Just William: A Second BBC Radio Collection

Richmal Crompton

Jun 2018 · BBC Digital Audio · Narrated by Martin Jarvis

About this audiobook

A second wonderful collection of Just William stories, selected and read by Martin Jarvis

Richmal Crompton's stories featuring irrepressible schoolboy William Brown have been firm favourites with both young and old for decades. Perpetually scruffy, mud-stained and mischievous, he is a lovable scamp whose pranks usually end in disaster - for his harassed elders at least.

With friends Ginger, Douglas and Henry (the Outlaws) and the angelic thorn-in-his-side, the lisping Violet Elizabeth Bott, William has rightly joined the literary, and radio, immortals.

Musical Theme: Won't You Be My Ginger? composed and performed by Richard Dworsky (piano) (c) 1995 Inner Vista Music (BMI)

The stories in this collection include:

That Boy
The Bishop's Handkerchief
William and Uncle George
The Haunted House
William and St Valentine
April Fool's Day
Not Much
The Cure
William's Wonderful Plan
The Outlaws and the Penknife
William the Reformer
William's New Year's Day
Aunt Florence and the Green Woodpecker
The Plan that Failed
William and the Begging Letter
A Question of Exchange
William and the Temporary History Teacher
The Outlaws and the Tramp
A Few Dogs and William
The Outlaws and the Missionary
William the Good
William and the Young Man
William and the Spy
William and the Badminton Racket
William Turns Over a New Leaf
William and Dear Little Peter
William and the Waxwork Prince
William and the White Cat
William and Photography
The Great Detective
The Fete - and Fortune
The Weak Spot
The Outlaws Go a-Mumming
William's Double Life
William to the Rescue
William the Film Star
William the Rat Lover
William the Showman
William And the Monster
William The Persian
The New Game
William and the Love Nest
The Cat And The Mouse
Waste Paper Wanted
William The Globe Trotter
William And The Prize Pig
A Present From William
A Night Of Mysteries
William and the Chinese God
William and the League of Perfect Love
Fireworks Strictly Prohibited
William the Psychiatrist
William Joins the Waits
Violet Elizabeth Takes Control
William - The Dear Little Boysie
William's Brilliant Plan
The Outlaws and Aunt Jo
Violet Elizabeth's Special Party

About the author

Richmal Crompton was born in Bury, Lancashire, in 1890. She was educated at St. Elphin's School and studied Classics at Royal Holloway College before becoming a schoolmistress. However, her teaching career was cut short by an attack of polio in 1923, which confined her to a wheelchair. She became a full-time author, and wrote over 40 books for adults, but she is best known for her hugely popular Just William books. William first appeared in 1919 in a short story for Home Magazine. The first collection featuring him was published in 1922, and he went on to star in 38 further books (the final one, William the Lawless, was published posthumously in 1970). They have sold over 12 million copies in the UK alone, been translated into nine languages and remain enduringly popular today.