Posted by ken on February 29, 2008 at 23:02:40 from 62.56.112.236 user visitor.
In Reply to: Re: Ransome's recall posted by Peter H on February 17, 2008 at 20:50:37:
Ok more details page 129 of the RHD auto-biog mentions stopping for bread and cheese and beer at the Drunken Duck "where miss Turner put us all to shame by her tree climbing abilities" Its Miss Turner I'm researching, Cora Josephine Turner of Buxton. She became in 1909 the artist/author wife of Jan Gordon. Google janandcoragordon for more. More intriguingly, in 1907 he mentions taking rooms in Paris in the rue Campagne Premiere. This is a large studio complex still standing, and Cora Turner had a studio there also at the same time. he would aso probably have met her husband to be, Jan Gordon in Chelsea at the time of his 'London Bohemia' days In a "Faction" novel about his wife, Jan makes passing reference to a possible fancy of Cora, who rowed a dinghy in the Lake district, and had red hair. Trouble is the dates don't add up, Cora Turner, while very attractive was born in 1879 so shes about 8 years older than Ransome,altho she did marry Jan Gordon who was some 3 yrs younger. There is obviously a long standing friendship and somewhere in Ransome archives is a book signed by the Gordons to Ransome, Can't lay my hands on the reference.