George Richmond Samways

It might appear heretical to some, but it could be argued that Billy Bunter owed his continued existence to men like George Samways. During the 1920s, Frank Richards was often abroad. His insouciant approach to life, and his unfailing faith in the fallibility of the European postal services meant that many weeks saw the lack of a 'real' Frank Richards story. Samways had submitted, and had published, many verses about Greyfriars, from which came an invitation to write full time at Fleetway House, the headquarters of Lord Northcliffe's publishing empire.

Samways was born during a blizzard in the Hampshire village of Kingsclere on 14 January 1895. Brought up by his grandparents (his widowed mother worked for the vicar of Kingsclere, and later failed in several business ventures), he never truly knew his mother (whose family laid claim to two famous Freemantle brothers who played cricket for Hambledon). This left a lasting sadness in Samways that was to find some solace in his firm belief in reincarnation.

Samways was educated at King Edward VI School, Witley. This he hated until, while fetching the carpentry master's tea, he helped compose a limerick that won a prize for his master's wife. His first professional work was published soon after in the magazine of the Bethlem Hospital. It is probably fair to say that Samways' life really began the day he received a copy of the first Magnet. Apart from his enjoyment of the stories, his popularity grew as he became the bear leader of an illicit reading club! (The Magnet was to be banned from King Edward's for many years as being subversive!)

He eventually began work as a clerk, and in his spare time, wrote verses about Greyfriars School. As a result, he was asked, in 1914, as a matter of urgency to work for the Magnet. The Reign of Terror (Magnet 353) was the first of 100 stories he wrote. In addition, he wrote, virtually single-handedly, The Greyfriars Herald (a magazine purportedly written by Harry Wharton & Co.), and many stories for the Gem.

Hamilton's view of 'substitute writers' in general and his editors in particular was vitriolic. However, in view of the real Frank Richards' absences of both self and weekly manuscript, the editors could see no alternative if the paper was to survive, but to employ other talent. Also, dislike it as he might, Fleetway House owned all title and copyright to every contributor's works.

This hatred must have been fuelled by the conviction, expressed by Samways that Frank Richards' writing was easy to emulate. A fact refuted by all experts in the field, who can tell at a glance who wrote which Greyfriars story! Despite this, Samways was instrumental in introducing several characters to Greyfriars who have stood the test of time, and who were used by Frank Richards himself!

In 1915, Samways joined the infant Flying Corps. After basic training in Aldershot, he was posted to Adastral House in London. Here he wrote and had published several volumes of war poetry, the most successful of which was Ballads of the Flying Corps, the while still finding time to write Greyfriars stories!

In 1921, at the same time that the Editor of the Magnet, Hinton, was fired for reusing an old Greyfriars story and then paying himself for rewriting it, Samways left Fleetway House, warned that he was no longer wanted. He now became a professional 'solutionist' and competition solver. Most of this work was for others, but he was to win many substantial prizes in his own right.

He again served in the RAF during the Second World War, this time stationed in Iceland.

Samways was married twice. Firstly, to Helene Logan in 1917. There were many separations for various reasons, and this 'strange unregulated partnership' (a phrase he used in his autobiography The Road to Greyfriars - published by Howard Baker Press, 1984) ended with her death in 1958. There was one son and one daughter by this marriage. He later married Olive Field, whom he had first met during an air raid.

He remained active and fiercely independent until shortly before his death, when, as a result of a fall, he had to enter a nursing home. His mental capacity and sense of humour remained unimpaired; on his one hundredth birthday, he was still able and willing to discuss his life's love of Greyfriars. With his death, the last remaining link with the original Fleetway House has now been broken. It is fair to say that we shall never see his like again.

Peter McCall

A version of this obituary appeared in The Times on 15th August 1996.