The Good Ship "Red Lily"

by Constance Savery

Exciting story of first Separatists' attempt to flee England by ship.

222 pages

First published January 1, 1944

About the author

Born in 1897, in All Saints' Vicarage in Froxfield, Wiltshire, Constance Winifred Savery was the daughter of the Rev. John Manly Savery, and his wife, Constance Eleanor Harbord Savery. The family moved to Birmingham when she was nine years old, and Savery was educated there, at King Edward VI High School for Girls. She went on to Somerville College, Oxford, where she studied English, and was in the first cohort of woman students to be granted degrees, in 1920. She earned a Post-Graduate Diploma in Secondary Education from Birmingham University, and M.A. from Oxford in 1927, and taught briefly (and unhappily), before her mother's death necessitated a return to her father's household in Middleton-cum-Fordley, Suffolk, where she helped him with the parish work.

Savery never returned to teaching, earning her living from then on by writing. She published close to fifty books, and numerous short stories and articles, all informed by her deep Christian (Anglican) faith. She died in 1999.

Reviews

[Katja Labonté · Rating 5 out of 5]

5+ stars (8/10 hearts). I’ve wanted to read this for years… and it fully justified my hopes. It reminded me of Enemy Brothers and The Reb & the Redcoats … and I loved that SO much.

There was Toby, so conscientious, so trusting, so wise… and so boyish. Father and Mother, the heroes; Uncle Ingram, the merry, warm-hearted, understanding uncle despite his flaws; Grandfather Timon, whom you just couldn’t hate, and Grandfather Fazackerley, who was much less amiable; Hester and the servants, with their good and bad points; Uncle Bill and Fight and the others; and the children—so real and so loveable, right down to little miss Violet Yellow and her runaway tongue.

Of course I loved the splendid writing and the exciting plot; but perhaps my favourite thing was the message of unquestioning obedience in the face of pressure and pain and the disobedience of others, as well as understanding and love. I loved the quiet study of father-son relationships, the understated theme of what morality really is, and the open-ended finish that’s so satisfying despite its lack of finality…

I hope I can read and enjoy this again many times ♥️

[Mary Herceg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a warm and lovely book. I'm so pleased to own my own copy now, a gift from a dear friend. My copy is published under the alternate title Flight to Freedom.

I wish I could write down the full review I was mentally writing after reading The Good Ship Red Lily for the second time, but reviews are impossible for me right now. That will have to wait till next time.

In the meantime, I recommend this book to Constance Savery fans or to anyone who loves children's adventure stories about fascinating family relationships full of love and conflict.

This one is not as amazing as The Reb and the Redcoats or Enemy Brothers, but few books are. I recommend trying one of those first, if you haven't read anything by this author.

I've enjoyed this book immensely both times I've read it, and it holds a special place in my heart, one that is filled with a warm, bright, cozy glow. I give this book 4.5 stars.

[Tiuri · Rating 4 out of 5]

And there it is. Another of Ms. Savery’s books behind me and read. It seems that if you’ve read one you’ve read them all, except you won’t be able to stop reading them all the same. Here is another tale, mostly from the perspective of Toby (who is a young teen) and about his noble father, and less noble relatives. They are seeking to sail to America for religious freedom, and their relations wish to prevent them. That is the book in a nutshell, but with all of Savery’s types of characters mixed in.
Here are a few selections (and more commentary) to give you the flavor:

"I expect Toby will cut off my puppet's head," said Violet, "he is so cross. What shall you do to him, Mr. Ingram, if he does cut it off ?"
"Nothing whatever," said Uncle Ingram, "so when you get your puppet, guard her well. I refuse to be appointed protector over puppets."
He sat down on the side of Toby's bed, and taking Toby's hands, drew him round so that he could look into the boy's averted face.
"Ah, Toby," he said, "it is my head that you would like to cut off, isn't it ?"

And:

"I am afraid you are unacquainted with the writings of the great Shakespeare," said Uncle Ingram. "He says, "How far that little candle throws his beams, So shines a good deed in a naughty world!”

I do find it rather hard to believe that Ingram can be so soft and jolly and then so very treacherous and loyal by turns. I don’t think even he understands himself. He is decidedly NOT Hugh Tenthragon (having no broodiness of nature) and yet he does share a few of his curious quirks and habits:

“Yes, and you'll please to put your silver pencil down on the table where I can see it. I'll have, none of your fancy pictures drawn on the margins of the Good Book."
Ingram, laughing, threw the pencil aside.”

It seems Constance Savery likes a little artist thrown into her rebellious younger brothers.

Grandfather Fazackerley frowned.
"Is this your penitence, impudent boy?"
"All I see fit to display to strangers, sir," said Uncle Ingram with insolent calm. "Brother, have I your leave to depart?"

The jacket summary on the book concludes:

“The attempts to escape, their frustrations, and final success make an exciting story told with charm and humor and with the delightful description one expects from Miss Savery.”

And it is that. Exactly the sort of book you’d expect from Constance Savery. And here ends my convoluted review. If you want to make sense of it all, I advise you read the book.