Girl's Own Paper

"Girl's Own Paper" was a British story paper catering for girls and young women, published from 1880 until 1956.

Publishing history

The first weekly number of the "Girl's Own Paper" appeared on January 3 1880. As with its male counterpart the "Boy's Own Paper", the magazine was published by the Religious Tract Society (which subsequently became Lutterworth Press). In October 1929, the title became "Girl's Own Paper and Woman's Magazine" but in 1930 the "Woman's Magazine " became a a separate publication. In December 1947 the name was changed to "Girl's Own Paper and Heiress". By 1951 it was called "Heiress incorporating the Girl's Own Paper". In 1956 "Heiress" closed down, and the name "Girl's Own Paper" ceased to exist. Facsimile reprints of volume 1 to 4 were published by Eureka Press, Japan, in 2006.

Contents

The "G.O.P." provided a mix of stories and educational and improving articles, with 'Answers to Corespondents' and occasional coloured plates, poetry and music.

From 1908, the weekly magazines were dropped and the paper included more information on serious careers for girls and advice on style and dress. Long serials became less common, being replaced by shorter stories. From the 1930s, a greater proportion of its material was directed at younger readers. There were school stories, stories of kidnapped princesses and articles about film stars, although the contents became more serious during World War II.

Volumes 39 & 40 of 1917-18 were entitled; "The Girls Own Paper" and "Woman's Magazine"; presumably the two publications were merged for economy purposes as a result of World War 1. The adverts from "Woman's Magazine" seem somewhat unsuitable for young ladies of the day as many feature women's underwear.

Famous contributors

Most contributors are unknown outside the "G.O.P." pages but some, including Noel Streatfeild, Rosa Nouchette Carey (1840-1909), Angela Brazil, Lucy Maud Montgomery, Richmal Crompton and Baroness Orczy, are famous.

List of editors

* Charles Peters 1880-1907
* Flora Klickmann 1908-1931
* Gladys Spratt and others 1931-1956

Role in popular culture

In her history of the "G.O.P.", E Honor Ward writes: "The G.O.P. was an important and positive influence on generations of girls and women, and a vital outlet for women's writing and ideas, for more than three-quarters of a century".

Quotation

"'The Cottager', the cheapest and best Baking Oil Stove in the world, which will do all the cooking of an ordinary coal fire at Half the Cost, saving time, labour, temper and money; requires No Flues and costs only fifteen and sixpence, complete with kettle, fry-pan, saucepan, steamer, meat-tray and baking covers." (Advert from an early "G.O.P.)"

Further reading

*Doughty, Terri. "Selections from the Girl’s Own Paper, 1880-1907". Peterborough: Broadview Press, 2004. ISBN 978-1551115283

External links

* [http://www.mth.uea.ac.uk/~h720/GOP/history.shtml E. Honor Ward "A short history of the G.O.P."]
* [http://www.aplink.co.jp/ep/4-902454-17-3.html Girl's Own Papers Facsimile Reprint of Vol. 1-4 (Eureka Press)]
* [http://www.victorianperiodicals.com/series3/showarticlespecial.asp?id=106608 Waterloo Directory]