More Elegance - from the illustrations of Leonard Shields

Morcove.  That high class girls boarding school, situated on a cliff top in North Devon, was the creation of Horace Phillips (Marjorie Stanton).  To bring the school, the countryside and its inhabitants to life, was the task of the illustrator, Leonard Shields.  And so, he did.

Note:  Bold Italics denotes the source of the illustration and the name of the serialised Morcove story in The Schoolgirls’ Own.  The Schoolgirls’ Own has been abbreviated to SO.

In the November 2006 issue, I wrote about Leonard Shields, and his, to me, apparent fascination with clutch bags.  Nearly all of his women carried a clutch bag.  Even some of the Morcove girls themselves.  Out on the wind swept moors, Mrs Josiah Grandways, the mother of Cora, and also Judith until Judy finds out her true parentage, is holding her clutch bag.  They are looking for a particular object belonging to Madge Minden’s Father that was stolen.  Mr Grandways, up to his neck as usual with improper dealings, was involved in this story. SO 540-543, Madge Minden’s Father’s Secret.

Since researching and reading more stories since the last article, many more illustrations of clutch bags have appeared.  Particularly outstanding is the illustration of Pam Willoughby in evening attire, before she begins her daring masquerade. SO 727-730, Pam Willoughby Masquerade in London. Even when Hetty Curzon first comes to Morcove, she also has her clutch bag. SO 548-552, Hetty Curzon, Deceitful New Girl.

Leonard Shields seemed to like tall women.  All of his subjects are tall, which gives greater emphasis on the clothing they wore.  The 1920’s dresses for one.  Servants, such as Edna Morgan, who appeared at Morcove School and whose main aim was to strike at Pam Willoughby and her family.  This was in retaliation for the Willoughby’s having to let the Morgans go for undesirable behaviour whilst in the Willoughbys’ employ.   SO’s 445-452, Pam’s Problem With the Morgan Family, SGOL 685

I love the way he dresses his women exquisitely.  That is the only way they can be described.  Look at the beautiful dresses worn by the women in SO 598-602, Morcove’s Treasure Island Holiday.

In The Schoolgirls’ Own 512 (Part of 509-514, Morcove on the Films): Mrs Helder got up.  Standing, she looked the very quintessence of feminine grace, her tall and slender figure not so much dressed, as it were, as beautifully draped.  Judith had never seen a lovelier afternoon frock; and yet it was neither elaborate nor costly.

Even when people are ill and confined to bed, there is a serenity and grace about the illustrations.  Pam Willoughby is the patient here, having been thrown off her horse at Swanlake.  Pam, during her time at Morcove is the subject of many underhanded  actions.  Here, she is the subject of an attack by Zillah Raine, an American newcomer to Morcove.  SO 788-791, Zillah Raine.

This next illustration shows Cora Grandways, Hetty Curzon and Joyce Marshall during their illicit evening at Gorselands Manor, the home of Joyce Marshall.  Joyce featured quite regularly in the Morcove stories, although not a Morcove pupil.  Miss Somerfield disapproved of Joyce entirely, and thought her too racy, and not a desirable girl for her Morcove girls to associate with.  However, Cora and Hetty in particular find Joyce amusing and congenial.  Perhaps because there was a little of Cora and Hetty in Joyce herself. Splendid deportment, wonderful dresses and so much elegance. SO 548-552, Hetty Curzon, Deceitful New Girl.