Saddle Tramps History

Harry Jones submitted the manuscript for Saddle Tramps on 22 May 1962. His publisher, Muller, accepted it immediately as the second book in the three– book contract dated 5 December 1961. Muller was so pleased with Saddle Tramps that they wrote directly to Jones on 22 June to say “I look forward to the next manuscript, this one’s jolly good.” Normally communications were via the agent so as to keep the author at arm’s length.

That said, on 29 June Muller, perhaps realising that its show of delight might lead to a request for an increase in the agreed £100 per book payment, wrote to say that their copy editor was removing some “slightly annoying repetitions which are obviously a blind spot with you”. Examples given included “dun gelding”, “taking out the makings” and “building himself a smoke” which seems to imply that it was the horse that smoked!

Saddle Tramps was published in hardback in 1962. Sadly, the exact date of publication is currently unknown. (It was unknown that a paperback edition had been issued at 2/6 until one appeared for sale on Amazon in 2014.)