Last modified:4th February, 2002
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The Nancy Blackett

The Arthur Ransome Society

The Society produces a Literary magazine, "Mixed Moss" twice a year, "Signals" a newsletter three times a year, which records events and activities of TARS world wide and a Junior Magazine "Outlaw", specifically aimed at the under 16s. Newsletters are also produced by Australian, American and Canadian TARS on a regular basis. There is also a very strong following in Japan who have their own Arthur Ransome Club (ARC)

TARS have three key locations in the Lake District.

Abbot Hall Art Gallery and Museum at Kendal, where there is an Arthur Ransome room which contains memorabilia and a significant collection of his sketches and drawings made to illustrate the S & A books. These have been photographed, as they are very fragile, but the photographs may be viewed by arrangement with the museum.

The Windermere Steamboat Museum has two of the dinghies Ransome use as models for boats described in his books. Amazon is land based as she is in too fragile a condition to be sailed. Coch-y-Bonddhu (Scarab) has been restored through the generosity of the Society and is sailed regularly by members., both on Windermere and elsewhere in the UK. The museum currently has a Swallows and Amazons exhibition running.

The Ruskin Museum at Coniston, open Easter 1999, concentrates on the geology and mining aspects of the Lakes, again a significant interest related to Ransome and his children's books.

There are also strong connections with East Anglia, with the Broads and the Orwell and Stour areas of particular interest. The links in this region have been strengthened with the establishment of the Nancy Blackett Trust and the purchase of the Nancy Blackett.

The Museum of Childhood in Edinburgh has invited TARS to set up a Ransome exhibition to run from the 5th February to 18th March 2000.