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This is a listing of characters from the Swallows and Amazons series of books by Arthur Ransome.
[edit] The Swallows
- John Walker — eldest of the Walker children and Captain of the Swallow
- Susan Walker — Mate of the Swallow and the cook and domestic organizer
- Titty Walker — Able Seaman and the most imaginative of the Walkers
- Roger Walker — originally Ship's Boy, later Able Seaman, mischievous, mechanical and very fond of chocolate. He is the youngest of the children apart from the baby. The character of Roger was based on Roger Altounyan, who went on to become an acclaimed scientist.
- Bridget Walker — Ship's Baby who proves to be a brave member of the crew in Secret Water
[edit] The Amazons
- Nancy Blackett (real name: Ruth) — Captain of the Amazon; an enterprising leader. Nancy — who dislikes her given name Ruth because Amazons are supposed to be "ruthless" — is a strong character who would probably be considered a tomboy. When Ransome was first writing Swallows and Amazons in 1928, it was unusual for a female character to display such active leadership over males as Nancy Blackett does in the whole series of books. Nancy is the elder of the Amazon Pirates, and is also older than all of the Swallows. She is an imaginative and lively girl who is always willing to create fantasies and adventures. Nancy is a skilled sailor, to the point where John Walker is always determined not to make mistakes in front of her from fear of earning her disapproval.
- Peggy Blackett (real name: Margaret) — Mate of the Amazon, Nancy's sister; although a bit timid, tries to live up to Nancy's expectations
[edit] The Ds
- Dorothea Callum — imaginative romantic novelist
- Dick Callum — scientific and thoughtful, comes up with solutions to technical problems
[edit] The Coots
- Tom Dudgeon — competent sailor and skipper of the Titmouse on the Norfolk Broads
- Bess "Port" Farland — left handed twin and expert yacht racer
- Nell "Starboard" Farland — right handed twin and expert yacht racer
- Joe — Captain of the Death and Glory
- Pete — fishing member of the crew of the Death and Glory
- Bill — owner of a white rat aboard the Death and Glory
[edit] The Eels
- Don (The Mastodon) — Eel who is a resident of Secret Water
- Daisy — leader of the Eels
- Dum — Eel, elder brother of Daisy
- Dee — Eel, younger brother of Daisy
[edit] Friendly Natives
- James Turner also known as Captain Flint — the brother of Mrs Blackett and therefore uncle to Nancy and Peggy Blackett, by whom he is considered "unfriendly" at the beginning of Swallows and Amazons. He is given his nickname by the Walker family (the Swallows) after Captain Flint of Treasure Island. After differences are resolved he becomes the closest adult ally to the Swallows and the Amazons and joins them in many adventures.
- Molly Blackett — mother of Nancy and Peggy Blackett
- Mrs Walker, called Mother (or Mary by Ted) — mother of the Swallows
- Cdr Walker, called Daddy (Ted) — father of the Swallows
- Jim Brading — owner of the Goblin in We Didn't Mean To Go To Sea
- Timothy Stedding - friend of Captain Flint, originally known as Squashy Hat the rival prospector
- Dr Dudgeon, Mrs Dudgeon, and our baby - Tom's family
- A.P - Mr Farland, Port and Starboard's father, the "Aged Parent"
- Mrs Barrable - Admiral of the fleet, and custodian of the Teasel
- William - the noble and heroic Pug who braved the mud to save the crew of the Teasel from starvation on Breydon Water
- The Billies - Old Billy and Young Billy, father and son charcoal burners, who befriend the Swallows in Swallows and Amazons and Young Billy treats Roger for his sprained ankle in Swallowdale
- Mr & Mrs Jackson - farmers at Holly Howe, the Swallows' initial holiday location.
- Mr & Mrs Dixon - farmers at Dixon's Farm, where the Swallows often go for milk, and where Dick and Dorothea stay during Winter Holiday. Mrs Dixon was nurse to Dick and Dorothea's mother when she was young.
- Mr & Mrs Swainson and Mary Swainson - Farmers at Swainson's Farm where the Swallows go for milk when shipwrecked in Swallowdale
[edit] Other friendly characters
- Peter Duck - elderly sailor with a story of treasure
- Bill - cabin boy of the Viper who joins the crew of the Wildcat
- Missee Lee - Chinese pirate leader
[edit] Unfriendly Natives
- Maria Turner, also known as Great Aunt Maria or The G.A., the childhood guardian of James Turner and Molly Turner, whose parents are never named. Jim and Molly address her as "Aunt Maria" and she held considerable sway as head of the family, even after Molly's marriage to Bob Blackett. As a parent figure to their mother, Great Aunt Maria clearly thought of herself as something of a grandmother-figure to her great nieces Nancy and Peggy Blackett. However, their view of her as some sort of distant relative, as well as an overprotective adventure-spoiler, forms the basis of the conflict between them and her. Of the twelve completed books in the series, she makes appearances in two, Swallowdale and The Picts And The Martyrs.
- George Owdon, a Norfolk boy, older than Tom Dudgeon, in Coot Club and The Big Six
- Ralph Strakey, a friend of George Owdon in The Big Six
- Mr Jemmerling, an egg collector and owner of the Pterodactyl in Great Northern?
- The Hullabaloos, who hire the Margoletta in Coot Club
- The Dogmudgeon, Scottish head ghillie who at first stalks the explorers in Great Northern? but later assists them against Mr Jemmerling
[edit] Other unfriendly characters
- Black Jake and the crew of the Viper, who are after Peter Duck's treasure
- Taicoon Chang and Taicoon Wu, heads of the Three Island Pirates who want to chop off heads in Missee Lee
