Edith Ransome neé Boulton, AR’s mother, was born about 1852, and died in Leeds on 7 December 1944 aged 82. Her father Edward Baker Boulton was a sheepfarmer in New South Wales, Australia, so provided the Australian background of Mary Walker. He retired to Clifton, dying while AR was very young. His main interest was water-colour painting, and Edith was a gifted water-colour painter. Edith encouraged her son’s writing, particularly with The Picts and the Martyrs where Genia had been particularly discouraging. She was probably the model for the Amazon's aunt, who might almost be a pirate (SD3).