Sophie Neville, star of the original Swallows and Amazons film and author of The Making of Swallows and Amazons, reveals more memories and anecdotes that will appear in the 3rd edition of her e-book The Secrets of Filming Swallows and Amazons in time for the film’s 50th anniversary in 2024.

Since the experts on BBC Antiques Roadshow have been taking an interest in the original feature film Swallows and Amazons (1974), I thought I ought to add to a few facts. Although the movie was released forty-seven years ago, the cast list remains incomplete.

Two credits are missing: Jim Stelfox was in uniform, playing a guard or station master at the Haverthwaite Steam Railway station in the opening scenes, when the Swallows first arrive in the Lake District. He ended up appearing in some of the publicity stills that were used in magazines and newspapers. One features on a jigsaw puzzle that accompanied the release of the movie. The little boy leaning out of the train window was Robin Smith, who grew up in Ambleside.

Kit Seymour, Sten Grendon, Sophie Neville, Lesley Bennett, Virginia McKenna, Simon West Suzanna Hamilton with Jim Stelfox, the station master.

David Watkin Price, also from Cumbria, played the native on the jetty in Rio. His speaking part was cut from the television version of the film broadcast on ITV but remains in the remastered 2014 cinema Blu-Ray and DVD available online.

Mr Price played an important part in our lives when the film was being made as he owned and ran the Oaklands Guest House in Ambleside where we stayed. His daughter Jane, told me, “They wanted you to stay in a place that had a family atmosphere with other children.” I expect that she did a lot to help.

David Price who played the part of the Native in Rio with his family in Ambleside. They ran the Oaklands Guesthouse – photo: Daphne Neville

Jane appeared with her two brothers as film extras in the Rio scenes, remembering that it gave her a day off school. Sadly, her little brother’s knickerbockers kept falling down. You can see Jane in a grey with long pigtails,  hoiking them up in this behind-the-scenes shot. To see other photos of the Price family in costume, please click here.

The Price children in their 1929 costumes on the shore of Windermere, 1973.

The people of the Lake District have written in with other stories. Philippa Poulson knew the real charcoal burner, Norman Allonby – “I lived around the corner from him in 1973. He lived in a tiny one-up, one-down traditional cottage, walked everywhere, and made a lovely cup of tea. He was very interested in my English Literature A-level course, being a keen reader. I wonder how many people know he knew Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained, by heart, and in their entirety and could recite any part, at any time, on request. He would happily talk for hours on the subject, with a twinkle in his eye and his pickle catching front tooth. Lovely, gentle man, living life at the right pace.” You can read more about the real charcoal burners of Grizedale Forest here.

The real charcoal burner outside the hut. Behind him the 35mm Panasonic camera is being mounted on a short section of track – photo: Daphne Neville

Susie Trezise said, “I remember them filming Swallows and Amazons – it was right in the middle of my O-level exams and their walkie-talkies kept coming through my stereo speakers! It was fascinating listening. I lived at Stock Ghyll Mill, so about five miles away from the filming. The strangest thing was it still came through the speakers when they were turned off but still plugged in!”

Joss Bundy wrote to say: “My Father, between being the technical director of the Royal Opera House and the National Theatre, worked with Richard Pilbrow at Theatre Projects in the ’70s. He had been a friend of Richard’s for many years. Theatrical lighting design was still in its infancy and designers tended to stick together. Richard and my Dad were the founders of The Association of Lighting Designers, along with various others.”

Richard Pilbrow and Neville Thompson – photo: Daphne Neville

“My mother, Rosemary Lindsay, had been a ballerina at the Royal Opera House, which is where they met. She had sailed since a small child and had devoured each new Ransome book as it was published and loved them more than any others. When Richard mooted the film, my father mentioned what an expert Rosemary was and when the project was getting up on its feet she was given an early script to vet. Various things had been added in for dramatic effect and she vetoed one: Roger getting stuck on top of a cliff, as she felt John and Susan would never have let him get in such a situation.”

“I was clearing yet another box of theatre-related photos and as well as a couple of publicity stills.” One shows filming the Amazon boat house. “I can only assume Richard or Molly sent them back to my Dad, who would have been running Theatre Projects while Richard was away.”

“After the film was finished, Richard offered Swallow to my Mum, but she didn’t want the responsibility of another wooden boat. We still own the one she sailed as a child, a smaller version of a Swallow type boat. She also felt that a boat only sailed in fresh water would not necessarily do well in salt water.”

And last, but not least, Arthur Herbertson has found the following comic strips that were based on the 1974 film:

Do add any memories you have to the comments here. It would be lovely to hear from you.

It would also be great to have some more reviews of the film on the International Movie Database. You can easily add one here.

Sophie Neville’s e-book The Secrets of Filming Swallows & Amazons is available from all e-book distributors, including Amazon Kindle.

Her story The Making of Swallows and Amazons is available from the Nancy Blackett Shop, in support of the work of the Nancy Blackett Trust.

The original version of this story was published by Sophie Neville in March 2021.