The Arthur Ransome Society
Encyclopedia
Jack Tar
Jack Tar was a common English term used to refer to seamen of the Merchant or Royal Navy, particularly during the period of the British Empire. Both members of the public, and seafarers themselves, made use of the name in identifying those who went to sea...
, is a society whose goals are to "celebrate the life, promote the works, and diffuse the ideas of Arthur Ransome
Arthur Ransome
Arthur Michell Ransome was an English author and journalist, best known for writing the Swallows and Amazons series of children's books. These tell of school-holiday adventures of children, mostly in the Lake District and the Norfolk Broads. Many of the books involve sailing; other common subjects...
". It is based at the Abbot Hall Art Gallery
Abbot Hall Art Gallery
Abbot Hall Art Gallery is a museum and gallery in Kendal, England. Abbot Hall was built in 1759 by Colonel George Wilson, the second son of Daniel Wilson of Dallam Tower, a large house and country estate nearby. It was built on the site of the old Abbot’s Hall, roughly where the museum is today...
in Kendal
Kendal
Kendal, anciently known as Kirkby in Kendal or Kirkby Kendal, is a market town and civil parish within the South Lakeland District of Cumbria, England...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
History
In 1984 Christina Hardyment had written an account of her own investigations into the real-life places and real-life people in Arthur Ransome's stories. As a direct result of this book, Arthur Ransome and Captain Flint's Trunk, people interested in forming a society dedicated to Arthur Ransome had been leaving their contact details at Abbot Hall, where, following his death in 1967, his widow Evgenia had donated various articles, including his writing desk. In 1989 Christina followed up on these contact details by sending an appeal for funds to restore the dilapidated Mavis, the supposed prototype for Arthur Ransome's Amazon, The response to this appeal was overwhelming and in June 1990 The Arthur Ransome Society was formed.A particularly large sum came from the Arthur Ransome Club
Arthur Ransome Club
, ARC was founded in Tokyo, Japan in 1987. It is believed to be the first organization dedicated to promoting and celebrating the works of Arthur Ransome. Its members refer to themselves as "Ransomites" .-History:...
(ARC) of Japan. The ceremony was attended by Christina Hardyment, Tamami Nakayama of ARC and Brigit Sanders (nee Altounyan), a prototype of the character Bridget Walker. Brigit Sanders subsequently became President of TARS.
In 1997 the society was incorporated as a Company Limited by Guarantee.
TARS now
TARS produces several regular publications, holds many recreational and scholarly events and maintains a Ransome-themed website http://www.arthur-ransome.org/ar/. TARS has a wide international membership base which includes branches in Australia, Canada, USA and New Zealand.In the UK there are 6 different regions: Scottish, Northern, Midland, Eastern, South Western and Southern, each with its own leadership committee. They also organize local events which are open all members. Every year one region in the UK takes its turn to host the International Annual General Meeting (IAGM).TARS has a subsidiary, Amazon Publications, which publishes both original books and reprints of books associated with Ransome.
There are strong links with the Arthur Ransome Club
Arthur Ransome Club
, ARC was founded in Tokyo, Japan in 1987. It is believed to be the first organization dedicated to promoting and celebrating the works of Arthur Ransome. Its members refer to themselves as "Ransomites" .-History:...
in Japan but no direct association.