Memories of Bunty

My favourite comic when I was a child was Bunty. It was published by the same folk who created The Beano and The Dandy: D.C. Thompson.

Bunty was in cartoon form and many of the stories were in serial format. One that was in it week after week was 'The Four Marys'. It was about four girls, surprisingly all called Mary, who went to a private school called, St. Elmos. If my memory is correct, three Marys were middle class, but one was a mere working class kid. They appeared to have a fantastic time - all jolly hockey sticks and midnight feasts. The headmistress was a stuck up snooty old crone who liked nothing better than to ruin their fun. But I could be wrong that memory might be of 'Pastry Face' the cookery teacher at my old school. Don't think she ever forgave me for once almost burning the cookery lab down! When she was judging our scones she picked one of mine off the plate, inspected it thoroughly, then dropped it back down again. "What's that? A rock cake!" she declared in front of the sniggering horde.

But I digress, back to Bunty...

On the back page of the comic was a cut out paper doll with various outfits. Party Bunty, Girl around Town Bunty, Holiday Bunty... She was a one dimensional, puritanical, virginal version of Barbie. Only a lot cheaper, in the nicest sense of the word, of course.

One story I remember well was about huge red balloons. Whoever bought one drifted up, up and away into the clouds, taken to another land far away. I loved that story and the concept, so much so, I ended up on top of the tip with my best friend and a bunch of balloons as we willed them to take us away. It didn't happen of course, but if it had, I might not be here typing this!

I loved Mondays as that was the day when me and my brother got home from school and there, in my gran's living room, on top of her sideboard next to the china dog, was a copy of Bunty for me and a copy of The Beano for my brother along with a bar of chocolate each. Bliss.