Obituary - Dave Sewart

Dave Sewart, one of the founding members of the Arthur Ransome Society (TARS), and one of Arthur Ransome's Literary Executors, passed away while gardening on May 8th.

As a founding member of TARS, he was very active in setting it up, and particularly in assisting with its publications, either as an editor or as an Apple Mac "guru" to other, struggling editors. More recently, as a Literary Executor, he had been working on the reissue of the "Swallows and Amazons" books. In paying tribute to him today, Peter Willis, Chairman of the Nancy Blackett Trust, said "he was always a good and supportive friend to Nancy." Our condolences go to his family.

Update (May 19th):
It is anticipated that he will be honoured at this month's TARS AGM. In the meantime, a Thanksgiving and Tribute funeral will be held tomorrow (Tuesday May 20th) at 2:30pm in the Therfield Chapel, The Causeway, Therfield, Royston, Herts, SG8 9PZ.

Obituary: Terry Absalom (1942-2006)

Terry Absalom died on Saturday, 19 August following a long struggle with motor neurone disease.

Terry was one of the founders of the Nancy Blackett Trust. His energy and enthusiasm were instrumental in getting things started, and in looking after Nancy once we had acquired her.

He was one of the original signatories of the Memorandum of Association by which the Nancy Blackett Trust Ltd was set up as the formal owner of the boat in 1997, and he served as a Board Member, both as Treasurer and Boat Manager. In 2002 Terry was honoured by being appointed one of the Trust's first Vice-Presidents. His humour, his bravery in adversity and his undying love of Nancy will all be remembered with affection. We mourn him, and we send our deep condolences to his wife and family.

A fuller tribute will appear in the next edition of the Trust's newsletter.

Helen Tew: Obituary

Helen Tew, vice-president of the Nancy Blackett Trust, and Transatlantic yachtswoman, died on November 9th 2004, aged 92. Helen was best known for her Transatlantic crossing in her boat Mary Helen, in 2000, when she was 89. She lived near Buckler's Hard, and got to know Arthur and Evgenia Ransome in the 1950s when they sailed there in Lottie Blossom. She had written a book, 'Transatlantic at Last', which was on the point of being published when she died, and will be published on November 26th.

Our condolences go to her family.

An obituary has been published by the Daily Telegraph.

Please also see the links to a number of articles about her achievements.