Arthur Ransome: Story-teller, journalist, sailor, fisherman and suspected spy
Date: Monday 9 March 2020, 5:30pm to 7pm
Cost: Koha from non-members appreciated. 5:30pm drinks and nibbles, 6:00pm talk
Location: Programme Rooms, Te Ahumairangi (ground floor), National Library, corner Molesworth and Aitken Streets, Thorndon, Wellington
Part of the Friends of the Dorothy Neal White Collection series
Do you love Swallows and Amazons? Have you ever camped, fished, sailed, been bird spotting, or visited the Lake District in England, the Highlands of Scotland or the Norfolk Broads of East Anglia? Are you a fan of Arthur Ransome? Then this talk is for you.
Arthur Ransome more than ‘Swallows and Amazons
Cheryl Paget, co-ordinator of The Arthur Ransome Society in New Zealand will be giving a talk will be about Arthur Ransome the man, his children’s novels, and the rumour that he acted as a British Spy during the Russian Revolution.
There was much more to Arthur Ransome than the Swallows and Amazons novels alone. He wrote more than twenty-five other books, on a wide range of subjects, many related to his own life, experience and interests which were wide-ranging, exciting and deeply fascinating.
Who's the talk for?
This presentation will suit anyone who read ‘Swallows and Amazons’ as a child, or loved ‘Treasure Island’, ‘Robinson Crusoe’, or read authors like Malcolm Saville, or even if you are interested in the history of adventure stories for children since the 1930s.
If you have ever camped, fished, sailed, been bird spotting, or have visited the Lake District in England, the Highlands of Scotland or the Norfolk Broads of East Anglia, then this talk will appeal to you.
Drinks and nibbles
Join us at 5:30pm, for drinks and nibbles, the talk starts at 6pm
About the speaker
Currently living in Island Bay, Cheryl Paget was born in Scotland and brought up in Suffolk, England, immigrating in 2009 to New Zealand as a single Mum with two boys. Cheryl cites Anne of Green Gables as the biggest influence on her life, deciding at a very early age that she would go to University to study English Literature just like Anne Shirley.
Cheryl completed her studies at Warwick University with an MA in Literature for Children in 1994. The other biggest literary influence was Arthur Ransome’s Swallows and Amazons series. As the New Zealand Co-ordinator for the Arthur Ransome Society, Cheryl gets to release her inner Nancy every year when organising the society’s annual weekend get-togethers.
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I am an odd number. Take away a letter and I become even. What number am I?
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Scam Alert: Bank cold calls
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🛡️ The "Caller Check" Test
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Poll: Are you still heading to your local for your caffeine fix, or has the $$ changed your habits? ☕
Wellington’s identity is built on its cafe culture, but with costs climbing, that culture is under pressure. We’ve seen the headlines about recent closures, and it’s a tough pill to swallow along with a $6+ coffee.
We all want our favourite spots to stay open, but we also have to balance our own budgets ⚖️
We want to know: How are you handling the "coffee math" in 2026? Are you still heading to your local for a chat and a caffeine fix, or has the cost of living changed your habits?
Keen to read more about "coffee math"? The Post has you covered.
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43.6% I avoid spending money on coffee
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46.4% I still indulge at my local cafe
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10.1% Irrelevant - coffee is not for me
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