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| The Savery Sisters: Children of the Vicarage A little over one hundred years ago the Savery sisters, Winifred, Doreen, Christine, Phyllis, and Irene, posed for a seaside snapshot. < The Savery sisters, Winifred, Doreen, Christine, Phyllis, and Irene, as neatly haloed as a fond parent could wish (about 1906) > Winifred's "Forbidden Doors" received mixed reviews. Both the Times of London
Constance Winifred Savery (1897-1999) was Winifred at home, but Constance on the covers of over fifty books, beginning with "Forbidden Doors" in 1929 and ending with "Emma" in 1980. Her first story saw print in 1913 and her last poem in 1993. "The Memoirs of Jack Chelwood", which she considered to be her best novel, appeared posthumously in a private printing in 2004. She incorporated into "Jack" a three-line chant that she wrote when she was only eight, so that eventually, something she wrote in every decade of the 20th century was published.
Her books are distinguished by excellent dialogue, lively believable children, and endings that favour reconciliation over retribution. She had the novel talent of making good people interesting, especially in "Green Emeralds for the King" > Charlotte Brontë's name sold "Emma,"
Christine Charlotte Alexandra Savery (1902-1997) was less prolific an author than Winifred. Her second book, "The Raven Flew North" (1950) published by Stirling I mention particularly so that I can quote from the publisher's flyleaf: "Parents are advised, when giving their children this book, to arrange beforehand a definite understanding as to what constitutes a reasonable bedtime hour." A number of titles published by Lutterworth included "Aircraftman Poke" (1958), "The Far-Farers" (1960), "Camp Robber"(1962), "Journey with Mark" (1965), and "The Siege of Blackbrae" (1971). These were intended for 12 to 16-year-old boys and were signed 'Chris Savery.' Not a stay-at-home author, Christine, together with her older sister Irene, worked with the Sandes Soldiers and Airmen's Centres, which provide a Christian atmosphere for off-duty servicemen. Before you conjure up a picture of austere old maids serving tea, you should know that that the sisters were on duty in France and evacuated with the troops from Dunkirk! Both later received the M.B.E. for their service, Christine in > "The Raven Flew North" was by 'Christine.' Winifred and Christine attended the King Edward VI High School for Girls in Birmingham . Winifred featured the school in two of her books, "Danny and the Alabaster Box" (1937) and "Redhead at School" (1951) and a couple of short stories, and she commemorated composer Albert Gaul, who taught there, in a 1958 article for the Times of London. Both sisters did well at King Edward's - except in mathematics - and went on to Oxford, where Winifred graduated in 1920, the first year in which degrees were awarded to women, followed by Christine in 1924. Like Christine, Irene Edith Savery (1899-1960) inherited her mother's evangelical fervour and, as previously noted, followed it across the world. She was, according to Winifred, "...able to write, but chose not to." She did receive a one-pound prize in 1959 for an article entitled "Unfair to Tommy." On April 7, 1960 , Winifred wrote in her work diary, "Irene died, carissima, carissima." Irene was the first of the sisters to die and the only one that did not live beyond 70 years of age.
Doreen was born around 1905 and died about 1985. Like Irene and Christine, she was committed to Christian service, taught in Christian schools, was an enthusiastic leader in the Girl Guides, and went to western Canada as a Christian leader in the Caravan Mission. She wrote a best-selling Christian novel for Victory Press, "Sorrel's Secret" (1960), which is still pleasant reading and easily obtained used. "Colour-Blind" (1956) was another Victory title but I've not seen this. Writing for Victory Press presented some difficulties. They printed these instructions for prospective authors: Winifred's characters preached by example, and she went to considerable lengths to keep them from sounding like Sunday School teachers. Doreen, her mother's child, allowed her characters to speak candidly, although not >Papa John Manly's "The Book" is full of archeology and praise Phyllis Evelyn Mary Savery (1901-1978) was in poor health throughout a long life. A typical entry in Winifred's diary reads:"Jan. 18-about Feb. 17 [1957]. Phyl ill-influenza and laryngitis. Again very difficult to work." In addition to nursing her, Winifred often typed her many short stories and articles, which were published in a wide variety of periodicals. The diary mentions thirty-two pieces typed by Winifred between 1950 and 1965. Presumably Phyllis wrote others. Here, as a sample, are her titles for 1955: "Daffodil Country" "Letters of Gold" in the British Messenger; "Primrose Country" in the Marborough Times; "Wild Trehern Moor" in the Lily Library.
None of the sisters married, family tradition suggesting that potential husbands were lost in the Great War. They remained close, and a voluminous correspondence attests to their mutual affection. The letters retain childhood nicknames - Winifred was "Peter," Irene was "Tim," Phyllis was "Phyl" or, from her initials, "Pems," Christine was "Brown Rabbit" or some variant thereof, and Doreen was "Ging." When Winifred was 98 years old, she picked up the manuscript to " The Quicksilver Chronicles," a book she began in 1918 and had been altering to suit prospective editors for decades. No longer able to move except in a wheelchair, her eyesight deteriorated so that she could no longer read either what she was writing or her previous draft, she completed a new version of her story in three manuscript books, a total of 692 pages. It was a remarkable triumph of the will and a fitting climax to her career. < Winifred's "Quicksilver Chronicle" ends with a carol, "Cold Blows the Wind on Bethlehem 's Hill. She finished it fifty-one days before her 99th birthday.
Constance Savery Bibliography - (sourced from CBandM Yahoo Group) Stella and Rose's Books would like to thank Eric Schonblom for contributing this Article and Bibliography and for his kind permission to publish it here. For other articles please visit our archives. |
Their father, Rev. John Manly Savery, had exchanged livings at that time, leaving the flowering countryside of Froxfield in Wiltshire for a Birmingham parish, where there was a sooty garden but better schools and, presumably, an extra shilling or two at month's end. Even so, times were hard, and the oldest daughter, Winifred, wrote an unpublished account of how the fire was set ablaze in the hearth and the girls dressed in church finery for a visit from the bishop's wife. When the visitor sent word that she would not be there, the fire was raked out to save coal, the Sunday dresses were hung up again, and a special treat (oranges to be sucked through sugar cubes) was distributed. Inevitably, the distinguished visitor arrived after all to be greeted by sticky girls in a chilly parlour! 
(1938), "
1953 and Irene in 1957. 
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frequently, about their faith. 
