I have an irrational love for John Finnemore’s Teddy Lester books. First published in the early 20th century, they were republished in the 1950s. My dad won some as school prizes, and I completed the collection on TradeMe (New Zealand’s Ebay).
They follow Teddy Lester and his friends at a posh English boarding school. This was a popular fiction format at the time – it was absent from the literary mainstream for years until JK Rowling revived it for Harry Potter.
Teddy and his friends – Ito Nagao from Japan, and the short-sighted Bat – play cricket and rugby. They’re hounded by different ruffians each year. Almost every volume ends with the ruffians being publicly caned and expelled.
There’s no denying that the Teddy Lester books are amusingly dated in places. Here are some prime excerpts:
“Well, Baldwin,” went on Slater gently. “I’ve seen some low beasts in my time, but you’re an easy winner over the worst of them.”
“A very easy winner,” echoed Bayliss. “Baldwin, you’re simply indescribable. You make a decent man’s gorge rise.”
Three School Chums
Despite some dubious language in the next excerpt, Ito Nagao became Teddy Lester’s most reliable wingman. He was the wicketkeeper in the cricket XI and the scrum half in the rugby team:
“I wonder what he’ll be like!” said Teddy. “Those Japs are a jolly queer lot, Arthur!”
“Rather!” said Digby. “You never know what they’ll do next.”
His First Term
“So he is!” said Gibson in a tone of savage enjoyment. “Now you just see me knock the white-faced squinting beast into the middle of next week!”
Teddy Lester’s Chums
More than the racism and the sexism (it’s not surprising that an all-boys school lacks female characters), the classism is the most shocking part, a century later:
“Ay, I will that,” cried the rustic, delighted with the idea of another sixpence to spend upon beer.
Teddy Lester’s Chums
Finnemore’s dialogue is full of life, but it almost feels like a different language.
“Why, that confounded ass Cheriton is rotting away in his greasiest style.”
Teddy Lester’s Schooldays
Teddy continued to struggle against the great unwashed….
It was a [fishing!] rod he had greatly prized. And now he had just recognised this lovely little tool in the grimy hands of Stumpy. What did it mean?
Teddy Lester in the Fifth
“I see! I see! This is all very interesting,” murmured Frank, watching his old enemy disrobe. “I’m glad I came, I take an interest in Huntley.”
Teddy Lester, Captain of Cricket
As well as grappling with a lion and defeating a crack adult rugby team with his school XV, Teddy Lester even foiled a WWI German plot.
“Now, my merry Hun,” said Teddy. “I’m going to count to ten, and then, if you haven’t chucked the revolver away by that time, I’m going to let you have it straight in your large tummy. I’ve chosen that spot, not only because it’s a stunning good mark, but also because a chap in O.T.C. told me that it’s a nailing good spot simply to paralyse a cove.”
Teddy Lester, Captain of Cricket
Have you ever heard of Teddy Lester? Do you have any favourites from the era?
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I never heard of the Teddy Lester books, but being from the states, that’s not surprising. Over here, the Hardy Boys books, featuring two adolescent detectives, were popular. I read about 5 of them. Can’t remember if the language was “off color” or not – probably was – but it was a long time ago.
I didn’t realise the Hardy Boys were so old (1927). Wikipedia says “From 1959 to 1973, the first 38 books were extensively revised to remove social and ethnic stereotypes, modernize content, and shorten the books.”
Thanks for researching this. I got my first HB book in 1966 when I turned 8. Probably read it a year or two later. I only recently learned that the “author,” Franklin W. Dixon, was actually a team of writers.
There was a series equivalent for girls, the Nancy Drew mysteries, which my wife enjoyed.
Yeah, those both made it to NZ. I enjoyed the Three Investigators, a similar vein but a bit later.
I’d never heard of this series, but some of those quotes are hilarious. As if someone were writing a parody and trying to cram it full of innuendo. I used to read the Jennings and Derbyshire series, again set in a public school, but I think it was lighter, more comic in tone.
It’s certainly all not innuendo – just a combination of 100 years of language evolution and picking out the worst bits.
I approve of calling someone a cove
Thanks for the comment, guv!
You are welcome Chap
I heard of Teddy Lester vaguely and now you have me interested.
I like his descriptions of down-to-the-wire rugby and cricket games.
Never heard of Teddy.
Yeah, he was huge in the UK 110 years ago, but I’d be amazed if any American readers had heard of him.
I haven’t heard of Teddy…I only remember two series I read…the Hardy Boys…also I read some “Little House on the Prairie” books about a family settling on the prairie in the late 1800s.
I’ve never read Little House on the Prairie, but they were still around when I was a kid. I don’t think Teddy Lester made it into America – it’s very British.
I can’t believe I never came across it while reading about that era there.