J Ivester Lloyd

Joey the Story of a Pony

Country Life, 1939, illus T Ivester Lloyd

Junior Country Life Library, 1950

Charles Scribner, New York, 1950

This is the story of Joey the pony and his life at Bramble Farm. He is then sold to Susan Strong, and
spends much of his time hunting. Eventually he becomes a Hunt Horse (well, pony).

John (Jack) Ivester Lloyd was the son of Thomas Ivester Lloyd, the artist, and Florence Lloyd, and was born on 17th February 1902. He died in Shropshire in 1992. He wrote on hunting, and wrote children’s books about dogs, as well as his pony stories. John’s father, Thomas, illustrated several of his books. After Thomas Ivester Lloyd’s death in 1942, the books were illustrated by Stanley Lloyd and Peter Biegel. John Ivester Lloyd was in the RNVR (Royal Naval Voluner Reserve), and as temporary acting Lieutenant-Commander, was awarded the DSC on 8th June 1945. He was mentioned in dispatches in 1944 for Operation Brassard. Jack’s daughter, Delphine, wrote pony books herself.

He was a keen sportsman, Carol Hewson, his grand daughter, said: “ Jack used to judge hounds and was a follower of beagles. Many a time I went beagling with him and he also used to follow at many fox hunts on foot. I rode with the Wynnstay Hunt under Sir Watkins Williams Wynn and Grandpa was very often there chatting to him. He used to take me to the hunt dinners as his guest when he was after dinner speaker. How proud I was to hear him and what a good speaker he was.“

Finding the books: Most of the books are easy to find, with the exception of the two small pamphlets written for Moss Bros. Copies with dustjackets tend to be a little more expensive than is normal for a pony book.

Sources:
Carol Hewson

London Gazette, supplement, 14th June 1945

http://www.unithistories.com/

The People of the Valley
Country Life, 1943, illus T Ivester Lloyd and Stanley Lloyd

More a farming story than a pony one, though ponies do appear. Jimmy Hamilton, on the way
to his Aunt’s for Christmas, gets onto the wrong train and ends up spending Christmas on the
Begley’s farm. He rides and hunts the pony, George Henry, and tracks down thieves who have
been stealing animals from the farm.

Riders of the Heath
Country Life, London,1951, illus Peter Biegel

When Mr Crowther and his children Pam and Tony leave London for the country, they move to Ashgrove
on the edge of the Heath. They soon find friends and ride out on the Heath, when they find out that
someone is trying to capture Midnight, the black pony stallion put on the Heath to improve the breed.

Hunting

Full Cry, 1939

Come Hunting, 1952

Beagling, 1954

Children’s Equestrian
Well Ridden!
Citadel Press, 1949

Well Ridden!
Citadel, London, 1949, illus Stanley Lloyd

This is about a boy and his sister who love riding. It’s a bit of an adventure story as well: they ride, hunt and
point to point, but also bring thieves to justice.