Janet Gnosspelius

Sad news - Janet Gnosspelius died in Liverpool on 18th July last. She was the daughter of Oscar Gnosspelius who was, of course, the inspiration for 'Squashy Hat'. Janet modelled 'Nancy' for AR's drawing of Nancy using the pestle and mortar in PP, and she helped Christina Hardyment in the research for 'AR & Capn Flint's Trunk' - see pp 87-90.

There is a a photogrph of her in her younger days in "Coniston Copper - A History" by Eric G. Holland, published by Cicerone Press in 1987. Please note that this is the full book and not the abbreviated paperback version.

The photograph, which appears on page 277 of the book, was taken by Barbara Gnosspelius (neé Collingwood) and Janet's mother and shows, from left to right, Willie Shaw (who was the inspriation for Slater Bob), Oscar Gnosspelius (Squashy Hat) and Janet Gnosspelius (Oscar's daughter).

This may well been about the time when she modelled for the "Pestle & Mortar" drawing for AR.

I now hear that the late Janet Gnosspelius has left a large part of her estate, comprising about £1m, to Liverpool University (which happens to be my old Uni). There is an uncanny coincidence here as, many years ago,  Emma Holt also bequeathed funds to Liverpool U. So 'Squashy Hat's daughter' and the 'Great Aunt' have both been benefactors to the same university and, I think, are real-life examples of the generosity and respect for learning which are part of the 'Ransome tradition'.