It has been claimed that W. E. Johns based some aspects of his fictional hero Biggles (surname Bigglesworth) on the real-life Bigsworth, with whom he had worked at the Air Ministry.
William Earl Johns, author of The Biggles stories was a student at the school from 1905.
The Camels Are Coming (book), a 1932 aviation short-story collection set in World War I, the first book of the Biggles series
Biggles |
Arthur Bigsworth, aviator was born in Anerley in 1885, said to be the inspiration for W. E. Johns' fictional hero Biggles.
Captain Lorrington "Gimlet" King, a fictional character in the Biggles fictional scenario
The list also included W.E. John's immensely popular Biggles series and stories he wrote for children based on the popular television series Bonanza.
During his time in Iceland Lamburn, the putative original for “William” of the Richmal Crompton books, came into contact with Air Commander Cecil George Wigglesworth, speculated to be the original for “Biggles” of the stories by W. E. Johns.
Consisting of brothers Epic Soundtracks (real name Kevin Paul Godfrey) and Nikki Sudden (real name Adrian Nicholas Godfrey) two Solihull based teenagers, plus Biggles Books (Richard Earl), Phones Sportsman (David Barrington), John "Golden" Cockrill and Jowe Head (Stephen Bird), the band cut the single "Read About Seymour" as their debut in 1977, soon after the brothers left Solihull School (also home of Spizzenergi).
Different dialogue appeared in the American print that had much less of the opening Parliamentary satire and the word "Biggles" is replaced by "Batman" when Seraph is talking of his excitement at visiting Secret Service headquarters.
Collins's Armada Books imprint also published similar series, such as the Three Investigators, alongside such British stalwarts as Biggles, Billy Bunter, and Paddington Bear, and such well-loved authors as Enid Blyton, Malcolm Saville, Diana Pullein-Thompson.