When Arthur Ransome ("AR") wrote his famous “Swallows and Amazons”, published in 1930, he decided to name his best known character, the skipper of the Amazon, Nancy Blackett.

The most illustrious connection, athough hardly a direct one, between the Blacketts and literature stems from Edward Blackett, who marri

In New South Wales, Australia is the town of Blackett (see Wikipedia article), now a residential suburb of Sydney. It was named after George Forster Blackett, who was Superintendent of the Government Cattle Station at neighbouring Rooty Hill from 1823 to 1830.

Blackett Crater is a lunar impact crater. It has a diameter of 141km and lies beyond the outer ring of the Mare Orientale basin.

On 26 December 1883 the Northern Echo reported: “A Novel Birthday Celebration. Three brothers born in Woodland celebrated their birthdays on Friday, the 21st inst, whose united ages are 217 years, viz, Cuthbert Blackett, Crook, seventy nine years; Ralph Blackett, Woodland, seventy one years; and Robert Blackett, Lynesack, sixty seven years. They all enjoy good health.”

William Blackett, the grandson of Sir Edward Blackett, was Lieutenant Governor of the Citadel of Pl

On 6 Jul 1722 the following entry appeared in the London Daily Post:

This has nothing to do with Einstein’s theory of E=mc2. Instead it’s a quick guide aimed at those who are new to genealogy and who may be confused by some of the terms that keep cropping up. For example, what’s the precise relationship between you and your 5th cousin 2xremoved?