Posted by Jock on March 14, 2006 at 22:24:46 from 87.105.81.146 user Jock.
In Reply to: How was it all paid for? posted by Andy Clayton on March 14, 2006 at 19:02:36:
If AR sketched out an economic framework for himself to explain the relative affluence of the Beckfoot household then it's not clear what it is from reading the books.
I think that like the Swallows, the Amazons were 'lifted' by AR from real life. In both cases he muddles up bits of real detail with fiction. In the case of the Swallows, he wanted the Altounyan family to recognize the Swallows as the Altounyan children. With respect to the Amazons he is much more circumspect. Their disguise is very thorough. The economics are a mystery. And when we combine the possessions of the Blacket household with those of Jim Turner: motor car, sailing dinghy, motor launch, rowing skiff and houseboat we end up with the toys of a very rich family.