Golden Duck (UK) Ltd belongs to Francis Wheen and Julia Jones. It was formed in 2005 and
took its first step into publishing in March 2009. An invitation from the Essex Book Festival and an unexpected legacy from Joyce Allingham prompted the decision to republish Julia's 1991 biography of the detective novelist Margery Allingham. With new material and new research this first paperback edition, The Adventures of Margery Allingham, was on sale in time for the Book Festival in March 2009.
For March 2010 we offer a new edition of Cheapjack by Margery's brother Philip. Julia's job now is to complete Fifty Years in the Fiction Factory, her account of Margery's father, Herbert Allingham's, life as a fiction-worker. Herbert's career was the subject of her PhD thesis, Family Fictions(2006) which can be read in part on this site - go to the Herbert Allingham page.
Peter Duck at KysonThe Golden Duck company name is formed from the names of two boats, both moored on the River Deben in Suffolk. Francis's Goldenray is a houseboat minutes away from the London train: Peter Duck, who was built for the writer Arthur Ransome and owned by Julia's parents for many years, is a few hundred metres further downstream. Greg and Ann Palmer took Peter Duck to Russia. Ann now lives in Portugal and we're delighted to include some of her writing on this site.
Goldenray, Bass Dock, Woodbridge
Goldenray is a former Scottish MFV (motor fishing vessel). She is believed to be at least sixty years old and have worked in the Isle of Mull but beyond that her history is unknown.
Peter Duck is a much more fully documented vessel. She attracts interest from classic boat enthusiasts as well as devotees of Arthur Ransome and thus has her own space on this site.