Princess Poem Query

[peace355]

I've had the following query on my site and I wondered if anyone could help:


"please could you help me. Princess comic ran a competition for a Halloween Poem and the prize was a necklace{ A long chain with an orb and small chains falling from it}. It was round about 1965-66. I won the competition but when I married my comic and Annual were thrown out.
I am now a grandmother whose grandchildren love Halloween. I love cross stitch and would love to embroider my original Halloween poem as a keep sake for them. The poem started;

October the 31st is the date when revelry takes place ……..

the rest of the poem included;

Witches on their broomsticks fast ………
riding past ……..
Ghosts and Goblins ride the range ……….

Unfortunately I can’t remember the rest and wondered if anyone could help me. My name was Jill Phillips and I remember the poem being published in the Christmas Annual [ black cover with a ballerina on the front}.

It would be amazing if someone out there could point me in the right direction or even know where I could purchase the relevant comic or Annual."

I think that she is mixing the annual cover up as Princess Annuals didn't have a Ballerina cover that I know of. I have Judy annuals 1969/1970 that had a ballerina on a black background but I checked these and no such poem in those. I don't have any Princess annuals so I wander can anyone help out with it? Thanks in advance!

[colcool007]

Sorry, I don't have any Princess comics or annuals myself to help either.

[stevezodiac]

I have the 1968 Princess annual, if I can find it I'll have look through it. Princess did publish Ballet annuals but according to the gallery they started in 1968 (for 1969 annual).

[philcom55]

The Princess (later Princess Tina) Ballet books started in 1961, but I've never really bothered with them as the pictorial content was mostly photographic (unlike the excellent Horse & Pony Annuals). I think I have one or two Halloween issues of the weekly however so I'll see if I can dig them out.

[Tammyfan]

I think I have seen the annual around but never picked it up.

[stevezodiac]

I found some 1965 copies of Princess last night and the ones I have for March to May had a poetry competition in them and had a page of readers' poems each week. A couple were adjacent to ballet pages so your person with the query is probably remembering things slightly wrongly. Not surprising considering the 50 years that have elapsed. I have some more Princesses in the wardrobe and will dig them out tonight.

[philcom55]

Presumably this is the poem Jill was looking for. I have to say that the readers' poems, stories and pictures printed in the 'My Magazine' section of Princess during that period were remarkably imaginative!

[Tammyfan]

Oh wow, where did it appear and when?

[stevezodiac]

Great I don't have to root around in the wardrobe now. "Princess and My Magazine" was late 60s wasn't it? I have a couple of earlier Princess Ballet books that are not in the gallery - is it worth submitting them considering my last submissions to the loading bay weren't used?

[Phoenix]

Well done, Phil. In fairness, though, the lady will want to know the issue number and date so that she can track a copy down, perhaps from 30th Century Comics.

[philcom55]

The issue is dated for the week ending Saturday June 11. During that period they didn't list the year for some reason but I think it must have been 1966 (the cover shows a girl eating an ice cream cornet).

[stevezodiac]

Yes the year isn't on the front cover. I think for my copies I had to look at page two for the date printed across the top of the page. Or it was in a box on page two? Very annoying though. I'll see if I have that issue - happy to donate it.

[peace355]

Thanks very much, I'm sure she will be delighted. It is quite an imaginative poem, I can see why she'd like to have it.

[Phoenix]

The issue is dated for the week ending Saturday June 11.

30th Century Comics have that issue in stock, in Good condition for £3. They open for business at 10.30 every day, except Sunday when they are closed. Their phone number is 0208 788 2052.

[peace355]

Well Jill was happy to see the poem her reply was:

"I can’t thank you and Philcom 55 enough for this amazing find.

I have been trying to track this poem down for the last 41 years. I am so grateful. I was devastated when I found my mum had thrown it out.

Your have made one grandmother of two very happy indeed. I am now going to cross stitch a Halloween keepsake sampler for them.

Thank you both once again for your help.

jill"