Richmal Crompton's "Just William" Quiz

Answer: The Outlaws

The four boys were always getting into trouble of some sort. They more often than not came home covered in mud and dirt and got thorough ear-bashings from their long-suffering mothers. But sometimes they genuinely meant well; e.g. they once prepared a play for an aunt's birthday.

But on the day, William and his friends saw half the town going into the town hall and wrongly assumed everyone was going in there by mistake expecting to see their play. They quickly stepped onto the stage, and put on their marvelous comedy show. Everyone laughed.

It annoyed several prominent town members whom William impersonated (not realising they were in the audience and that the birthday girl was NOT) and one Professor Smith who was supposed to be lecturing on Ancient Egypt. Once Professor Smith's sponsors explained the situation to William and the boys, they blushed, hurried across to the old barn (where the birthday girl was waiting patiently) telling the audience they would resume the play over there, and Professor Smith sighed and finally started his lecture.

But one minute later, most of his audience had left to visit the old barn.

Answer: William Shakespeare

Just William's author usually wrote collections of short stories, but this was the first actual novel about the little terror. Two of William's friends had simultaneously tried to get their older brothers to marry William's sister. After they had failed, embarrassed themselves, and got thrown off the premises, another friend remarked he'd read a book about two men in love with same woman.

A man called "Shakespeare" had written it. William said "Let's write to him and ask him what to do." William and company were not terribly bright.

After the friend had pointed out Shakespeare was actually dead, they came across a sleeping tramp who looked dead. One boy muttered "P'raps it's Shakespeare?"

Answer: Hubert

Hubert Lane was William's arch-enemy. He had his own gang of boys and they frequently made William's life miserable and vice versa. Ginger was William's best friend and Henry and Douglas were regular companions. Douglas was my favourite character - until I became a teenager and shortened my name to "Doug"!

Answer: Brown

In retrospect, his creator probably gave him that surname because he frequently came home dirty, muddy and untidy and was sent straight upstairs by his mother to have a bath!

Answer: Jumble

Even though Jumble featured in the first book, William meets and adopts the lovable little mongrel several books later. The stories were not always printed in chronological order.

Answer: 11 - 12

Although the series of books lasted nearly 50 years, neither William, his friends, his family (or their dog) ever got any older!

Answer: Lancashire

Richmal Crompton wrote "William" stories for most of her life. She never had any children of her own, but her boy William is still remembered today in parts of England. She also wrote similar books about a boy called Jimmy. I never read them, but they are said to have been about a boy similar to our hero.

Answer: False

Poor William's school holidays were being ruined by his father's "friend", one Mr. Faulkner. A rotund, jovial, talkative gentleman who had invited himself to stay, and whom William's father was too polite to tell to "buzz off" (or ruder equivalents). One night William burst into the living room saying a leopard had just escaped from the local circus. His father quickly put a shotgun into the hands of their guest (who had just been boasting about shooting leopards in Africa), ushered him out the door, wished him luck, closed the door, and said to his wife "At last! We'll get some peace tonight for once."
Poor Mr. Faulkner (who had never been to Africa in his life) actually stayed in the garden all night. He had not intended to go very far...but then he heard animal growls and snarls and leapt onto the roof of the nearest greenhouse. He stayed there all night moaning "Oh! Oh, my holy aunt!"
When daylight finally came he saw the leopard in the rosebushes and shot at it! He was very pleased with himself, but when everyone came to investigate...it was the leopard-skin rug from the sitting room! Then William revealed (looking innocent) that he had put it out the previous night because it looked stuffy, and that he'd played around the greenhouse later that night. So Mr. Faulkner must have heard HIM, instead.
Soon William's father learns there is no circus or escaped leopard at all. But William can't apologise to Mr. Faulkner because the latter (looking rather pale) suddenly leaves, thinking the leopard is still at large. Instead of punishing his son, his father pats him on the head and gives him some money to spend at the sweet shop.

Answer: A girl William didn't like

Violet Elizabeth's wealthy parents owned the famous Bott's Digestive Sauce. Whenever their daughter tried to play with William and company, or join their various misdemeanors, she usually got her way by saying "I'll scweam and scweam and scwean till I'm thick!" (The poor child had something of a lisp.)

Answer: Ethel

Ethel was a stunningly pretty redhead with lots of male admirers. She did not think much of her younger brother, but one time he accidentally helped her get a part in the local play. Ethel had a bad cold, and when William saw her secretly taking cough medicine...he thought she was an alcoholic! He told the mothers of the other girls auditioning, and they stormed out, taking their daughters with them. So Ethel got the part by default!

Answer: All these things

When he says his name is William she says "Ah! Oh course! You were named after him." William had come across the young woman crying in her car. She was trying to find Shakespeare's birthplace and had gotten lost. William told her she was already there, just to cheer her up.

After spending the afternoon giving her a "guided tour" she gave him 10 shillings - which would probably be worth 150 U.S. Dollars these days!

Answer: Robert

Robert was 20 - 21 (never aging in the 50 years of the "Just William" series) and had as little to do with his annoying younger brother as possible. One day he told William he would only lend him something if he could produce "The Bishop's handkerchief" (the old man was visiting their village that week). William didn't realise he was being teased so went out to search for the old man.

The Bishop actually DID end up given William a handkerchief when the latter fell and hurt himself. When William handed the prize over the older brother, Robert naturally thought William had pinched it and turned rather pale.

Answer: Walking in followed by rats

A week before the competition William decided to hold his own "Rat Week". He had heard of Bird Week and thought it was unfair not to help rats in the same way. So he caught about half a dozen and secretly sheltered and fed them in cages in his parents' garden shed.

Then, after the week was over, he grudgingly stopped going out to the shed and let his mother dress him up like Dick Whittington for the party. However, it had not occurred to William that the rats were still there and would want feeding. So, when their owner never showed up, they chewed their way out of their cages, escaped into the garden, saw William heading off dressed like a 15th century traveler, and followed him. William did not notice his "trained" pets behind him, so when he entered the town hall he wondered why everyone was screaming, jumping onto tables and comparing him to the Pied Piper of Hamlin.

But at least he won first prize!

Answer: False

The short story "William and the Nasties" was written and set in 1935. At that time Hitler had come to power and William mispronounced the name of his thugs (though grown-ups acknowledged it was still an appropriate name!). William and company were only interested in anti-semitism because the local sweet shop owner, one Mr. Isaacs, was their enemy and they wanted him to leave town.

But one night, they inadvertently saved a bound-and-gagged Mr. Isaacs from being robbed and he forgave them for all misunderstandings.

As a reward he let the four boys carry home as much confectionery as they could carry! (N.B. when this book was written Hitler was not being taken too seriously and the holocaust hadn't happened yet, so one cannot call this story or William's opinions racist).

Answer: Fur thief

William and The Outlaws wanted Mr. Tonks to move away for several reasons; e.g. he was rude to William's mother at the post office, he banged the boys' heads together when he caught them in his backyard, and they wanted his house empty so William's older brother could move into it.

They sneaked into his house, hid inside suits of armour and caused other mischief. He woke up, saw the armour moving, thought the house was haunted and ran for his life! When the police arrived and found the stolen furs, they gave the boys a lift home in style.