(scroll down if you want to skip to the quotes)

i watched the 1978 tv series as a child because my mum watched it when she was a child and she adored the series and the books. i know i’ve also read at least some of the books but most of my memories come from the tv series

i found these quotes just by ctrl+f-ing 5 of the books for words like “boy” and “master george” (and “henry”). i’m sure there’s a lot more and more interesting stuff to be found when actually reading the books. but there’s also a lot of bad stuff (that i don’t remember at all, so i (and also my mum) must have taken that as normal as a child), in general and in disrespecting and making fun of george for his transness, even from the other 3 children who at least generally accept some things like calling him george

i always liked julian the least because he was a strong and commanding boy who didn’t view george and girls as an equal, but i did like that he would deal with more dangerous things for the others and protect them

dick always felt like a boring default boy with no personality to me, at least in the tv series, i don’t remember him from the books. but also he was less manly and daring than julian, so i thought i had to pick him to relate to

i’ve always liked anne the most because she was careful, soft and didn’t want to do dangerous things, just like me. and she was usually wearing the prettiest clothes. but of course she was a girl and i was not and could obviously never be one, so relating to her was off-limits for me

and then there’s of course george. george being a “girl who would rather have been born a boy”, and that at least to some degree being accepted by the people around him, was very fascinating. but i also kind of agreed with anne – how could a girl want to be a boy instead when being a girl is obviously the better choice?

and george is definitely trans. yes, the word “transgender” was not used to describe him and didn’t exist yet, but other words existed, and the human experience it describes has always existed. george is described exactly as a trans boy would be described, it’s just not named as such. if there were a character who was described like “brian was not attracted to people of The Other Gender but to people of the same gender. he loved his fellow man john and wanted to marry him to live gaily ever after”, then he would obviously be gay because that’s what was described, even if the word wasn’t used. so here’s some proof that master george is an unintentional but definite trans icon from 84 years ago who has surely been responsible for putting cracks in countless eggs:

”Do you call her ‘George’?” asked Anne, in surprise. “I thought her name was Georgina.” ”So it is,” said her aunt. “But George hates being a girl, and we have to call her George, as if she was a boy. The naughty girl won’t answer if we call her Georgina.”

”I’m George,” said the girl. “I shall only answer if you call me George. I hate being a girl. I won’t be.“

“You look like a boy.” ”Do I really?” said George, the frown leaving her face for a moment.

“Bad luck, old girl-I mean, old boy!” George managed to smile.

She had had her hair cut even shorter than usual, and it really was difficult to know whether she was a boy or a girl.

The local people all knew how badly she wanted to be a boy, and they knew, too, how plucky and straightforward she was, so they laughed to one another and said: “Well, they reckoned she behaved like a boy, and if she wanted to be called “Master George” instead of “Miss Georgina”, she deserved it!”

“I’m Master George, not Miss Georgina,” said George, in a cold voice.

“Mr. Roland, sir,” he began. “Could you call my cousin by the name she likes - George - she simply hates Georgina.”

‘Why, if it isn’t Master George!’ said the old fellow with a grin. George grinned too. She loved being called Master instead of Miss.

“Oh - Henry!” said Anne, with a laugh. “I should have thought you’d find a lot in common with another girl like yourself, who would rather be a boy, and tries to act like one!”

“After all, you and she are very alike, George. You both think you ought to have been boys”

“Yes, what was it now, Henry,” said Dick. “Nice chap. I’m going to like him.” George stared as if she couldn’t believe her ears. “Henry! Did she meet you?” “No - not she - he”, corrected Julian.

#GeorgeKirrin #George #FamousFive #TheFamousFive #EnidBlyton #trans #transgender #TransBoy

The Famous Five 2x09 "Five Run Away Together" ★★★★★★★★★☆ https://trakt.tv/comments/906804 #TheFamousFive #trakt
The Famous Five 2x09 "Five Run Away Together" shout by RikerDonegal

**Patrick Troughton, Mona Bruce.** Terrific adaptation. Some of the stories feel rushed when told in a single episode. Not this one. Possibly because a key thread from the novel is omitted. What we do get is a suspenseful adventure, with villains who are immediately dislikeable. There’s lots of sneaking around, often at night, accompanied by plenty of well-chosen library music. Bottom line: it works because if you are in the woods and there’s someone watching you, it’s frightening. 9/10

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I'm about to watch Famous Five 2x09 "Five Run Away Together" https://trakt.tv/shows/the-famous-five/seasons/2/episodes/9 #TheFamousFive #trakt
Five Run Away Together

Who's been on George's island? And what is locked in the mysterious trunk hidden on Kirrin Island? The Famous Five think they're on the trail of smugglers - until they hear a child scream ...

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A little reminder for all the females out there, today is Persons Day in Canada.
In 1929 the Canadian courts decided a woman is a person.

"Though this decision did not include all women, such as Indigenous women and women of Asian heritage and descent, it did mark critical progress in the advancement of gender equality in Canada."

And the Conservatives are trying to take us back to that dark and stupid situation before 1929.

#PersonsDay #Canada #Women #TheFamousFive

https://www.canada.ca/en/women-gender-equality/commemorations-celebrations/womens-history-month/persons-day.html

Persons Day - Canada.ca

In the latest blog post I’m presenting my favourite adaptation of Enid Blyton’s Famous Five books - the 1978 series produced by Southern Television.

https://grammaticus.blog/2025/08/12/retro-tv-the-famous-five/

#retro #TV #thefamousfive #enidblyton #blog #1970s

Enid Blyton, born #OTD in 1897. Her children's books remain timeless classics!

In this post, originally written in 2022, you can read about her celebrated book series, The Famous Five:
https://grammaticus.blog/2022/09/26/the-famous-five/

Have you read her books or seen any of the TV adaptations? Let me know!

#enidblyton #englishteacher #englishliterature #childrensbooks #thefamousfive

I GOT A BAG OF THE BOOKS THAT SHAPED MY CHILDHOOD!!!

It's so pretty
😭

#EnidBlyton #TheFamousFive #LosCinco
I'm watching The Famous Five 2x01 "Mystery at the Prospect Hotel" https://trakt.tv/shows/the-famous-five-2023/seasons/2/episodes/1 #TheFamousFive #trakt
The Famous Five 2x01 "Mystery at the Prospect Hotel"

It’s summer 1940 and the Five are reunited at a grand hotel on Cragstone Ridge. An old foe, Thomas Wentworth, awaits them as he needs their help. Wentworth has seen into the future and foretells the murder of famous jazz singer Cab Vee, who is visiting the hotel. With a host of likely suspects, each with their own motive, can the Five figure out who is trying to kill him?

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Game of Thrones star unrecognizable in first TV appearance on BBC's The Famous Five

YouTube
Meet THE FIVE! The Famous Five | CBBC

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