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Mary (Molly, Mops) Blackett, (born Turner) is the mother of the Amazons - Nancy Blackett and Peggy Blackett. Her Aunt Maria addresses her as Mary and her brother Jim Turner occasionally calls her Mops. The author, in the dedication to Peter Duck, refers to her as Mrs Robert Blackett.

Early life[]

Molly and her brother Jim were orphaned during their childhood; not even the names are known for Grandfather Turner or Grandmother Turner. Mrs Lewthwaite was Molly's nurse. As a child, Molly and her brother knew Bob Blackett (SD27), whom Molly later married. Bob later died but his daughters may have known him.

They were brought up by their Aunt, Maria Turner. Nancy explains: They’re much more afraid of her than we are. You see, she brought them up (SD3). Later Peggy explains that He’s as much afraid of the G.A. as we are and Nancy says He’s much more afraid ... So’s mother, poor dear (SD13).

Incidents mentioned from Molly's childhood are her 1901 ascent of the Matterhorn with Jim and Bob (SD27), and the incident of the hot-pot which melted through the ice and fell into the lake (WH6). She recalls when they were children seeing the hills on the other side of the lake ... where you had your igloo last winter ... ablaze. The fire killed every tree for seven miles each way and left three farmhouses burnt out. I don't wonder Mrs. Tyson's nervous (PP17).

Molly's Aunt Maria seems to have disapproved of the marriage or of some aspect of Bob's parenting (SD17). Nancy understands in The Picts and the Martyrs that the GA is hitting at Mother not them, to make her wish she'd never been born (PM3), and is a martyr to protect Molly.

older or younger?[]

The books are not explicit as to which of Molly or Jim is younger. The Billies refer to the pair as Miss Turner she was then... [and]...Master Jim (SA13). In the convention of the times, oldest children would retain the title Miss or Master [surname] while subsequent children were called Miss or Master [first name] -- this implies that Molly is the older. In the Japanese translations Jim is described as being the younger brother to Molly Turner. Molly's name appears first in the inscription in the cairn on the Matterhorn.

What she's like[]

She is round, small, no taller than Nancy. Not a very good driver of Rattletrap (PP1).

A great talker. "In the native talk that followed, her tongue went fastest." (SA31)

In the Japanese translations, Molly is described as Jim's older sister.

Appearances[]

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