The Tom Merry's Annual.

Tom Merry's annual appeared for the first time in 1949 and was published until 1954. The issue from 1949 was called 'The Tom Merry Annual', subsequent publications were called 'Tom Merry's Own'. You can find full details of the contents in the publications section of  The Greyfriars Index

Jack Free in Tom Merry's Annual

One of the characters featured in Tom Merry's Own was that of Jack Free, AKA Jack Nobody. Hamilton wrote 8 Jack Free books but only three were published. Dr Peter McCall has managed to trace the missing manuscripts and has received permission from the estate of Charles Hamilton to publish all 8 books. Christmas 2011 marks the 50th anniversary of Hamilton's death and it is hoped that these books will make a fitting tribute to the occasion. Further details will be made available on the Friars Club website at http://www.friarsclub.net/.

You can read an interesting article on Jack Free from the 1990 CDA here.

Jack Free stories also appeared in Billy Bunter's Own

Grimslade in Tom Merry's Annual

A Grimslade tale from the Tom Merry Annual of 1949 is available, click on the link in the table below to read or download.

Grimslade stories originally appeared in the Ranger with much of the content being reprinted in the Schoolboys Own Library.

Very little appeared in the CD on Grimslade, all I could find was one of Roger Jenkins 'Do You Remember' articles covering the Schoolboys Own Library  issue 232, you can read it here.

Carcroft in Tom Merry's Annual

4 stories were published in Tom Merry's Own and Tom Merry's Annual from 1949-1954, click on the links in the table below to read or download.

Carcroft School also featured in 'The Silver Jacket' and 'Hutchinson's Pie'.

Rio Kid in the Tom Merry's Own

Only two Rio Kid stories appeared in Tom Merry's Own, click on the links in the table below to read or download.

To quote Eric Fayne "Nothing better ever appeared in the Popular or any other paper for that matter. The Rio Kid stories were grand. Completely convincing, geographically correct to the last detail, original in plot and full of thrills these wild west tales had unforgettable charm". For the 1952 Collectors Digest annual Eric Fayne wrote an article on the roamings of the Rio Kid. Charles Hamilton wrote to the CD to say it was the best article he had ever read. The article was reprinted in the CD annual some 35 years later and you can read it here.

The Rio Kid also made an appearance in the Popular, Ranger, Modern Boy, Boys Friend Library, Billy Bunter's Own and Tom Merry's Own.