To conclude our series marking the 130th Anniversary of Arthur Ransome's birth last Saturday, historian, edutainer and broadcaster Matthew Ward recalls his childhood with "Swallows and Amazons".
"My childhood home was by a large lake in which there were islands, boats and perch, just like the world of "Swallows and Amazons". I was fortunate to enjoy being a child in the years before computers, multi-channel television and fear incarcerated children. Long days were spent on my bike, being an explorer around the lake, woods and streams; building dams and bathing in the pool I created; scrambling up trees, and getting deliciously covered in mud!
We were the last generation to enjoy a childhood like the Blacketts, Walkers and Callums, so Ransome's stories were very real to me. Our lake would freeze in cold Januaries and became an Arctic playground, just like Winter Holiday, enabling us to explore the islands and hidden reaches."
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