I don’t usually review children’s books on my blog, but in my new series of Childhood Memories posts I’ll be spotlighting some of my favourite authors from my childhood, many of whom seem to have been largely forgotten today. In this first post I’m remembering Ursula Moray Williams.
Ursula Moray Williams was born in Hampshire, England on April 19, 1911. Throughout her career she wrote nearly 70 children’s books including Adventures of the Little Wooden Horse, Gobbolino the Witch’s Cat and The Good Little Christmas Tree. She died on October 17, 2006, having had one of the longest publishing careers of any children’s author.
Author Trivia:
- Ursula had an identical twin sister called Barbara.
- Her uncle, Sir Stanley Unwin, was the founder of the George Allen and Unwin publishing house, who published J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit in 1937.
- She married Peter John in 1935 – he was the great-grandson of the poet Robert Southey.
Ursula Moray Williams obituary from The Independent
Wikipedia entry with bibliography
Gobbolino the Witch’s Cat was one of my favourite books as a child. I had a copy at home, but I remember reading it at school as well (where we also learned a song to go with the book – no, I’m not going to sing it for you! I was able to find the lyrics, though.)
Gobbolino is a witch’s kitten, but unlike his sister Sootica who enjoys learning magic spells and flying a broomstick, he dreams of becoming an ordinary kitchen cat. When the witch notices that Gobbolino has blue eyes and one white paw (apparently a witch’s cat should be black with green eyes), she abandons him and he sets off alone in search of a warm fire and a family who will love him. In quick succession, Gobbolino attempts to become a farmhouse cat, an orphanage cat, a show cat, a ship’s cat, a princess’s cat and a woodcutter’s cat – but every time he thinks he’s found the perfect home, his new owners discover that he’s really a witch’s cat and ask him to leave.
“Oh, why was I born a witch’s cat? Oh, why?” thought Gobbolino when at last they were out of sight. “I could wish for nothing better than a home with such kind and pleasant people as these, but no! Everyone turns against me, and oh my goodness, what is to become of me now?”
Gobbolino is such a lovable, kindhearted character it would be almost impossible not to like him and to want him to find the happy home he’s been wishing for!
Adventures of the Little Wooden Horse was published in 1938, a few years before Gobbolino, and was a very similar story. The little wooden horse is a toy who doesn’t want to be sold, preferring to remain with his creator, Uncle Peder the toymaker. When Uncle Peder becomes ill, the little wooden horse is forced to go out into the world and attempt to make his fortune – while dreaming of the day when he and the toymaker will be reunited.
Although I loved these books I used to think they were very sad, and would cry every time Gobbolino or the Little Wooden Horse had to leave yet another potential home – though I didn’t find them quite as sad when I re-read them this week in preparation for writing this post! I think these books would be perfect bedtime stories because of the way they are structured with each chapter being a complete little story in itself.
Have you read any of Ursula Moray Williams’ books – or have you read them to your children?
She Reads Novels 
Never heard of these books. Thanks so much for sharing.
I don’t think she was very well-known outside the UK unfortunately. It’s sad that her books weren’t more popular.
I love children’s literature and love hearing about classics I might have missed out on growing up – such as these. Thank you for bringing them to my attention!
I love classic children’s literature too but don’t often take the time to read children’s books anymore. I’m planning to share some more of my favourites in future posts.
Oh I loved Gobbolino! I remember these stories used to be on the brilliant Storyteller tapes. Thanks for reminding me.
I’m glad I could bring back some good memories for you! I don’t think I ever heard the Storyteller tapes, though.
I’ve been hunting for this story for so long – remembered the story from Storyteller tapes but never really knew what I was searching for. Thanks for helping me, now I can read the stories to my own little girl…. 🙂
I hope your little girl will enjoy them, Jayne. I’m glad I could help!
Storyteller are available on you tube.
hi, my name is jafar khanduzi. I live in iran. I love ” Ursula Moray Williams” and her books. but I want her photos, do you have? because I want traslate her book “Gobbolino, the Witch’s Cat” to persian in iran.
Hi Jafar. Sorry but I don’t have any photos of Ursula Moray Williams, and I can’t find any online. Good luck with translating Gobbolino. 🙂
Sorry I can’t be more helpful!
I loved this book when I was little and now I have a 5 year old son I was looking to get a copy so that I could read it ti him. It was the orange cover I remember so well and not the story so much so I can’t wait to get a copy and start reading it to him
Yes, the orange cover is very memorable! I hope you’re able to find a copy and that your son loves it as much as you and I did.
Fans of Ursula Moray Williams might be interested to hear that to mark the 80th anniversary of her birth we’re running a number of related events at Hampshire Record Office, Winchester in the next few weeks. Go to our website for more info. http://www.hants.gov.uk/archives
Storyteller – The ultimate in read-along introductions to literature for us young’uns!!
Thanks to Storyteller, we were exposed to so many of the classic stores, albeit in child-friendly guises, as well as the now unmistakable voices of various celebrities.
If ever you voiced a Storyteller, you were cool – Brian Blessed, Sheila Hancock, Bernie Cribbins, Richard Briers, Hayley Mills, Joss Ackland, Joanna Lumley, Carole Boyd, Diana Rigg, Ian Holm, Tim Curry, Tom Baker and even Derek Jacobi!!
I can stil remember the theme tune of Gobbolino.
How lovely to read all those memories of a few of the classics by Ursula Moray Williams, an extraordinary and inspirational person, born exactly 100 years ago. As it happens, I wrote that Wikipedia entry about her, and my biography has just been published by Northumbria (University) Press, called Through the Magic Door: Ursula Moray Williams, Gobbolino and the Little Wooden Horse, £18.99 hardback. I will be talking at Cheltenham and Newcastle Literature Festivals and elsewhere in October. I have photographs that I’d be happy to send to anyone who contacts me at colin.davison@hotmail.co.uk, and can provide signed copies of the biography for £16 + postage.