Jessamy

by Barbara Sleigh

Release: 1967
Format: Novel
Genre: Fantasy
Audience: Children
Content: Undetermined Time Travel
Original Language: English

Visiting with the caretaker of an empty old mansion, orphaned Jessamy emerges from the nursery closet into the world of 1914 when her namesake lived in the same house and left her adventures and a mystery to be solved again in the present.

— from publicity material

Somehow I’ve become another Jessamy in a different time! It must be a different time because of the clothes. Nobody wears long skirts like Matchett and Aunt now—I mean that—oh, I don’t know what I mean!

DEBUT

Jessamy (Bobbs-Merrill, 1967).

VARIANTS

1 English variant

TRANSLATIONS

Translations to German

TAGS(SPOILERS!)

Time Periods

Circa AD 1900 to 1929: past time period
Circa AD 1960 to 1969: starting time period

Timeline Models

Single Static Timeline: The story has a slight feel of a static time line regarding the lost book and the measuring marks, although the time model is not a focus.

Time Travel Methods

Time Booths, Wardrobes, et al.: The travel happens only in the cupboard on the days written by the height marks.

Themes

Mind Travel: 1960s Jessamy slips into 1914/15 Jessamy.

TIME TRAVEL ITINERARY (SPOILERS!)

From a schoolroom in the Posset Place mansion, 23 July 1966 ⋙ to the same schoolroom, 23 July 1914. Round trip. Note: Jessamy’s first slip through time.
From a schoolroom in the Posset Place mansion, 14 August 1966 ⋙ to the same schoolroom, 14 August 1915. Round trip. Note: Jessamy’s second slip through time.