Stories Of Lady Penelope When She Was A Girl: Penelope, 1968

Stories Of Lady Penelope When She Was A Girl: Penelope, 1968

The Preview Panel From Issue 126

Issue 126 of Penelope (dated June 15th 1968) had a black and white, half-page preview for a new series starting the following week. The picture showed a young girl on the platform of a monorail station, and the text read: 'Do you recognise this girl? Note the fair hair, the turned-up nose. The face is somehow familiar? It should be - because it's Lady Penelope herself - when she was nine years old!' The front page of the following week's issue had the same image as used for the preview, but now it was coloured and had the banner headline, 'Begins Today...Stories Of Lady Penelope When She Was A Girl. And so began a series of stories which would show us Lady Penelope before she became a secret agent.

Are they believable as the early life of Penelope Creighton-Ward? That depends on what the reader expects. If that expectation is of a futuristic world in which Penny, despite being nine years old, thwarts the devious machinations of evil megalomaniacs, then the answer must be no. If, on the other hand, the reader is looking for a girl who might, through character and circumstance, one day become the top agent of International Rescue, then the answer is yes... with certain reservations.

We first meet Penny at the London Monorail Station in the year 2040. Her parents are in India, but have sent Penny to England so she can fully recover from a serious illness. At this stage the reader would not be told what the illness was: that would have to wait until the ©1968 Lady Penelope Annual. From the Monorail Station, Penny is taken to meet her Governess, Miss Petherton, and then to the Creighton-Ward Mansion, where she will live. She is nine years old, but the complete series of stories will take Penny through to seventeen or eighteen years of age before we say goodbye to her. This development of a character over a period of years is quite unusual in comics (whether boys' or girls'), where characters would remain much the same age throughout. A well known case in point would be The Four Marys in Bunty who would remain teenagers for decades.

The Prototype FAB Rolls Royce

In the grounds of the Mansion, she meets her father's gamekeeper, Charlie Webb, nicknamed 'Spider'. As well as gamekeeper, Spider acts as chauffeur, driving the Creighton-Ward Rolls Royce motor cars, of which they own at least two. And this is where a bit of confusion creeps in. There are two things which even people with no interest in Thunderbirds know about Lady Penelope: (1) that she has a butler/chauffeur named Parker, and (2) that she owns a pink Rolls Royce. Some attempt is made to include the later notion for the young Penny too, although it is handled in an inconsistent fashion. In the first instalment Penny sees a Rolls Royce at the 2040 Motor Show, and it is clearly a prototype of the FAB design. The overall body shape is present, and the transparent dome, but this car has only four wheels rather than six, and the drivers seat is set to the right as is common in British vehicles. Miss Petherton, the governess, is also at the Motor Show, and it might be wondered if she had been sent there by Sir Hugh Creighton-Ward precisely to see this car. Perhaps the intention was to have Sir Hugh buy it, and thus we would see how Lady Penelope came to own her unusual vehicle. But this does not happen, and this prototype is not seen again.

A little later, we do see one of the Creighton-Ward Rolls Royce cars, and although it is not of the FAB design, it is pink, and Spider wears pink livery when driving it! One wonders who this car belonged to. Did Sir Hugh travel to important meetings in this? Perhaps, but it seems more likely that it belonged to Penelope's mother, thus suggesting that Lady Penelope's choice of car and its colour is more conservative than might be assumed from watching Thunderbirds.

The FAB Design By Michael Strand

A pink Rolls Royce, chauffered by Parker, is sent to collect Penny from the railway station when she leaves school. Again, it is not of the FAB design, but that too eventually appears. In a story set just before Penelope goes to boarding school, Spider rushes to the airport to collect Sir Hugh, and the Rolls Royce this time is unmistakably a proper FAB. Where this came from is not explained, nor do we know its colour (it appears on the b/w pages). In the ©1969 Penelope Annual, we see yet another true FAB Rolls Royce. This one has six wheels and a centrally set driver's seat! And it is a pinky colour too.

Just why there was this confusion over the car is a mystery. Perhaps it was intended to properly introduce the Rolls Royce early on, but somehow the idea was forgotten or misunderstood. However, if the stories are taken as canon, then an interesting conclusion can be drawn. Lady Penelope's car as seen in Thunderbirds is far from being a custom built, unique vehicle (apart from all the additions Brains made, that is). On the contrary, the design appears to be twenty years old. Of course, Rolls Royce cars do not date in the same way that more run of the mill cars do, but the point is that there is a strong suggestion that Penelope is of a conservative nature, and in choice of car and colour she may be following her mother's tastes rather than making a bold statement. More evidence to suggest that the FAB design is not unique may be found in The Investigator, where it can be seen that Bob Develin owns one.

Monorail Train Travelling Through Suspended Rings

Monorail Train Travelling Through Suspended Rings

As well as confusion regarding the Rolls Royce, there was a lack of continuity when it came to depicting the future. The stories begin in the year 2040, and Frank Langford draws a futuristic setting comparable to those he created for the adult Lady Penelope. This is a world of monorail trains and hovercabs. But the first instalment is the only one in which this is the case. Thereafter, it would be replaced by what would seem to be the world of the nineteen-sixties with occasional future technology added as an afterthought. Of course, it could be argued that with it predominantly rural setting technology would be less apparent, and that is true up to a point. But even in the countryside we would expect to see futuristic cars or farming machinery, yet it is only occasionally that we do. There are many instances where a casual reader would have no reason at all to think the stories were set in 2040. Again, it is unknown why this was the case. Certainly Frank Langford was no stranger when it came to drawing futuristic settings. Perhaps it was decided that the future-world aspects were irrelevant in a girls' comic? Whatever the reason behind it, this is a serious fault and it is a pity that more care was not taken with regard to it. Indeed, in the final stories it is clear that the setting really is the nineteen-sixties, and the original intention is absent.

There is one more fault to mention, and that is regarding the direction Penny's life should have taken. From the beginning of the series, the stories are exciting, and could easily be accepted as a reasonable depiction of Lady Penelope's life as a child. After a number of adventures set around the Creighton-Ward Mansion, Penny is sent to Hightowers boarding school in Devon. The choice of school may have been made with more than academic qualifications in mind, for there is a suggestion that the Headmistress may be involved, even if only distantly, in the world of espionage. In what is probably the best story of the series, Penny appears to be kidnapped while on a school trip to Switzerland. But it turns out not to be kidnapping at all. Instead, it is part of an entrance examination for a spy school! This involves a crossover with another strip that was running in Penelope at the time, Class Six - Sterndorf. This series was created by Angus Allan, and Class Six was where select pupils were taught the skills of espionage! This is unusual in itself: Crossovers were common in TV Century 21, but they are a rarity in the world of girls comics (in fact, can you name another?).

The Banner For Class Six Sterndorf

Penny's father (a spy himself) has arranged for her to take this 'exam', and she passes. She is too young to start the class right away and will need to wait a year or two. And so the way was open to show just how Penny became a spy. It's different from the explanation given in the ©1967 Lady Penelope Annual, where we are told that Penelope chose to become a spy because she wanted 'danger, action and intrigue'. Entering Class Six is a much more realistic and interesting idea. But here comes the bad news: astonishingly, the idea was dropped! It is referred to in the opening panel of the following week's story, but then is never mentioned again. Penny continues at Hightowers, eventually leaves, and in the end she goes to London to make an independent life for herself. She never (as far as we see) becomes a spy, but supports herself by working at mundane jobs. Why did this happen? The reason is not yet known, but it is interesting to note that from issue 190 of Penelope (dated September 6th 1969), the strip is no longer © Century 21 Productions, and it is from here that the problems begin. Penny's father is misnamed, her mother is described as having died when Penny was a baby, and the setting becomes the nineteen-sixties rather than the twenty-forties. Penny is still referred to as 'Penelope Creighton-Ward', and, anachronistically, Parker makes a brief appearance, but the connection between the Penny of these stories and Lady Penelope of Thunderbirds does seem to disappear along with the copyright notice. But by this time there were only a few more stories before the series would come to an end and Penelope would merge with Princess Tina.

Penny's Appearance Is Spot On

So, in some ways this was a hit and miss series. It got some things right - Penny, in both looks and character, is spot on. It got some things wrong - the depiction of the future, and the Rolls Royce cars, was inconsistent. And worst of all, the idea that Penny was 'supposed' to become a spy was lost. With these faults, the picture presented in these stories is unlikely to be taken as canon in the Anderverse. Which is a pity, because the ideas were there. But that said, these are still good stories. They are well written, and a couple of the early stories cleverly show the different ways in which adults and children look at the world. There's humour too, and Frank Langford draws some excellent comedy-sequences such as Penny sliding down a bannister or a doctor slipping on a strategically placed bar of soap. Penny herself is depicted as an extremely likable girl, interested in the people and the world around her. She'd have been a good friend to have as a child, provided you didn't mind getting into trouble (for doing the right thing)! A good series, but one which did not quite succeed in bringing its ideas together.

On a personal note, these strips are amongst my favourites, and they convinced me, reviewing them as an adult, that comics are worth bothering with. Like some books, there are comic stories that call to be read again, and for me, these are among those stories.

Stories Of Lady Penelope When She Was A Girl - part one

The Opening Panel.

Introductory Instalment
Writer: Unknown. Artist: Frank Langford
Colour cover, 2 pages b/w.
Penelope Issue 127, dated 22 June 1968
After living some time with her parents in India, nine year old Penny falls ill. Her father decides that the Indian climate is not good for her, and in the care of a chaperon, young Penny arrives at the London Monorail Station...
They Travel By Hovercab To The Hotel.
The chaperon has hired a taxi to take them to Garrard's Hotel where Penny is to meet the woman who is to be her Governess. However, at the hotel the chaperon is told that Miss Petherton has not yet arrived. She tells Penny to wait in the lobby and goes to see if she can contact the Governess. Penny feels she is being treated like a baby and, after being told by a woman in the lobby to stop whistling, decides do what she has longed to: visit the Motor Show at Olympia. There Penny sees a wonderful new Rolls Royce, one with a transparent dome for a roof. She gets inside and pretends to drive, but accidentally releases the handbrake. The car slides off of the podium, fortunately coming to a stop before causing any damage. Penny thinks it's time she left, but is collared by an elderly woman who demands to know what Penny is doing wandering about alone. Penny tells her that she is staying at Garrard's Hotel, and the woman accompanies Penny back to the hotel as she has business there herself. When they enter the hotel lobby the chaperon rushes over to Penny, addressing her by her full name and demanding to know where she has been. On hearing Penny's name, the elderly woman introduces herself as Miss Petherton, Penny's Governess!

Penny Pretends To Drive The Rolls Royce.

Observations:
A very good introduction to the stories, immediately showing the reader that Penny is a girl with a mind of her own, and one who is likely to get herself into all sorts of scrapes. This opening instalment also gives the most complete picture of a future world that we will see in the stories. Sadly, this very important element would often be forgotten, and eventually it would be dropped altogether. For the moment though, this is clearly the year 2040, and the artwork portrays a world very like that which Frank Langford would draw for the adult Lady Penelope. As well as being Penny's first meeting with Miss Petherton, it also appears to be the first time she sees the style of Rolls Royce which will later be associated with her.

Notes:
• This opening instalment is probably the first part of Penny and the Poachers, but is treated as a separate, standalone story for this review. In part this can be justified because Penny and the Poachers is not named until issue 128. Somehow, this instalment 'feels' disconnected from the stories which follow, and has more the air of setting the scene for the series rather than being the opening of Penny and the Poachers. But this is a purely subjective appraisal.
• The opening panel is identical to the preview panel, but coloured.
• When Penny arrives in London she is wearing what appears to be a school uniform which bears a remarkable similarity to the uniform she will wear when she goes to Hightowers.
• Penny is nine years old when she arrives in London and the opening indicates that both her parents are still living at this point. This will be contradicted in the penultimate story when we will be told that Penny's mother died when she was a baby.
• Does Penny travel all the way from India by monorail train? Possibly, but she probably travelled by airplane from India and then used the train to get into the centre of London.
• Outside the Monorail Station, there is a large poster advertising the Motor Show.
• Going to the Motor Show is not a spur of the moment decision, but something Penny has been looking forward to doing.
• Miss Petherton also seems to have an interest in the Motor Show, although we see no further indication that she is interested in cars. Perhaps Sir Hugh Creighton-Ward asked her to take a look at the new Rolls Royce on display because he was considering buying one?
• When Penny and the chaperon arrive at Garrard's Hotel and find that Miss Petherton has not yet arrived, are we to assume that the governess is late? Given what we learn about her in the stories, it is extremely unlikely that she would go to see the Motor Show and turn up late for her appointment. It is more likely that Penny had arrived early.

Future Indicative:
• There are Monorail trains.
• Penny travels from the London Monorail Station to the hotel in a Hovercab, and also uses one to get to the Motor Show.
• The Motor Show itself has a banner announcing the year as 2040.
• In the hotel lobby we see a woman reading a copy of The Times which is dated 2040.
The Year Is 2040.
• There is also the Rolls Royce. This is clearly a forerunner of the type which Lady Penelope owns in Thunderbirds. It has the transparent canopy and the overall body shape is of the FAB design. However, there are some interesting differences. This car has only four wheels rather than six, and the driver's seat is not centrally set, but is to the right as is usual for a British car. Unfortunately, it appears on the black and white pages and so its colour can only be guessed at, but it is not black.

Dutch Reprint:
This instalment was reprinted in issue 46 of TV2000, dated 16 November 1968. The prototype Rolls Royce is coloured blue. All of the Penny reprints in TV2000 were in colour, with the linework having been copied by Romano Felmang from the originals. The reason for redrawing the strips was in part because the original artwork was not available, but was also to reduce the cost of reprinting. The deadlines were very short, and Romano Felmang recalls that he had to work at the rate of an episode per day.

The TV2000 Cover With Penny Caught In Trap Penny and the Poachers (Story One)
Writer: Unknown. Artist: Frank Langford
Colour cover, 2 pages b/w.

Part 1 - Issue 128, dated 29 June 1968
Penny wakens in the Creighton-Ward Mansion and decides to have a look around before Miss Petherton calls her. While exploring the grounds she finds a rabbit caught in a snare. She releases the rabbit, wishing she could find whoever had set the trap. Walking on, she sees a man with a rabbit and, assuming he must be the culprit, she attacks him, demanding to know what he is doing on her father's land. He explains to her that he is Charlie Webb, nicknamed 'Spider', her father's gamekeeper, and that he was releasing the rabbit, not trapping it. He tells her that there is a problem with poachers on the land. Penny returns to the Mansion and begins a day of lessons with Miss Petherton. Bedtime comes at what Penny considers to be an early hour. She sneaks out of her room and returns to the place where Spider found the snare that morning, but she stumbles and her foot is caught in a trap!

Part 2 - Issue 129, dated 06 July 1968
The trap hasn't damaged her foot, but Penny cannot open it. She hears someone approaching and hopes it is Spider, but it is two strangers. They are arguing, and Penny catches a sight of the face of one before they move on. Unable to free herself, Penny is forced to spend the night in the grounds. She is found the next morning by Spider who takes her back to the Mansion. Penny wants to tell Spider about the two men, but Miss Petherton is annoyed with the girl and confines her to her room. Thinking the matter urgent, Penny climbs out of her bedroom window. Before going to look for Spider, Penny sees Miss Petherton indoors...and she is talking to the man Penny saw the previous night! Realising that Spider will not believe that her Governess is involved with the poaching, she decides that she will just have to catch Miss Petherton red-handed. That evening, Penny sees Miss Petherton leave the Mansion with a shotgun. Penny follows and watches as her Governess meets with Spider. The two discuss trout, and Penny thinks this must mean Spider is also involved with the poaching. She follows them to the trout stream, but Miss Petherton hears and, raising the shotgun, she demands to know who is there. Impulsively, Penny rushes at Miss Petherton and knocks her to the ground, and the shotgun goes off...

Part 3 - Issue 130, dated 13 July 1968
Penny runs, but is caught by Spider who is very surprised to find her there. She tells Spider that she knows he and Miss Petherton are involved with the poaching, but the Governess explains that Penny is quite wrong. The man Penny saw her with is Ralph Higgs, and he was helping them to set a trap for the poachers. Penny's interference has alerted the real culprits and by now they will have gotten away. Penny protests that she did see Ralph in the grounds at night, but he explains that he and the local lads do take the odd pheasant, but the poachers they are after are big time operators. Penny is told to return to the Mansion, and on the way she comes across the real poachers. Thinking that she must make amends for spoiling things, Penny climbs into the driver's seat of their van and tries to remember what she did at the Motor Show to start the Rolls Royce. She manages to start the van and drives off, beeping the horn to attract attention. The poachers give chase on foot, but are caught when Penny brings the van to a stop beside Miss Petherton, Spider and Ralph.

Notes:
• The series did not have an overall title, and not all of the early stories had individual titles. This is the first time we see one.
• When Penny wakens and decides to have a look around before Miss Petherton calls her, Penny's actual words are: ‘Now's my chance to take a look around while the dragon's still snoring in her lair’.
Inserting The Ignition Key • When she needs to move the poachers' van, Penny tries to recall what she did at the Motor Show to make the Rolls-Royce slide off the podium. The impression given on that occasion is that she accidentally released the handbrake. Here, however, she has to turn the ignition key and start the engine.
• Could Penny have reached the pedals of the van? Perhaps it was an automatic?
• Spider reveals that he was the best poacher of those parts until Penny's father made him gamekeeper.
• In the final panel, Miss Petherton tells Penny that they will say no more about her sneaking out of the Mansion in light of Penny's help in catching the poachers. Penny's thoughts are: ‘Gosh! I think she's really human - although it takes a lot to make her show it.’

Future Indicative:
• Although the external appearance of the van used by the poachers appears to be from the fifties of sixties, the dashboard looks a bit more futuristic.

Dutch Reprint:
This story was reprinted in issue 46 of TV2000, dated 16 November 1968. The issue also has a very good piece of cover art by Mario Caria, showing Penny with her foot caught in the trap.

Story Two
Artist: Frank Langford. Colour cover, 2 pages b/w.

Spider Falls From The Tree Part 1 - Issue 131, dated 20 July 1968
Miss Petherton is giving a Latin lesson and asks what sort of animal the word ‘felis’ refers to, but Penny is distracted by something behind the Governess and tries to attract her attention. Miss Petherton thinks Penny does not know the answer and tells her it means 'cat' ... and at that moment a kitten jumps onto the Governess! Penny had found the kitten earlier and has named him 'Tiger'. Miss Petherton instructs her to get rid of the animal, so Penny asks Spider for help. He will let her keep the kitten in the stables provided that she looks after it. The next day, after lessons, Penny goes to see Tiger, but he is not in the stables. She thinks she may have left the stable door open after feeding the kitten that morning. Searching the grounds, she finds Tiger high in a tree. She climbs the tree and reaches the kitten, but then has a sudden attack of fear. Stuck in the tree, Penny calls to Spider, and he climbs up to help her. But a branch breaks and he falls...

Part 2 - Issue 132, dated 27 July 1968
Spider falls to the ground, bruised but unharmed, and Miss Petherton demands to know what is going on. To avoid further accidents, the Governess calls the fire brigade to get Penny down from the tree. Spider thinks Penny is at fault for not looking after the kitten properly, and he tells her that people who are afraid of heights should not climb trees. Penny tries to explain, but Spider is annoyed and walks away. Two days later, Spider has not spoken to Penny, so she decides to go to his cottage to apologise: that way they can be friends again. However, Spider is not at home, and Penny is told that he is exploring some caves on the moors. She arrives at the entrance to the caves to find there has been an accident: Spider is trapped at the end of a tunnel and more rocks will fall at any minute. He will need oxygen, but the opening is now too small for the men to enter. With Tiger tucked inside her jacket, Penny grabs two oxygen masks and climbs into the hole, ignoring the calls of the rescuers. She is determined to show Spider that she is not a coward...

Part 3 - Issue 133, dated 03 August 1968
Wearing one of the oxygen masks, Penny manages to squeeze through the blocked shaft. She reaches Spider and gives him the other mask. Unable to return via the shaft, they appear to be trapped. Penny notices that Tiger has wandered off, and when she finds him she realises that the kitten has found a way out: there is a shaft in the roof which they would not have noticed but for Tiger. They make their way through a tunnel and come to a large cavern. Daylight can be seen at the other end, but the way is barred by an abys with only a narrow strip of rock bridging it. Spider crosses this alone: if it will take his wieght then it will be safe for Penny. He reaches the opposite side safely. Then it is Penny's turn, and Spider hopes that she will forget that she is afraid of heights. Penny heistates at the edge, but Tiger begins the walk only to stop in the middlabysse, afraid to continue. Seeing this, Penny forgets her own fear and walks to the center of the stone bridge, where she picks him up. Telling herself to keep moving and not look down, Penny completes the walk across the abyss. She tells Spider that she's not afraid of heights any more and so she's not a coward. But Spider says that he never thought she was...and he'll never say anything against cats in the future!

Observations:
An excellent little story whose strength lies in its portrayal of the differences in perception which sometimes occur between children and adults. Spider is annoyed with Penny when her carelessness leads to him falling out of a tree (and embarrassing himself in front of Miss Petherton). He probably quickly forgets this, but because Penny does not see him for two days (he is potholing) she thinks this means he is avoiding her.

Notes:
• Among other things, Penny is learning Latin.
• Spider has potholing as a hobby.
• The Creighton-Ward Mansion has stables, which makes perfect sense for a country estate. Although we never see the stables in the Thunderbirds series, there are photographs of the adult Lady Penelope in a riding outfit, and one strip concerned her horse FAB 3.
• The last panel in part two appears to contain a mistake. The text box reads, ‘Penny grabs for the oxygen mask and runs!’, but in the image she is carrying two masks, and two are certainly needed for the story.

Future Indicative:
Penny's Jetmobile • The fire brigade use a helicopter to rescue Penny from the tree, and it looks like it might have jet engines as well as rotor blades.
• When Penny goes to Spider's cottage, she uses a hover bike which looks very similar to those used in Fireball XL5! The impression given is that this is nothing out of the ordinary, and it appears to be accepted in just the same way a peddle bicycle would be. Bravo! This is exactly what the future world ought to be like - extraordinary items accepted as ordinary. If only that notion had been adhered to throughout the stories.

Dutch Reprint:
This story was reprinted in two parts in TV2000, issues No.4 (dated 25 January 1969) and No.5 (dated 1st February 1969).

Story Three
Writer: Unknown. Artist: Frank Langford
Colour cover, 2 pages b/w.

Part 1 - Issue 134, dated 10 August 1968
Penny Notices That The Beam Is About To Fall
Miss Petherton takes Penny to the local church and introduces her to the Vicar. He shows Penny around the church and tells her that it was founded by one of her ancestors, Sir Fulke Creyton-De-Worde, who was one of William the Conqueror's Knights. He also shows her a stained glass window which is a memorial to Penny's great-grandfather, a Spitfire pilot who gave his life for his country during the Second World War. Penny is moved by the strong connection her family has had with this church over the centuries, and she wanders around, marvelling at it's beauty. She looks up at the beams, which she is sure must be hundreds of years old, and notices that part of one is falling. Acting instantly, she pushes Miss Petherton and the Vicar out of the way! The Vicar explains that the church is infested with Death Watch beetle, and that it will take a great deal of money to repair it. Miss Petherton puts up a notice outside the church, which reads, Save your church! Please give generously, and a collection box is put beneath the sign. Penny begins the collection by putting her pocket money into the box. While Miss Petherton and the Vicar talk, Penny goes back into the church. She notices the ropes used to ring the bells and, unable to resist, gets hold of one. But the bells have been left in balance and she is pulled up into the air!

Part 2 - Issue 135, dated 17 August 1968
Penny Opens The Mansion To The Public The Vicar rushes back into the church to help Penny, but she is swinging back and fourth uncontrollably and bashes into him. She is taken home in disgrace, where she decides that she must make a lot of money for the fund in order to make up for the accident. Her first thought is to ask her father for help, and she makes a very expensive call to India. However, the account she gives to Sir Hugh is incoherent and he ends up thinking she wants money to buy beetles, which he refuses. Giving further thought to the problem, Penny realises that as people pay money to visit stately homes then maybe she can open the Creighton-Ward Mansion to the public. She puts a notice in the local paper and a poster at the gates to the grounds. A great many people turn up on the opening day, but Penny has not arranged things very well and the crowd gets out of hand. Fortunately, Miss Petherton takes charge, instructs Penny to return the fees, and then sends all the visitors away. The next day, Penny sits on the steps of the church and explains to the Vicar how her plans went awry. He tells her that there may be a way she can help, as, brought up in India, she may know something about elephants...

The Strange Hoverbike Used By The Thief Part 3 - Issue 136, dated 24 August 1968
The Vicar tells Penny that there is to be a fete, and it will include elephant rides instead of donkey rides. There will be a Keeper to look after the elephant, but Penny can help take care of the younger children who want to ride. On the day of the fete, Penny goes with Miss Petherton, who is huddled inside a cloak and cowl. Penny asks why she is dressed that way, but the Governess does not want to explain. Penny goes to see the elephant, but the Keeper rudely tells her to go away. The Vicar explains the situation to him, but the man is annoyed that Penny will be helping with the elephant. Despite this, Penny oversees the rides, keeping an eye on the younger children. At one point a boy throws a bun onto the roof of a tent. The elephant uses it's trunk to retrieve it, pulling down the tent in the process and...revealing Miss Petherton dressed as a Gypsy fortune teller! Meanwhile, the Keeper deliberately irritates the elephant, causing it to run wild, and Miss Petherton tells everyone to scatter...

Part 4 - Issue 137, dated 31 August 1968
Penny knows that Miss Petherton's advice will make things worse, and tells everyone to stand still: the elephant is more afraid of them than they are of it. Penny talks to the elephant in Hindi, and manages to calm him. With the elephant now docile, they search for the Keeper, but they are unaware that he is at the church stealing the silver! Back at the fete, Penny, Miss Petherton and the Vicar take a look inside the Keeper's caravan...only to find that the real Keeper is inside, bound and gagged. As they untie him, he tells them that the thief talked about stealing the church silver, and Miss Petherton and the Vicar rush off to the church. Penny and the real Keeper decide to take a short cut across country, riding the elephant. They arrive in time to find the thief attempting to escape using a hoverbike, but, acting on the Keeper's command, the elephant grabs the crook from the vehicle. There is a reward for capturing the thief, and Penny donates this to the church fund.

Observations:
The Stained Glass Window A story which gives a little insight into the background of Penny's ancestors, and also a nice bit of continuity with her time in India. Little of Lady Penelope's background is ever revealed in Thunderbirds, but here we learn that the family's lineage goes back to the time of William the Conqueror. They certainly are not new money! And what a lovely touch to have one of Penny's ancestors as a Spitfire pilot. It's also good to know that Penny learnt some of the language of India during her time there, but this is just what we would expect of her. Hindi isn't one of the languages Lady Penelope is listed as knowing in the ©1967 annual biography, but perhaps it ought to be.

Notes:
• The name of the Vicar is Mr. Merridew.
• Frank Langford tends to draw the church, both exterior and interior, at something like a 40 degree angle from the perpendicular, adding to the atmosphere.
• Penny charges ten New Pence (the decimal equivalent of two shillings) for admission to the Creighton-Ward Mansion. At the time this story was published it would have been known that decimal currency was to be introduced. Indeed, ten-pence coins were already being put into circulation. However, the writer didn't take into inflation into account, but then who would have thought prices would change as much as they have!
• Judging by the paying visitors to the Mansion, people can be as rude in the future as they are now.
• If Penny only put notices in the local paper and on the park gates, how did they attract so many visitors? The Mansion is thronged with them!
• The words Penny speaks to the elephant to calm him down are: ‘Soo...Soo. Hathi! Aldi! Aldi!’. Is this Hindi or did the writer invent this?
• The name of the elephant is Tusker.

The Videophone Future Indicative:
• When Penny telephones her father, she uses a video-phone. It looks something like a desktop computer, but with a hand held microphone. The microphone used by Penny is slightly different from the one her father uses. Her one appears to have a rounded mouthpiece, whereas Sir Hugh's is of the stick-microphone type.
• The videophone call to India is made via an on-screen operator. She wears slimline headphones.
• The horde of visitors to the Mansion arrive in a variety of hover-busses and hovercars. These vehicles are very like some of the designs which were seem in the Lady Penelope strips.
• Oddly, the visitors themselves are dressed in clothes which look as if they come from the sixties, not unlike the sort of thing seen in Coronation Street.
• The hoverbike used by the thief is a strange affair. It is not at all like the Fireball XL5 design Penny uses, but looks like a motorbike from the 1950s placed on top of the base of a conventional hovercraft (albeit a small one).

Dutch Reprint:
This story was reprinted as two parts in TV2000, issues No.9 (dated 1st March 1969) and No.10 (dated 8th March 1969). The cover of No.9 was a painting based on Frank Langford's opening panel for Penelope issue No.135, dated August 17th 1968. The Hindi words spoken by Penny remain the same as in the Penelope original.

Trouble On The Farm (Story Four)
Writer: Unknown. Artist: Michael Strand.
2 pages b/w.

Part 1 - Issue 138, dated 07 September 1968
Farmer Frank Hobbs stops Penny when he sees her taking a shortcut across his fields, and shows her a sign that warns of Foot-and-Mouth disease. Penny asks Spider what it means and he tells her that if the disease spreads to Mr. Hobbs' prize herd of jersey cows then they will have to be out down. They can help by making sure nobody goes into the farm. A vehicle with surveying equipment in the back approaches and the driver asks the way to Hobbs' Farm. Penny follows it and tries to stop the two men, but they will not listen. She gets the farmer, and they return to find the men surveying the field where there is Foot-and-Mouth. Mr. Hobbs threatens them with a shotgun. A farmhand tries to stop him, but the gun goes off, causing the herd to stampede. The animals are heading for the open gate, and Penny tries to close it before the herd can leave the field...

Part 2 - Issue 139, dated 14 September 1968
Penny Is Unable To Close The Gate In Time
Penny is just a few seconds too late, and the herd stampedes from the field, knocking her to the ground. Penny is concerned that this will mean that disease will spread. The Head Surveyor is surprised to hear that Penny fell for Farmer Hobbs' story: Foot-and-Mouth was wiped out years ago, and Mr Hobbs had made up the story to keep the surveyors off his land. Hobbs admits this is true, and he explains the real reason the surveyors are on his land...they want to build a rocket base! The surveyors leave, threatening to call the police if Mr hobbs obstructs them further. Penny asks Spider if there is anything they can do, but he has to tell her that there isn't. He thinks they ought to keep an eye the farmer just in case: he might try something which will lead to real trouble. A few days later Penny watches as construction vehicles arrive on Hobbs' farm, ready to begin levelling the land the following day. Mr Hobbs tells her that he isn't beaten yet, but he won't tell her what he means by this. Penny wonders what he has in the sack he's carrying, and decides she'd better tell Spider. He has an idea what Hobbs is planning, and rushes to the farm with Penny following him. Arriving, he finds his suspicions were correct: Mr Hobbs plans to use dynamite to destroy the construction vehicles. With one of the fuses already lit, Spider realises he hasn't much time, and he knocks Mr hobbs to the ground. Penny goes to see if the farmer is alright, but Mr Hobbs warns her to get away quickly. Meanwhile, Spider has picked up the dynamite and is running...

Penny Contacts Professor Mortimer Part 3 - Issue 140, dated 21 September 1968
Spider throws the dynamite into the brook, and the explosion alters its course. Penny notices something where the bed of the brook is now revealed, and she finds what appears to be broken crockery. Mr Hobbs is devastated that he nearly got them all killed, and resigns himself to loosing his farm. Penny takes the crockery home and compares it with pictures in a book called Roman Remains in Britain. She thinks the find might be important, and contacts the author of the book, Professor Mortimer Keeler. Once the professor has seen the artifact via the videophone he is eager to see the site, and rushes to Hobbs' farm. Penny shows him where it was found, and the Professor uncovers some Roman tiling. He tells her that this is the most important archaeological find in years, and, hearing of the plans for the proposed rocket base, he contacts highly placed friends in the ministry. An hour later he announces that the rocket base is to be built elsewhere, and the construction vehicles are driven away. Professor Mortimer tells Mr Hobbs that it is unlikely that the Roman Settlement extends very far and that, once the site has been marked out, he can return to farming his land in peace. Spider says that Hobbs' farm is safe thanks to Penny, but she says it was really Miss Petherton who saved the day by making her study history.

Observations:
Professor Mortimer Keeler This is one of the two weekly Penny stories not drawn by Frank Langford. Also worth noting is Professor Mortimer. This character had already appeared in one of the Lady Penelope comic strip stories, in issues 118 to 121, in April and May this year. In that story, the adult Penelope consults the Professor about a jewelled box found inside a statue of a Bhudda. Here, Penny meets him for the first time, and she will meet him again when she goes to Hightowers School. This is a lovely use of continuity, and it raises an interesting question: is the writer of this story the same as the one introducing Sir Mortimer? The name of the Professor is probably based on the real life archaeologist, Sir Mortimer Wheeler, a well know TV personality in the nineteen-sixties, and who did much to bring archaeology to the attention of the public.

Notes:
• It seems unlikely that Spider would not know the truth about Foot-and-Mouth, so presumably he thought it best not to tell Penny that Mr. Hobbs had invented the story. Does this mean that Spider was aware of the proposed Rocket Base?
• Hobbs' farm cannot be too far from the Creighton-Ward Mansion or the village. Strange then that it was proposed to build a Rocket Base so close to people's homes.
• Both of the surveyors and also Professor Mortimer wear glasses. At the time this was written contact lenses would not have been widely available, and perhaps the writer could not really have known how common they would become. However, even now many prefer to use glasses rather then contact lenses, and some people simply cannot tolerate them, so the use of spectacles here is not necessarily unrealistic.
• Professor Mortimer Keeler was probably inspired, in name anyway, by the real life archaeologist, Sir Mortimer Wheeler. He was a well know TV personality in the nineteen-sixties, and did much to bring archaeology to the attention of the public.

Future Indicative:
• The surveyors use a rather good hovertruck - something a bit like a cross between a land rover and a hovercraft.
Vehicles Of The Future
• Some of the construction vehicles also have a futuristic look to them. Essentially Leyland-type dumper trucks, Michael Strand has given them a sleeker look.
• Penny contacts the Professor via videophone. This time she does not need to use a hand-held microphone.
• Professor Mortimer's car is definitely of the future. It has two centrally placed exhaust pipes, and has gull-wing doors. A very nice design.

Penny and the Frightened Ballerina (Story Five)
Writer: Unknown. Artist: Frank Langford
Colour cover, 2 pages b/w.

Part 1 - Issue 141, dated 28 September 1968
Penny is having ballet lessons at a class in London. Miss Petherton accompanies her and when they arrive the excited owner, Julian, explains that the Bereznik State Ballet Company have chosen his school for their training quarters! During a break in the lessons Penny notices a girl crying. She approaches to see if she can help, but two Bereznik security men push her away. Miss Petherton comes to Penny's rescue, breaking her umbrella over the head of one of the men. Then the Bereznik representative, Gregor Slavanich, steps in and apologises for the behaviour of the men. He explains to Penny that Katrina, the girl she saw crying, is feeling homesick, and he offers Miss Petherton two tickets for that evening's performance of Swan Lake. As Penny is eager to see the performance, Miss Petherton accepts the tickets, but also demands recompense for the broken umbrella! That evening they watch Swan Lake but Penny is disappointed to find that Katrina is not dancing in it after all. Gregor explains that Katrina has run away, but that there is no cause for alarm as they will soon find her. On the way back to the Rolls Royce, Penny wonders where Katrina can be; after all, she does not know anyone in the country. As they get into the car, Katrina is watching them from some nearby bushes...

Part 2 - Issue 142, dated 05 October 1968
Katrina Watches From Some Shrubs
Katrina recognises Penny as the girl who spoke to her at the Ballet School and, as Spider reverses the car, she climbs into the boot. Later, when the car has been put into the garage, Katrina climbs from the boot, finds her way to the stables, and is soon asleep. Next morning she wakes to find Penny is in the stables getting one of the horses, 'Prince', ready to ride. Katrina thinks Penny will tell Gregor she is there and so she attacks the girl. After Penny gains the upper hand, Katrina explains that she is being kept a prisoner at the Ballet School, and is forced to practice ballet all day, every day. She asks Penny to hide her, and Penny decides that Spider will be able to help. The two girls go in search of Spider just as Gregor arrives at the Mansion with two of his henchmen. Katrina thinks Penny has given here away and knocks the girl to the ground. Penny tries to explain that she could not told Gregor as she didn't even know Katrina was there until a few moments ago, but the girl refuses to listen, and rides off on Prince...

Part 3 - Issue 143, dated 12 October 1968
Penny gets another horse from the stables. There is no time to saddle the horse, and so she rides bareback. She catches up with Katrina, and convinces her that she had nothing to do with Gregor turning up. She hides Katrina in an old hunting lodge and returns to the Mansion, where she overhears Gregor telling Miss Petherton that Katrina will one day be the greatest ballerina in the world. That will mean a lot of discipline and training for Katrina, and that is what has made the girl sad. Gregor has come to the Mansion as Miss Petherton and Penny are the only people Katrina knows in Britain. Penny rides back to the lodge and finds that Katrina is doing some of her ballet exercises. Watching her, Penny wonders if the strictness might be necessary if Katrina is to develop her talent to its fullest. Meanwhile, Gregor has left the Mansion, convinced that Katrina is being hidden there. Driving away, Gregor notices the horses outside the hunting lodge, and he realises that he has found Katrina...

Part 4 - Issue 144, dated 19 October 1968
Spider Takes Gregor And His Men To The Police
Gregor and his henchmen approach the lodge, but Spider stops them and holds them at gunpoint. They claim they have Diplomatic Immunity, but Spider takes them to the Police Station for trespassing. The two girls have been watching from the lodge, and the mention of Diplomatic Immunity has given Penny an idea: Katrina can claim Political Asylum! Penny has enough money for the monorail fares to London, and once there the girls make their way to the Foreign Office. The commissionaire refuses to let them inside, until Katrina is recognised as the missing Bereznik girl. They are taken to the office of a man who knew Penny's father. Penny explains the situation, but the man tells her that Katrina is a minor and so cannot be granted political asylum: they will have to hand Katrina over to the Bereznik officials. Hearing this, Katrina pushes Penny into the man and makes her escape...

Part 5 - Issue 145, dated 26 October 1968
Penny Draws On Her Aristocratic Background
The man from the Foreign Office insists he must drive Penny back home. They pass Julian's Ballet School and Penny thinks it's worth stopping to see if Katrina is there. Penny is correct, but Julian explains that the girl is in no danger. He has had a chat with Katrina and explained the necessity for the strictness and discipline. This is not peculiar to the Bereznik way of doing things: even in a British Ballet Company, such strictness would be necessary for a girl with such potential. Penny asks Katrina if she is happy, and the girl replies that she is. But Penny is not: she has a few things to say to Gregor, and demands that the man from the F.O. drives her home. They go to the Police Station where Gregor is being held, and, using her best aristocratic manner, Penny tells the Ambassador that he will get Katrina to dance even better if he is kind to her. Gregor agrees to give this some consideration. Later, back at the Mansion, Miss Petherton tells Penny that a certain Bereznik ambassador has sent them tickets for that evening's performance at the National Ballet Theatre. There, they see Katrina given a standing ovation, and, backstage, Gregor admits that Penny's advice was sound.

Observations:
Penny Tells Gregor What She Thinks He Should Do Perhaps the best story after Penny and the Spies. The mistaking of necessary discipline for cruelty is well handled and quite believable. Taken in terms of the internal chronology of the Anderverse, (as opposed to the chronology of the printing of the comics), this must rank as one of the earliest times the Bereznik State is mentioned. Here, rather than the black and white picture of Berezniks as THRUSH-type, power-mad baddies, they are presented as ordinary people from a different country. The Bereznik Ambassador, Gregor, is a wonderful character, clearly not at all an unintelligent thug, but a man of charm and taste. And, as if that were not enough, the story contains a lovely scene at the very end where Penny switches on her aristocratic background and uses it with devastating effect.

Notes:
• Penny's room has a four-poster bed in it.
• Penny's room is untidy and Miss Petherton insists the girl cleans it. How interesting (and quite correct) that the Governess makes Penny do it rather than a maid.
• Spider appears to be the Chauffeur as well as the Gamekeeper.
• In part two (issue 142), we see that the Rolls Royce is pink in colour, as is Spider's uniform. However, it is not a FAB Rolls Royce.
• How does Katrina open the boot of the Rolls Royce from the inside?
• The name of the horse Penny rides bareback is Robin.
• In part three (issue 143) when Penny rides Robin, a text box reads: ‘Ignoring saddle and bridle, Penny leads another pony from the stables...’. In the illustration, while it is the case that the pony has no saddle, it does appear to have a bridle.
• We do not see Penny ask Spider for help, so it is unclear if he knows what is going on when he arrests Gregor and his henchmen for trespassing.
The Futuristic Car Of The Man From The Foreign Office • On their way to the Monorail Station, Penny and Katrina pass a sign which reads: Cookham 1 mile
• There is a local Monorail Station, but we do not learn its name. Perhaps it is Cookham.
• The man at the F.O. smokes a pipe.
• There are parking meters in the 2040s (in London, anyway).
• When Penny tells Gregor what he ought to do, the Police Sergeant, bewildered, astonished and shocked, has an exclamation mark drawn above his head!

Future Indicative:
• Penny and Katrina travel to London in a monorail train, although the design differs from those seen before. Rather than travelling above a rail, this train moves through a series of suspended hoops. (see illustration in the introduction)
• The man from the Foreign Office drives a sleek car with a transparent dome for the canopy.

Penny and the Gipsies (Story Six)
Writer: Unknown. Artist: Leslie Branton.
Colour cover, 2 pages b/w.

Miss Petherton Tells Penny About The Gipsies And Spinny Hollow Part 1 - Issue 146, dated 02 November 1968
On waking one morning, Penny sees smoke rising above the trees, and thinks the wood is on fire. Miss Petherton explains that it is actually a Gipsy campfire, and that Jonathan Petrienglo, an old friend of Penny's father, and one of the last true Gipsies, has arrived. His forefathers have camped in Spinny Hollow for the past four hundred years. After lessons, Penny goes to the Gipsy camp and meets the Petrienglo family. She makes friends with the two children, Julie and Jack, and they show her places on the estate which she was unaware of. They ride to the Mansion, and Penny is given permission to have tea with the Petrienglos. On their way back to the Gipsy camp, the three children witness the arrival of lorries and caravans. Jack tells Penny that this means trouble: these are 'Tinkers', and soon Spinny Hollow will look like a rubbish dump.

Part 2 - Issue 147, dated 09 November 1968
The TV2000 Cover For The Reprint Jack explains that Tinkers deal in old car parts, and they will turn Spinny Hollow into a junk yard. Penny tells the Tinkers that they haven't got permission to stay on the land, but they refuse to leave. Jonathan thinks it is his fault: because Gipsies know where the good camping sites are, Tinkers follow them. The Petrienglos will leave in the morning, but there is no guarantee that the Tinkers will follow. Jack and Julie ride with Penny back to the Mansion. Jack stops and points to a strangely shaped branch on the ground. He tells Penny it is a sign of forked lightening and that to pass it would lead to something bad happening. Penny asks if the Tinkers hold similar beliefs. Jack tells her that the thing they fear most is the 'Headless Rider'. Their grandfather explains: when King Charles II was fleeing from Cromwell, he was helped by the Court Jester, a Gipsy named Carella. Carella was caught and beheaded, and the Tinkers believe that his headless ghost roams at full moon, looking for the Roundheads who killed him. Apparently, he was a small man who rode a large white horse. This gives Penny an idea, and she asks Jonathan to tell the Tinkers he is leaving because he saw Carella's ghost. Jonathan agrees to do so, but warns Penny that this will not scare Darkie Blossom, the head of the Tinkers. But Penny has a plan. She goes to the Vicar and borrows some clothes from the Theatre Club, explaining that she doesn't want them for acting... but for haunting!

Part 3 - Issue 148, dated 16 November 1968
Penny puts together a costume which makes her look like a headless Cavalier, and, that night, she rides to the Tinkers' camp and makes sure she is seen. The next morning, the Tinkers hold a meeting about the appearance of the Headless Horseman. Most want to leave, but Darkie Blossom refuses: his shotgun will take care of any ghosts. Penny has over heard this, and she comes up with a new plan. She rides to the Tinkers' camp and tell Darkie Blossom that there is a car at the mansion which they can have: if they take it away then she can play in the garage. But they must collect it at night when Miss Petherton is asleep. That night, Darkie Blossom begins towing the away. Then the Headless Horseman appears in his headlights, but rather than being afraid, he takes aim with his shotgun...

Part 4 - Issue 149, dated 23 November 1968
Darkie Meets The Headless Horseman
Darkie fires at the Headless Horseman, but his shotgun has no effect. The rider speaks: 'You cannot kill me... the Roundheads did that centuries ago!' Darkie remains doubtful that this is a ghost. The rider tells the Tinker that he will be punished, and, pointing at his truck, announces that the wheels will burst...which they do! Darkie has had enough, and runs back to his camp. Penny's plan has worked! The bullet-proof vest she wore beneath the ghost costume stopped the shotgun pellets, and Mr Petrienglo had shot the tires of the truck using a dart gun. The next morning, the Tinkers have gone, and the petrienglo family have returned. With Spider's help, Penny and the Petrirenglos clean up the mess left by the Tinkers... who are making their way to Aberdeen at ninety miles per hour!

Notes:
• Although Petrienglos have been camping in Spinny Hollow for centuries, Jonathan does not take it for granted, and asks for permission to do so. Contrast his attitude with that of the Tinkers!
Darkie And Alfred Marks • At the end of the first part we see Darkie Blossom for the first time. In Leslie Branton's illustration for this panel, Darkie looks a bit like the actor, Alfred Marks.
• It is mentioned in the story that Penny's family could get a court order to force the Tinkers to move, but that it might take months to arrange.
• The Church runs a Theatre Club.
• Presumably, the Vicar is Mr Merridew.
• Penny makes the extra parts of the ghost costumes herself, and we learn that she can sew.
• The car Penny offers to Darkie Blossom appears to be an old Bentley.
• Penny's horse is 'Prince', who also appeared in Penny and the Frightened Ballerina.
• Where does Penny get the bullet-proof jacket. Perhaps it is not as unlikely an item as might first appear. There may have been such jackets at the Mansion for use during hunting.
• The bullet-proof jacket would only have protected Penny's chest, not her arms or face. How did Mr Petrienglo allow himself to be talked into going along with Penny's plan?
• Does Penny disguise her voice when she pretends to be the Headless Horseman?

Future Indicative:
• None at all. The lorries and caravans belonging to the Tinkers are designs from the nineteen-sixties (or ealier).

Dutch Reprint:
This story was reprinted in three parts in TV2000, issues No.32 (dated 9th August 1969), No.33 (dated 16th August 1969) and No.34 (dated 23rd August 1969). Penny also appears on the cover of issue 33 in an illustration painted by P. Franco. It shows the Petrienglo grandfather telling Penny about the Headless Horseman.

Problems for Penny! (Story Seven)
Writer: Unknown. Artist: Frank Langford
Colour cover, 2 pages b/w.

Part 1 - Issue 150, dated 30 November 1968
The Slide Down The Bannister
Penny is excited because her father is to appear on a television programme transmitted from India. She misses him a lot, but seeing him on television will be better than nothing. But Penny is to have a number of accidents. First she rushes from the bathroom and collides with Miss Petherton, sending the Governess flying. Later, Penny decides to slide down the bannister. She slips off the end and lands on a mat, which careers across the polished floor, and crashes into Miss Petherton as she arrives with a basket of eggs. The Governess is covered in broken eggs, and warns Penny that any further incidents will result in her being locked in her room for the rest of the day. This will mean she will not be able to watch her father on television. With this threat in mind, Penny puts a lot of effort into thinking before acting. Just before tea-time Penny decides to play outside: she can't do any harm there. Playing tennis against a wall, she imagines herself as a Wimbledon champion. But Penny accidentally hits the ball through a window, smashing the crockery on a dresser, and knows that she will not get to see her father now...

Part 2 - Issue 151, dated 07 December 1968
Is Penny Really Ill Or Is She Pretending? This breakage is the last straw for Miss Petherton, and she drags Penny to her room, ignoring the girl's pleas (although she finds this very difficult). Penny goes to bed very distressed. Later, Miss Petherton relents and takes Penny a sandwich, intending to let her watch the television programme. But the Governess finds Penny unconscious. The doctor thinks it is the illness that Penny had in India, and she must be taken to hospital immediately. At the hospital, Miss Petherton and Spider are told that Penny is not responding to treatment: it's as if she's given up...

Part 3 - Issue 152, dated 14 December 1968
A Six-Wheeled FAB Design Rolls Royce Miss Petherton blames herself for Penny's condition. She tries to wake the girl, but without success. The Doctors have told her that Penny is missing something...or someone, and the Governess thinks she may have the solution. She puts through a video-call to someone, and sends Spider to the airport to collect this person. Spider rushes the visitor to the hospital, and Miss Petherton tells Penny that there is someone who has travelled a long way to see her. Slowly, Penny opens her eyes to find that her Daddy is there! Penny tries to tell him how cruel the Governess has been, but her father replies that she had good reason to punish her, and was going to let Penny watch the broadcast anyway. He explains that it was Miss Petherton who realised the reason for Penny's illness. All this time, Penny had thought that Miss Petherton hated her, but now she understands this is not so, and apologises to the Governess. When she is well enough to leave the hospital, she does so holding hands with her father and Miss Petherton.

Observations:
Miss Petherton Covered With Broken Eggs This story is another showing the difference in the way adults and children perceive things. Penny is convinced Miss Petherton hates her, but nothing could be further from the truth. The Governess is clearly very fond of Penny, but feels she must be strict with her if she is to bring out the best in the girl. This story also brings Sir Hugh Creighton-Ward back to England, albeit briefly, and paves the way for Penny going to Hightowers boarding school. Frank Langford drew some excellent illustrations, with good scene-setting panels on the front covers, and a wonderful sequence starting with Penny sliding down the bannisters and ending with Miss Petherton getting covered with broken eggs!

Notes:
• Toothpaste still comes in tubes in the twenty-forties.
• The eggs eaten at the Creighton-Ward mansion comes from their own chickens.
• The windows in Penny's room have been fixed to stop her leaving her room that way. it is unclear in what way they have been 'fixed'. Perhaps it was simply a matter of locking them.
• At the hospital, Miss Petherton has a tear in her eye.

Future Indicative:
• Miss Petherton makes a video-phone call to Sir Hugh Creighton-Ward. She makes the call from the hospital, and the terminal looks something like a television set with a microphone placed on top.
• There is a very futuristic looking aircraft, a Trans-World Jet, in flight at the airport.
• And to top things off, Spider speeds to the airport in what appears to be a proper FAB Rolls Royce. Once again, the colour remains unknown, but it is not black.

Dutch Reprint:
Issue No.14 of TV2000, dated 5th April 1969, had a cover painting of Penny laughing at Miss Petherton covered in broken eggs, although Penny certainly does not laugh at Miss Petherton in the story. This illustration is probably by P. Franco. The story itself was reprinted in issue No.15, dated 12th April 1969. Oddly the reprint of this story is earlier than those of Penny and the Frightened Ballerina and Penny and the Gipsies, both of which predate Problems for Penny! in Penelope.