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Peggy Blackett
Name:
Peggy Blackett
(Margaret)
Gender:
female
Birthday:
not much older than Dorothea (WH4).
Height:
Taller than Dorothea, but the same-sized feet (PM21)
Position:
Mate of Amazon

Mate of Wild Cat
Mate of Firefly

Mate of Sea Bear
Loyalty:
Native Residence:
Future career:

Peggy Blackett (real name: Margaret Blackett) is the second of the Amazons and is Mate and cook of the Amazon and Nancy Blackett's younger sister. In term time they go to the same boarding school: Before leaving, Mrs Blackett had visited Nancy and Peggy at their school (PM1).

Sometimes Peggy is timid, and she is afraid of thunder: It's the only thing she's frightened of (PM18), and also during the storm at the end of Swallows and Amazons (SA30). On Crab Island Nancy wonders why it is my mate's no blessed good with thunder, and when the wind comes Peggy flings herself full length on the sand and hides her head in her arms as it was more than she could bear (PD26,27).

But she tries to live up to Nancy's expectations and is able to emulate her Captain if required. In Winter Holiday when Nancy is temporarily unavailable due to mumps, Peggy is the sole Amazon, so she uses "shiver my timbers" and other words of Nancy while Nancy is laid up: What .. Who taught you to shiver timbers?"' Peggy replies Just while you were away. The other words of Nancy she used were "Jib-booms and bobstays", "Barbecued billygoats" and "galoots". Well .. I bet it all helped said Nancy (WH29), conceding that she did well, although she is not as commanding as her sister. Peggy also fills Nancy’s place in The Picts and the Martyrs: Peggy, “who, now that Nancy was away, was doing her best to fill her place, put her foot down firmly. “Jibbooms and bobstays,” she said, in quite the Nancy manner, “if she’s there... PM25.

When they are having the Parley (SA10) Nancy says as Peggy is explaining how they had seen the Swallows earlier: Avast there, Peggy, you goat .... Excuse my mate .... she does chatter so. But Peggy points out to Nancy when they are listening to Captain Flint's confrontation with Mr Jemmerling in Great Northern? and Nancy says Do be quiet. What's he saying now? that Everyone is quiet except you (GN11). In Swallowdale when Nancy says that Peggy nearly squeaked to the GA over the "Casiabanca" business, Peggy says: Well, who's making a noise now, and Nancy replies under her breath True for you (SD24).

At the beginning of Swallowdale when the Amazons escape from Beckfoot, Nancy and Peggy want to talk as they were both tired of having only each other as listener. Titty and Roger decide to go exploring, and as Nancy and Peggy are louder than John and Susan they can only hear Nancy and Peggy as they get further away. The last voice they hear is Nancy's: Then they heard even Nancy's talk no more, though now and then, faint and far away as it was, there was no mistaking her cheerful laugh (SD4). When the Swallows hear a noise something like an owl and something like a cuckoo. ending in a gurgle of laughter from the wood below them, Roger says of their owl call They can't do it and John replies What they're good at is ducks .... I've never heard anybody quack so well as Peggy (SD26).

Peggy is sometimes Peg to Nancy (PP3). The GA calls her by her full name Margaret (PM3,18,29) rather than by the diminutive. But in earlier books several natives refer to Ruth and Peggy. Sammy begs Miss Ruth and Miss Peggy .... don’t you say anything to mother (SA24). Mrs Dixon says You won’t be seeing so much of Miss Ruth and Miss Peggy just now .... (Ruth was Nancy’s real name, but she liked being Nancy better) (SD3). Young Billy says to the Blackett girls Miss Ruth, and you, Miss Peggy (SD34). Mrs Dixon says Well, Miss Ruth and Miss Peggy, and how’s your mother keeping .... (WH4).

Peggy is considered by Dorothea as being one of the four "elders," as opposed to Titty and Roger, though she did not think that Peggy could be very much older than she was herself (WH4).

A possible inspiration for the character is Pauline Rawdon-Smith, the younger sister of Georgina Rawdon-Smith (CFT pp 70,100 & photo 8).

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