Conqueror

Teacher Richmal Crompton was born 130 years ago and created Just William. MARION McMULLENlooks at how her unruly young scamp has been brought to life over the decades

Are You Being Served? comedy star Molly Sugden and Carry On favourite Joan Sims.

Martin Jarvis has been the voice behind many classic awardw winning Just William recordings and o on BBC Radio 4 and also narrated the B BBC’s 2010 adaptation. It saw Outnumbered child actor Daniel Roche cut off his curly locks to star in the series written by Men Behaving Badly writer Simon Nye. The cast also included current Strictly Come Dancing contestant Caroline

Quentin and Warren Clark as William’s neighbours the Botts.

“William is everything I’d really like to be myself,” said the then 10-year-old Daniel. “I’ve never wanted to play a part more than this one. He’s the leader, the others all look up to him. And he’s always active, which makes a great character.

“Obviously he’s mischievous, too, which is great, but I’m sure he doesn’t mean to be naughty. More often than not, I don’t think he realises that what he’s doing is really that bad. And I think it’s probably OK to be naughty sometimes, if you don’t mean to be.”

Creator Richmal herself once described William as her “Frankenstein monster” and admitted he was irrepressible.

She said: “He takes possession of every story I try to write, even though they are not about William.”

The popularity of her creation continues with fans around the world who consider William Brown the ultimate schoolboy scamp.