-society people with her wealth. Despite being figures of fun, the Botts are often represented sympathetically. Perhaps because of their lower-class origins, they take William and his friends more seriously than do most adults.
Joan Clive/Crewe/Parfitt – The girl next door. Younger than William, she is his uncritical admirer, whom he will go to some efforts to impress. She is sometimes described a member of the Outlaws, and sometimes an "Outlaw-ally". Joan has three surnames throughout the series; first Clive, then Crewe, then Parfitt, before reverting to Clive. She also changes in physical appearance; Joan Clive has blue eyes and bright golden curls, whereas Joans Crewe and Parfitt have dark eyes, dark curly hair and a dimpled complexion. Crewe turns to Parfitt after Joan's absence then subsequent return to the village after her London home is bombed, so it is possible her mother has been widowed (or, rather unlikely, divorced) and remarried. However, in William Meets the Professor (William and the Tramp) she has inexplicably reverted to Clive. Her birthday is on the same day as Hubert Lane's.
Hubert Lane – William's chief rival in the village for popularity among boys. He is opposite in character to William, being greedy, underhand, vindictive and spoiled. He is obese and loves to eat. His gang (the "Hubert Laneites") remain loyal to him mostly on account of his excessive pocket money, which he uses to buy cream cakes and other luxuries for his supporters. He almost always comes off worse in confrontations with William. His birthday is on the same day as Joan's.
Bertie Franks – A leading member of the Hubert Laneites, usually Hubert's lieutenant, though in William the Gangster he sets up as a gang leader in his own right. Like Hubert, he is fat and spoiled. Oswald Franks – Bertie Franks's elder brother, friend of Robert's. He is pretty much like Bertie. Mrs. Lane – Hubert Lane's mother. She likes to imagine that William and Hubert are best friends, and whenever she is forced to accept that they are not, goes to great extents to end the feud between them. She also spoils and supports Hubert to a ridiculous extent. Mr. Marks/Markson – The headmaster of William's school, known to William and his friends as "Ole Markie". He is early middle-aged, and has a sensitive personality which he does his best not to show when he is at work. He gets on well with his older pupils, but dislikes younger and more disruptive ones like William.
Ole Stinks – William's chemistry teacher. He frequently punishes William for his misbehaviour in the laboratory, but actually rather enjoys his company. ("Stinks" is old fashioned schoolboy slang for chemistry.)