Sophie Neville reflects on her life with boats before, during and after Swallows and Amazons… I grew up with boats in the garden. My father owned eight at one time, including two coracles and a vintage river launch called Ottor that he renovated himself. Martin Neville with friends on the Norfolk Broads As a young man, while […]
Supper bookings for the Brian Hammett Memorial Talk this Friday (18th March) are now closed, but a limited number of £12 seat-only tickets remain available. Presented by the Nancy Blackett Trust and TARS East, the talk will be given by Julia Jones, present owner of Arthur Ransome’s Peter Duck, and well-known East Coast sailor and […]
Sophie Neville tells the tale of the tooth that went missing during the filming of the original Swallows and Amazons film, and how she got it back last year… In May 2021 I spoke to Helen Millican on BBC Radio Cumbria about making the original film of Swallows and Amazons in the Lake District, back […]
Sophie Neville reveals more behind-the-scenes memories of the original Swallows and Amazons film that she has received following another TV showing of the film… The original film of Swallows and Amazons was screened on Talking Pictures TV last summer. The BBC Radio 4 newscaster Alan Smith wrote to me afterwards, saying: “It’s Alan Smith here – lovely […]
The lighthouse tree lantern from the original Swallows and Amazons film still exists, and has an unexpected connection to We Didn’t Mean to Go to Sea, writes Sophie Neville… I received an interesting series of emails recently from a stonemason called Philip Chatfield: “Hi Sophie, I was watching Swallows and Amazons, the old classic, on […]
A marathon reading of Arthur Ransome’s classic story Winter Holiday is happening at Windermere Jetty on Sunday (30th January). The all-day event has been organised by writer and lecturer Chris Routledge, in association with The Arthur Ransome Trust. He also staged a similar readings of Swallows and Amazons on the shore of Coniston Water in […]
Yachting World has named Swallow as one of the world’s coolest yachts, as nominated by offshore sailor Nikki Henderson, the youngest ever Clipper Around the World Race skipper. “For my most influential boat, my mind drifted to the story of Swallows and Amazons, which gripped me as a child,” Nikki Henderson recalls. Arthur Ransome’s much-loved […]
The title for the Brian Hammett Memorial Talk comes from a call-out for volunteer to the newly-formed Royal Naval Volunteer Supplementary Reserve at the beginning of World War II. Many amateur yachtsmen – notably from the East Coast – responded, and Julia’s new book Uncommon Courage chronicles their exploits and contributions to the war effort. […]
Sophie Neville takes a further look back at the making of the original Swallows and Amazons film… ‘Titty from Swallows and Amazons’ often gets typed into the Google search engine but when I attempt to use it as a ‘tag’ a message pops up saying: ‘Sorry, you are not allowed to assign the provided terms.’ […]
A Christmas message from the Nancy Blackett Trust… We wish a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all of our supporters, members, friends and followers. Thank you for your ongoing support and have a wonderful time. Art by Claudia Myatt
It’s time for last orders for your Christmas gifts from the Nancy Blackett Shop! Choose from our fabulous range of “Swallows and Amazons” and Nancy Blackett gifts, knowing that your purchases will go to a very good cause – keeping Nancy Blackett afloat and available for everyone! Please order your Christmas gifts by 15th December for […]
Celebrate Nancy Blackett’s 90th Anniversary with Good Little Ship, the definitive story of Arthur Ransome’s favourite boat, now on special offer at £10 (normally £14). Written by Peter Willis, co-founder and President of the Nancy Blackett Trust, Good Little Ship takes a deep dive into the boat, the book she inspired (We Didn’t Mean to Go to Sea – a classic […]
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