Ronald Welch facts for kids
Ronald Welch (born December 14, 1909 – died February 5, 1982) was a Welsh writer. His real name was Ronald Oliver Felton. He is best known for writing exciting historical adventure books for children.
In 1956, he won the important Carnegie Medal. This award is given to the best children's book by a British author each year. He won it for his book Knight Crusader. This book was the first in his famous "Carey Family" series.
Ronald Welch was born in Aberavon, Wales. He was a teacher at Bedford Modern School when World War II began. In 1940, he joined the Welch Regiment as a lieutenant. His pen name, Ronald Welch, comes from this army regiment. He became a major and stayed in the Territorial Army after the war. For many years, he was the headmaster of Okehampton Grammar School in Devon.
Welch's last book was called The Road to Waterloo. It was about the Carey family's world but wasn't published before he died. It was found among his papers in 2018 and then published.
Contents
The Carey Family Adventures
Ronald Welch's most famous books are about the Carey family. These stories follow different members of the family through many exciting historical periods.
- The main home of the Carey family is at Llansteffan Castle in Wales.
- Another part of the family lives at Horton Hall, on the Gower Peninsula.
- The Carey family also has strong ties with the d'Assailly family in France. Many Careys married into the d'Assailly family. Their French home is near Graye-sur-Mer.
- The heir to the Earl in the Carey family often has the title Viscount Cilfrew.
- The Carey family's coat-of-arms shows a black hawk on a yellow background.
- The books often include real dates and historical events. This makes it easy to know when the stories take place.
Books in the Carey Family Series
Here are the books in the Carey family series, in the order they are usually read:
| Reading Order | Published | Book Title | Main Character | Time Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1954 | Knight Crusader | Phillip d'Aubigny | 1186 – 1192? (During the Third Crusade) |
| 2 | 1966 | Bowman of Crécy | Hugh Fletcher | 1343? – 1346 (During the Hundred Years' War and Battle of Crécy) |
| 3 | 1967 | The Hawk | Harry Carey | 1584 – 1586 (During the time of Elizabeth I) |
| 4 | 1971 | The Galleon | Robert Penderyn | 1583–1586? (Also during the time of Elizabeth I) |
| 5 | 1961 | For the King | Neil Carey | 1642 – 1648 (During the English Civil War) |
| 6 | 1956 | Captain of Dragoons | Charles Carey | 1703 – 1704 (During the Battle of Blenheim) |
| 7 | 1958 | Mohawk Valley | Alan Carey | 1755 – 1759 (During the French and Indian War) |
| 8 | 1960 | Escape From France | Richard Carey | 1791 – 1794 (During the French Revolution) |
| 9 | 1959 | Captain of Foot | Christopher Carey | 1808 – 1812 (During the Peninsular War) |
| 10 | 2018 | The Road to Waterloo | James Carey | 1815 (Around the Battle of Quatre Bras) |
| 11 | 1963 | Nicholas Carey | Nicholas Carey | 1853 – 1855 (During the Crimean War) |
| 12 | 1976 | Ensign Carey | William Carey | 1853 – 1857 (During the Indian Mutiny) |
| 13 | 1972 | Tank Commander | John Carey | 1914 – 1917 (During World War I) |
Carey Family Members and Their Roles
Many members of the Carey family appear in the books. They often have important roles in history.
| Name | Books They Appear In | Military Role (if any) |
|---|---|---|
| Alan Carey | Mohawk Valley | |
| Anne Carey | Mohawk Valley, Escape from France, Captain of Foot | |
| Bernard Carey (10th Earl) | Nicholas Carey | Captain in the Dragoon Guards |
| Charles Carey (6th Earl) | Captain of Dragoons, Mohawk Valley | Major in Cadogan's Dragoons |
| Christopher Carey | Captain of Foot | Captain in the 43rd Light Infantry |
| Edward Carey (1st Earl) | The Hawk, The Galleon | |
| James Carey (9th Earl) | Nicholas Carey, The Road to Waterloo | Cornet in the 30th Light Dragoons |
| John Carey | Tank Commander | General in the Tank Corps |
| Neil Carey (4th Earl) | For the King | |
| Nicholas Carey | Nicholas Carey, Ensign Carey | Colonel in the 110th Foot (a fictional unit) |
| Peter Carey | Captain of Foot | Admiral in the Royal Navy |
| Richard Carey (8th Earl) | Escape from France, Captain of Foot, The Road to Waterloo | Lieutenant-Colonel in the 3rd Dragoon Guards |
| William Carey | Ensign Carey | Ensign in the 84th Bengal Native Infantry (fictional) |
Other Books and Stories
Ronald Welch also wrote other books and short stories that are not part of the Carey family series.
Books
- The Black Car Mystery (1950)
- The Clock Stood Still (1951)
- The Gauntlet (1951)
- Sker House (novel) (1955) (He wrote this under his real name, Ronald Felton)
- Ferdinand Magellan (1955)
- "The Long Bow" (1957, a shorter version of the first part of Bowman of Crécy)
- Sun of York (1970)
- Zulu Warrior (1974)
Short Stories
- "The Kings Hunt" (1963), found in Swift Annual 1963
- "The Joust" (1968), found in Miscellany Five
- "The King's Hunt" (1970), found in Thrilling Stories of the Past for Boys
