Posted by peter on April 10, 1997 at 01:03:36:
Apart from "Roger aged seven and no longer the youngest..." [opening line to S&A] I don't think there are any exact ages mentioned in the books. Oh there's Vicky's birthday in S&A, I suppose it says she was 2.
In Arthur Ransome's LakelandRoger Wardale, Dalesman, Lancaster 1988,:
"At Abbot Hall museum I came across a sheet on which were the names and ages of the characters. Nancy was 13, John and Peggy 12, Susan 10, Titty 9, roger 7 and Vicky (Bridget) 1 1/2." [p19]
This comes as a big surprise to me, I always had Susan and Peggy at the same age, and, I think, thought John older than Nancy, or certainly bigger.
It would be interesting to work out all their birthdays from all the references to presents of knives, torches and first-aid kits.