Historical information

This is a book given as a prize to Allan Scarfe in 1942 when he was in Form One at Warrnambool High School. Allan Scarfe, spelled ‘Alan’ in the book inscription, died in 2016. He was a teacher at Warrnambool High School/College for a great number of years and was an author of note. He wrote several works of non-fiction in conjunction with his wife, Wendy, and several novels, mostly crime fiction.

Significance

This book is of interest because it belonged to Allan Scarfe, a resident of Warrnambool for many years, well-known as a teacher and a writer. It is also of interest as an example of the type of reading material favoured by young boys in the 1940s.

Physical description

This is a hard cover book of 224 pages. The cover is blue with black print on the front cover and spine and a sketch of a sailor on the spine. The dust cover is multi-coloured with sketches of scouts on the front cover and on the spine. The dust cover is ragged at the edges and torn at the bottom part of the spine. The dust cover also has lists of books published by Blackie’s Books. The book has several black and white plates scattered throughout the pages. The inscription on the first page is hand written in black ink.

Inscriptions & markings

‘Form 1, Warrnambool High School, 1942, Prize awarded to Alan Scarfe for 7th in Form, gift of Mr G.W. Clarke, R.W.Andrews, B.Sc., B.Ed. Headmaster.’