William Brown is one of the most popular fictional characters of all time. Richmal Crompton's brilliant, timeless stories have delighted several generations of readers, both children and adults alike.
Incredibly, the William books span five decades. In addition to the wonderful adventure, fun, and humour of the books, they provide a unique portrait of the changing landscape of a typical English village (William's home) during those fifty years. William Brown is an 11 year old mischievous middle class school boy who lives in a village between the fictional towns of Marleigh and Hadley in England. A number of guesses have been made about where the stories are set. In Pensions for Boys in Sweet William (1936), it is suggested that the village is about 50 miles from London. It has also been suggested (in Margarey Disher's book Growing Up with Just William) that it is situated somewhere around Bromley. A road sign shown in a Thomas Henry illustration from "William Gets A Move On" in "William Does His Bit" reads "London A1", which would place the village north of London.
William often gets into trouble and is the leader of his band of friends, known as The Outlaws, with his best friend Ginger, and his other friends Henry and Douglas. His scruffy mongrel is called Jumble.
A William story often starts when William or the Outlaws set out to do something — put on a play, collect scrap metal for the war effort, look after Violet Elizabeth Bott for example. William always manages to get into trouble with his parents, although he can never see why. Often his well meaning efforts result in broken windows and hysterics among Mrs. Brown's friends.
Incredibly, the William books span five decades. In addition to the wonderful adventure, fun, and humour of the books, they provide a unique portrait of the changing landscape of a typical English village (William's home) during those fifty years. William Brown is an 11 year old mischievous middle class school boy who lives in a village between the fictional towns of Marleigh and Hadley in England. A number of guesses have been made about where the stories are set. In Pensions for Boys in Sweet William (1936), it is suggested that the village is about 50 miles from London. It has also been suggested (in Margarey Disher's book Growing Up with Just William) that it is situated somewhere around Bromley. A road sign shown in a Thomas Henry illustration from "William Gets A Move On" in "William Does His Bit" reads "London A1", which would place the village north of London.
William often gets into trouble and is the leader of his band of friends, known as The Outlaws, with his best friend Ginger, and his other friends Henry and Douglas. His scruffy mongrel is called Jumble.
A William story often starts when William or the Outlaws set out to do something — put on a play, collect scrap metal for the war effort, look after Violet Elizabeth Bott for example. William always manages to get into trouble with his parents, although he can never see why. Often his well meaning efforts result in broken windows and hysterics among Mrs. Brown's friends.
Many thanks to Golux and Dick L for contributions to this page.
Just William - the first ever Just William book
01 - William Goes to the Pictures.
02 - William the Intruder.
03 - William Below Stairs.
04 - The Fall of the Idol.
05 - The Show.
06 - A Question of Grammar.
07 - William Joins the Band of Hope.
08 - The Outlaws.
09 - William & White Satin
10 - William's New Year's Day.
11 - The Best Laid Plans.
12 - Jumble.
01 - William Goes to the Pictures.
02 - William the Intruder.
03 - William Below Stairs.
04 - The Fall of the Idol.
05 - The Show.
06 - A Question of Grammar.
07 - William Joins the Band of Hope.
08 - The Outlaws.
09 - William & White Satin
10 - William's New Year's Day.
11 - The Best Laid Plans.
12 - Jumble.
Just William at Christmas
01 - William and the Carol Singers.
02 - A Busy Day.
03 - William All The Time.
04 - William's Christmas Eve.
05 - The Outlaws Fetch The Holly.
06 - A Present From William.
07 - The End.
02 - A Busy Day.
03 - William All The Time.
04 - William's Christmas Eve.
05 - The Outlaws Fetch The Holly.
06 - A Present From William.
07 - The End.
01-01 The Christmas Truce.
01-02 Only Just In Time.
01-03 The Midnight Adventure of Miss Montague.
01-04 William and the Musician.
01-05 William Leads a Better Life.
01-06 William and the Twins.
01-07 William’s Birthday.
01-08 William and the Little Girl.
01-09 The Outlaws and Cousin Percy.
01-10 William and the Princess Goldilocks.
01-02 Only Just In Time.
01-03 The Midnight Adventure of Miss Montague.
01-04 William and the Musician.
01-05 William Leads a Better Life.
01-06 William and the Twins.
01-07 William’s Birthday.
01-08 William and the Little Girl.
01-09 The Outlaws and Cousin Percy.
01-10 William and the Princess Goldilocks.
02-02 A Birthday Treat.
02-03 The Outlaws and the Triplets.
02-04 A Bit of Blackmail.
02-05 William Makes a Night of It.
02-06 William and the Lost Tourist.
02-07 The Leopard Hunter.
02-08 The New Neighbour.
02-09 William the Philanthropist.
02-10 William and the Prize Cat.
03-01 William Holds the Stage.
03-02 William and the School Report.
03-03 All the News.
03-04 Aunt Arabelle in Charge.
03-05 William's Goodbye Present.
03-06 William The Salvage Collector.
03-07 William's Day Off.
03-08 Entertainment Provided.
03-09 William and the Brains Trust.
03-10 William and the Bomb.
03-02 William and the School Report.
03-03 All the News.
03-04 Aunt Arabelle in Charge.
03-05 William's Goodbye Present.
03-06 William The Salvage Collector.
03-07 William's Day Off.
03-08 Entertainment Provided.
03-09 William and the Brains Trust.
03-10 William and the Bomb.
04-01 William Goes Shopping.
04-02 Violet Elizabeth Runs Away.
04-03 William and the Real Laurence.
04-04 The Outlaws and the Hidden Treasure.
04-05 William and the Fairy Daffodil.
04-06 The Best Laid Plans.
04-07 Mrs Bott's Hat.
04-08 William Starts the Holidays.
04-09 William Plays Santa Claus.
04-10 William and the Snowman.
04-11 Revenge is Sweet.
04-12 William and the Black Cat.
04-02 Violet Elizabeth Runs Away.
04-03 William and the Real Laurence.
04-04 The Outlaws and the Hidden Treasure.
04-05 William and the Fairy Daffodil.
04-06 The Best Laid Plans.
04-07 Mrs Bott's Hat.
04-08 William Starts the Holidays.
04-09 William Plays Santa Claus.
04-10 William and the Snowman.
04-11 Revenge is Sweet.
04-12 William and the Black Cat.
05-01 William and the Russian Prince.
05-02 William's Busy Day.
05-03 William The Great Actor.
05-04 William and the White Elephants.
05-05 Finding a School for William.
05-06 William's Birthday.
05-07 William Clears The Slums.
05-08 Parrots for Ethel.
05-09 William's Truthful Christmas.
05-10 Boys Will Be Boys.
05-11 William and the Ebony Hair-Brush.
05-12 William and the Old Man in the Fog.
05-02 William's Busy Day.
05-03 William The Great Actor.
05-04 William and the White Elephants.
05-05 Finding a School for William.
05-06 William's Birthday.
05-07 William Clears The Slums.
05-08 Parrots for Ethel.
05-09 William's Truthful Christmas.
05-10 Boys Will Be Boys.
05-11 William and the Ebony Hair-Brush.
05-12 William and the Old Man in the Fog.
06-01 That Boy.
06-02 The Bishop's Handkerchief.
06-03 William and Uncle George.
06-04 The Haunted House.
06-05 William and St Valentine.
06-06 April Fool's Day.
06-07 Not Much.
06-08 The Cure.
06-09 William's Wonderful Plan.
06-10 The Outlaws and the Penknife.
06-11 William the Reformer.
06-12 William's New Year's Day.
06-02 The Bishop's Handkerchief.
06-03 William and Uncle George.
06-04 The Haunted House.
06-05 William and St Valentine.
06-06 April Fool's Day.
06-07 Not Much.
06-08 The Cure.
06-09 William's Wonderful Plan.
06-10 The Outlaws and the Penknife.
06-11 William the Reformer.
06-12 William's New Year's Day.
07-01 Aunt Florence and the Green Woodpecker.
07-02 The Plan That Failed.
07-03 William and the Begging Letter.
07-04 A Question of Exchange.
07-05 William and the Temporary History Master.
07-06 The Outlaws and the Tramp.
07-07 A Few Dogs and William.
07-08 The Outlaws and the Missionary.
07-09 William the Good.
07-10 William and the Young Man.
07-11 William and the Spy.
07-12 William and the Badminton Racket.
07-02 The Plan That Failed.
07-03 William and the Begging Letter.
07-04 A Question of Exchange.
07-05 William and the Temporary History Master.
07-06 The Outlaws and the Tramp.
07-07 A Few Dogs and William.
07-08 The Outlaws and the Missionary.
07-09 William the Good.
07-10 William and the Young Man.
07-11 William and the Spy.
07-12 William and the Badminton Racket.
08-02 William and Dear Little Peter.
08-03 William and the Waxwork Prince.
08-04 William and the White Cat.
08-05 William and Photography.
08-06 The Great Detective.
08-07 The Fete - and Fortune.
08-08 The Weak Spot.
08-09 The Outlaws Go a-Mumming.
08-10 William's Double Life.
08-11 William to the Rescue.
08-12 William the Film Star.
09-02 William the Showman.
09-03 William and the Monster.
09-04 William the Persian.
09-05 The New Game.
09-06 William and the Love Test.
09-07 The Cat and the Mouse.
09-08 Waste Paper Wanted.
09-09 William the Globe Trotter.
09-10 William and the Prize Pig.
09-11 A Present from William.
09-12 A Night of Mysteries.
10-02 William and the League of Perfect Love.
10-03 Fireworks Strictly Prohibited.
10-04 William the Psychiatrist.
10-05 William joins the Waits.
10-06 Violet Elizabeth takes control.
10-07 William – The Dear Little Boysie.
10-08 William’s Brilliant Plan.
10-09 The Outlaws and Aunt Jo.
10-10 Violet Elizabeth's Special Party.
Just William's Luck was the only novel in the series, the rest being books of short stories. The story revolves around the attempts of William and his friends to get their elder brothers married, such that they might become the recipients of possessions replaced by wedding presents. After a series of unlikely adventures, the boys serendipitously foil a gang of fur-coat smugglers, and receive a reward from the police.
The same year of its release, it was adapted into a feature film of the same name.
01-The Sweet little girl in White
02- William and the Princess Goldilocks
01-My Summer Holiday.
02-What's Wrong with Civilizashun.
03-The Job I'd Like Best.
04-Commonsense About Holidays.
05-School is a Waste of Time.
06-My Day in London.
07-Something Like a Change.
08-I'll Tell You What's Wrong With Christmas.
09-Home for the Holidays.
10-William's Christmas Presents.
11-Christmas Day with William.
12-New Year's Day.
01 - The Knight At Arms.
02 - The Revenge.
03 - The Ghost.
Rightin' Wrongs.01 - The Pennymans Hand On The Torch.
02 - The Knights Of The Square Table.
03 - William Helps The Cause.
