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Billy Bunter's Own (1953-1961)

Billy Bunter's Own was an attempt to capitalise on the undoubted success of the Bunter books published by Charles Skilton; and also to resurrect the pre World War 2 tradition of hardback annuals for children being bought as Christmas presents by fond relatives. The volumes were published in the September of the relevant year, and illustrated by C.H. Chapman. The first volume sold for 10/6, but all the subsequent volumes had fewer pages and sold for 8/6.

The first three annuals were published by Mandeville Publications and had distinctive yellow dust jackets; Mandeville also being responsible for the Tom Merry novels. Mandeville went out of business (or possibly moved out of the business of publishing Charles Hamilton's work) at some point in 1955/6 - there was no Annual for 1956 published. Spring Books took over publication of the Tom Merry series and Oxenhoath Press took over publication of Billy Bunter's Own. The volumes from 1957 on all had board picture covers as a consequence.

The stories from the annuals are now available to read on the Friardale site.

Year	Page	Title	Author
1953		Dust wrapper: Bunter the Champion! [Bunter in football gear being carried off the field by the team]
	6	Foreword	Frank Richards
	7	Greyfriars Who’s Who	Anon.
	9	Billy Bunter’s Christmas Box	Frank Richards
	92	Sport: FA Cup winning goal [b&w photo plate]
	93	Sport: a winning ski jump [b&w photo plate]
	98	Some typical incidents in the life of William George Bunter [illustration]	C.H. Chapman
	100	Billy Bunter’s letter home [poem]
	101	Treasure of Temooka [King of the Islands]	Charles Hamilton
	108	H.M.S. Vanguard [b&w photo plate]
	109	H.M.S. Bold Pioneer [b&w photo plate]
	125	The Ghost of Rookwood	Owen Conquest
	160	The Slackers of High Coombe [School for Slackers]	Charles Hamilton
	186	Foes of the Forest [Lyn Strong & Bobolobo]	Charles Hamilton
	194	Bunter Minor’s Birthday Cake	Frank Richards
1954		Dust wrapper: [Bunter and three Removites tobogganing]
		Quiet! I Feel Sure I’m Going to Catch Something in a minute [b&w plate]	C.H. Chapman
	6	Foreword	Frank Richards
	7	The Right Thing	Frank Richards
	16	An attack by pirates? … [b&w photo plate]	Anon.
	17	Looking like giant gulls … [b&w photo plate]	Anon.
	87	What Happened to Snooks [poem]	Frank Richards
	90	Six For Sammy!	Frank Richards
	98	Jack and Jill [Jack of All Trades]	Frank Richards
	106	The Fathead of Felgate [Felgate]	Frank Richards
	117	Shanghai-ed [King of the Islands]	Charles Hamilton
	145	Bessie Bunter’s Big Idea	Hilda Richards
1955		Dust wrapper: Bunter the Hunter! [Bunter falling off a horse]
		Captain William Morgan Bunter (1750 perhaps) [b&w plate]	C.H. Chapman
	5	Wibley to the Rescue	Frank Richards
	77	Bessie Bunter’s Big Bang	Hilda Richards
	85	Good Old Skip [Felgate]	Frank Richards
	98	A Near Thing for Bundle [Dolcot]	Frank Richards
	104	Too Good to Be True	Frank Richards
	113	Bobolobo’s Leap [Lyn Strong & Bobolobo]	Charles Hamilton
	121	A Spread For Sammy	Frank Richards
1957		Cover illustration: Billy Bunter goes sailing [Bunter and Removites on a small sailing boat]
	3	Contents
	5	The Disappearance of Billy Bunter	Frank Richards
	100	Billy Bunter’s Boundary	Frank Richards
	111	Fireworks at Felgate [Felgate]	Frank Richards
	122	Just Like Bessie Bunter	Hilda Richards
1958		Cover illustration: Bunter comes a cropper [Bunter falling off a bicycle]
		The Fat Owl rolled into an armchair [colour plate]	C.H. Chapman
	3	Contents
	5	Who Wants Bunter?	Frank Richards
	16	Bunter! You will take 50 lines… [colour plate]	C.H. Chapman
	31	French Leave	Frank Richards
	54	The Greyfriars’ Ventriloquist	Frank Richards
	74	The Deep End	Frank Richards
	89	Billy Bunter Owns Up	Frank Richards
	106	Lucky for Lovell [Rookwood]	Owen Conquest
	129	Something for Sammy	Frank Richards
1959		Cover illustration: Billy Bunter goes hunting [Bunter on horseback jumping a wall]
		Billy Bunter goes hunting [colour plate]	C.H. Chapman
	3	Contents
	5	Was It Bunter?	Frank Richards
	42	Bunter Turns the Key	Frank Richards
	64	Circus Luck [Jack of All Trades]	Frank Richards
	86	Lovell Knows Best [Rookwood]	Owen Conquest
	102	Awful for Aubrey [School for Slackers]	Charles Hamilton
	116	Just Skip [Felgate]	Frank Richards
	125	Sammy’s Snowball	Frank Richards
	132	Bessie Bunter in Luck	Hilda Richards
1960		Cover illustration: Bunter catches a crab [Bunter bathing at the seaside, with a crab gripping his toe]
		Billy Bunter catches a crab [colour plate]
	1	Coker’s Christmas Pudding	Frank Richards
	47	Hard Lines	Frank Richards
	72	At the Eleventh Hour [Lyn Strong and Bobolobo]	Charles Hamilton
	92	Skip's Stratagem [Felgate]	Frank Richards
	102	Compton's Catch [School for Slackers]	Charles Hamilton
	112	The Rio Kid Horns In [Rio Kid]	Ralph Redway
1961		Cover illustration: Just see what we have got for you this time [Bunter brothers cooking]
	1	Just see what we have got for you this time [plate]	C.H. Chapman
	3	Contents
	5	Brainy Bunter	Frank Richards
	59	Both Bunters and a Box	Frank Richards
	78	Home For the Hols	Frank Richards
	94	A Rookwood Rag [Rookwood]	Owen Conquest
	106	One Good Turn [Jack of All Trades]	Frank Richards
	115	Surprise For Sammy	Frank Richards
	123	Unexpected [Felgate]	Frank Richards

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