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Wodehouse Oversights


There is no question that Wodehouse was prolific. If I had written all those novels and short stories, I would have gotten a bit mixed up, too. As I read or listen to these stories every day, occasionally an inconsistency pops up and I make note of it. Here are some that I have so far.

How many daughters does J. Washburn Stoker have?
In "Thank you, Jeeves," J. Washburn Stoker says, "I have but one daughter." He refers to Pauline Stoker, the female figure of the story.

Then, in the later novel, "Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves," an Emerald Stoker, daughter of J. Washburn and sister to Pauline, pops up.

Does Bertie have siblings?
In "Thank you, Jeeves," Bertie is asked by Chuffy if he has a sister, and Berties answers "No."

But, in "Bertie Changes his Mind" Bertie speaks of his sister, a Mrs. Scholfield, and some of her offsprings. He says, "My sister will be back from India next week with her three little girls."
  And Jeeves adds at the end of the story, "....to enable you to have your sister, Mrs. Scholfield, and her three young ladies to live with you."

Totleigh Towers Revisited
In "Code of the Woosters" Bertie, Aunt Dahlia, Gussie Fink-Nottle are staying at Sir Watkyn Bassett's Totleigh Towers. Spode is about to break Bertie's neck, Gussie hits Spode with a picture that goes around his neck "like a ruff."

In "Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves" Bertie recalls this incident, but states that it was at Uncle Tom's/Aunt Dahlia's Brinkley Court where this happened.