About the author
Alick Hayes was a writer and actor. He is probably best known as a playwright: in 1950, he wrote the play Just William, based on Richmal Crompton’s William books, as well as a long running radio series based on the William books. Other radio series he wrote included The Derringtons and The Flying Andersons, and a series for Will Hays. He wrote an episode of Coronation Street, as well as appearing in a few episodes. He had many minor parts in television programmes during his acting career.
He wrote just the one pony novel, as far as I am aware: Pam and Dr Syntax. The one other pony connection I’ve been able to find is a minor part in the Flambards TV series as a businessman. He contributed short stories to annuals and edited the Boys’ Fishing World Annual of 1963.
Finding the book
Pam and Dr Syntax can be very pricey indeed: it’s not the commonest of books, so expect to pay more for it than the average pony book.
Links and sources
Alick Hayes’ Coronation Street career
Alick Hayes’ television career
Alick Hayes and William
Bibliography
Pam and Dr Syntax
George G Harrap & Co Ltd, London, 1960, 192 pp. Illus Keith Money
Pam and her mother had bought Dr Syntax as a two-year-old after Pam’s mother had spotted him casually jumping out of his field and back in again. After what looked like a promising start to a showjumping career,
tragedy struck when Pam’s mother was killed and Pam has to earn her living in London. It looks as if she will have to give her horse up, but she is not the sort of girl to give up easily.
