Next weekend (29th and 30th June) sees the 50th Anniversary celebration of the original Swallows and Amazons film in the Lake District at the Windermere Jetty Museum.

Sophie Neville and Stephen Grendon in Swallows & Amazons (1974). (Click to enlarge)

Hosted by the Arthur Ransome Society, the weekend will see the reuniting of the cast and crew with the restored Swallow and Amazon dinghies from the film. There will be screenings of the film, talks by the cast, and, weather permitting, opportunities to sail in Amazon and cruise on historic steamboats, as well as exhibitions and memorabilia, games and activities, and folk concerts.

Events are free, but there is a charge for museum entry for the exhibitions and steamboat cruises, and booking is required for sailing trips.

The full weekend programme is below, but please note that timings are subject to change:

All weekend

• Exhibitions and static displays in the Learning Centre and foyer (Arthur Ransome, Swallows and Armenians, film artefacts and memorabilia)
• Children’s craft activities in the reception area and foyer
• Swallows and Amazons campsite to explore
• Swallow and Titmouse (from the BBC serial of Coot Club) on the shoreline
• See Mavis – the original Amazon from 1928
• 10.30am onwards – Heritage boat trips on the steamboats Osprey and either Lady Elizabeth or Penelope which appeared in the Rio film scenes (additional charge)
• 11.00am onwards – grab a chance to sail Amazon (weather permitting) with an experienced skipper. Book with Sail Swallow and Amazon.

Saturday programme (29th June)

• 10:00am – Event opens:
• 10:30am – Film showing: Swallows & Amazons (90 mins)
• 12:15pm – Talk (20 mins) by Peter Wright: How Ransome came to write Swallows and Amazons
• 12:45pm – Film showing: Swallows & Amazons (90 mins)
• 2:30pm – Meet the original cast and crew: introduced by John Sergeant, President of The Arthur Ransome Society. Do bring any books for signing. Simon West (John), Suzanna Hamilton (Susan), Sophie Neville (Titty), Kit Seymour (Nancy), Kerry Darbishire (Nurse) will be with David Wood OBE (screenwriter), Peter Robb-King (Make up designer), Daphne Neville (Chaperone) and others who worked on the film made in the summer of 1973.
• 3:00pm – Talk by actress Sophie Neville (30 mins) memories and secrets of making the film, featuring which scenes from the film were shot on Windermere.
• 3:45pm – Folk Concert (the music of Arthur Ransome’s books)
• 5:00pm – Film showing: Swallows & Amazons (90 mins)
• 6:30pm – Close

The film crew of Swallows and Amazons wait with Swallow at the end of the jetty while Simon West, Suzanna Hamilton and Sophie Neville line up by the launch. Credit: Sophie Neville.

Sunday programme (30th June)

• 10:00am – Event opens: 
• 10:30am – Film showing: Swallows & Amazons (90 mins)
• 12:15pm – Meet the original cast and crew: introduced by John Sergeant, President of The Arthur Ransome Society. Do bring any books for signing. Suzanna Hamilton (Susan), Sophie Neville (Titty), Kit Seymour (Nancy), Kerry Darbishire (Nurse) will be with David Wood OBE (screenwriter), Peter Robb-King (Make up designer), Daphne Neville (Chaperone) and others who worked on the film made in the summer of 1973.
• 1:00pm – Talk by Sophie Neville on The Making of Swallows and Amazons
• 1:45pm – Film showing: Swallows & Amazons (90 mins)
• 3:25pm – Talk (20 mins) by Peter Wright: How Ransome came to write Swallows and Amazons
• 4:00pm – Folk Concert (the music of Arthur Ransome’s books)
• 5:00pm – Close

In the Museum (charges apply)

Ransome’s own sailing dinghy Coch-y-Bonddhu, Ransome memorabilia, boats, displays, steam cruises on the lake, and 200 years of Lakeland history.

Compiled from the original articles by Sophie Neville and Magnus Smith.