The links below take you to societies and websites devoted to EJO and other authors, or email addresses for those societies, to sites relating to associated subjects or book collecting, and to dealers who sell books by EJO and other authors.
Our Own Discussion Group and Social Media
Elsie J Oxenham/Abbey Discussion Group
There is a discussion group about EJO and her books in Google Groups – do join up and have your own say! You need to register – either by asking on the site, or emailing ejosoc@gmail.com, but once you have done that, you can answer previous discussion points, or start your own threads.
Facebook
We have a Facebook page and a group which facilitate an online meeting place for fans of the writings of Elsie J Oxenham. We also have a group where members can buy and sell EJO’s books. The groups are closed groups and we will ask you a question about EJO (an easy one) before approving your membership.
Twitter
Follow us on Twitter at @EJOSoc
International EJO Societies
The Abbey Guardian – the Newsletter of The Abbey Girls of Australia
Four issues per annum
Editor: Lyn Ashlin, e-mail: lynashlin@gmail.com
Treasurer: Jansy Rose, e-mail: jansyr@bigpond.net.au
General queries: Cath Vaughan-Pow, e-mail: cath@powfamily.com
The Abbey Gatehouse – The New Zealand Magazine
Three issues per annum
Editor: Barbara Robertson
10B/19 Cottleville Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington 6011, New Zealand
E-mail: born.robertson@xtra.co.nz
The Abbey Chapter – South Africa
No magazine but group meets regularly
Contact person: Rose Humphreys
3 Egret Street, Somerset West 7130, South Africa.
Tel: 021-8521793 or +2782 553 0747(mobile)
E-mail: dogrose@ballmail.co.za
Author Interest Societies and Magazines
Friends of the Chalet School (FOCS)
Four issues per annum
Joint Editors and Administrators: Ann Mackie-Hunter & Clarissa Cridland
The Vicarage, Church Street, Coleford, Radstock, Somerset, BA3 5NG
E-mail: focs@rockterrace.org
The New Chalet Club
Membership Secretary: Sue Hodgson
5 Pinetree Gardens, Whitley Bay, NE25 8XU
E-mail: membership@newchaletclub.co.uk
The NCC produce three journals a year with occasional supplements e.g. Joey and Patricia a short story by Helen McClelland. We host annual AGM meetings which alternate between one day events generally in London and a weekend event in different parts of the country with EBD connections. In addition to this there are local meetings throughout the year where all are welcome. There is also a library with all the EBD books and journals for the members to borrow for a small cost to cover the postage.
Monica Edwards Appreciation Society/The Martello
Two issues per annum
Websites
Archive of Our Own
“A fan-created, fan-run, non-profit, non-commercial archive for transformative fanworks, such as fanfiction, fanart, fan videos, and podfic.” It includes some Oxenham fan fiction.
The Australian Abbey Pages
Camp Fire
The official Camp Fire site – although it’s now a very different organisation from the one EJO described.
CBB – Chalet Bulletin Board
An online discussion group about Elinor M Brent-Dyer and her books. You can view it without registering but if you register you can contribute.
The Children’s Book History Society
Folly (Fans Of Light Literature for the Young)
Sadly the magazine is no more but you can read articles from the archive on this site.
Furrowed Middlebrow
A blog featuring British women writers from the early to mid-twentieth century.
Girlsown Discussion Group (GO)
An on-line discussion group ranging in subject matter across all the GO-type titles. You need to register, but once that is done, can opt not to receive emails, or only to get digests of the subjects, rather than receiving a separate email every time someone posts on a subject.
The Looking Glass: New Perspectives on Children’s Literature
Web-based journal on children’s literature.
PBFA – The Provincial Booksellers Fairs Association
The largest association of antiquarian and secondhand book dealers in the world, all of whom abide by a professional code of conduct. Organisers of book fairs throughout the UK – and beyond.
The Malcolm Saville Society
The Scribbler
A retrospective literary review.
Souvenir: The Violet Needham Society
The Society has now ceased as an active organisation but the website remains (for the time being).
Allison Thompson
Allison Thompson has started a blog where she’s going to look at each of the Abbey novels in reading order, including some of the connectors, provide a brief plot synopsis and comment on the folk dance and song therein (if any). She’s doing this partly to introduce folk dancers (especially in the US) to Oxenham and her world, and partly for any non-dance readers so that they can understand a little better the terms, formations, etc. However, her main reason for doing this project is because she wants to spend time with the Abbey Girls!
Dealers
The following book dealers are members of the EJO Society who sell books by EJO (and by other authors).
Gill Bilski
4 Sheepfold Lane, Amersham, Bucks, HP7 9EL
E-mail: gillbilski@gmail.com
Website: www.gillbilski.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gillbilskibooks
Sally Dore
Bristol
E-mail: sdore@waitrose.com
Phone: 0117 942 2620
Caroline O’Sullivan
Encore Books
49 Lamorna Crescent, Tilehurst, Reading, Berkshire, RG31 5WF
E-mail: caroline@encorebooks.co.uk
Website: www.encorebooks.co.uk
Tel: 07411 673196
Topsy-Turvy Children’s Books
A range of 20th century children’s fiction, both new and second-hand.
I also offer a repair service if any of your EJO titles require some ‘care and attention’.
E-mail: topsyturvy@blueyonder.co.uk
Caerwen Books
Specialists in collectable çhildren’s fiction, new and second hand
E-Mail thoth@iinet.net.au
Tel: 61 08 9454 7383 (Australia – please check the time before calling)