Professor Callum

From Arthur Ransome Wiki

Professor Callum and his wife are the parents of The Ds, Dick and Dorothea Callum. Professor Callum is an academic archaeologist, and is often correcting examimation papers.

Mrs Callum, his wife, accompanies him on conferences and expeditions. Mrs Barrable used to be her school-mistress, and Mrs Dixon used to be her nurse. (This begs the question, is Mrs Callum originally from the Lake region, or is Mrs Dixon from Norfolk?)

The Callum parents probably live in London: "London last night, and now Beckfoot" (PM2).

[edit] Mentions

• Winter Holiday: they have gone to Egypt to dig up remains (WH3). Mrs Dixon had been their mother’s nurse when she was a little girl (WH1).
• Coot Club: Dorothea says Our father’s an archaeologist' and as their parents were going to a conference of archaeologists upon the Roman Wall the Ds are off to stay with Mrs Barrable who long ago, had been Mrs Callum’s school-mistress (CC1). Later, Prof and Mrs Callum are in Malta on their way to Egypt ref req
• Pigeon Post: the D's father is correcting examination papers (PP1)
• The Big Six: the Ds appear in (BS9), but there is no mention of their parents.
• The Picts and the Martyrs: the Professor is busy for a fortnight in London correcting examination papers (PP1). Later when the Ds are living in The Dog's Home they get letters from Mother, one saying they want to learn to sail (PM14)
• Great Northern?: When Father found a Pharaoh's tomb, he spent two winters working at nothing else (Dorothea, GN10). Once when he couldn't be sure whether a tomb was third or fourth dynasty, or something like that, he couldn't think of anything else at all until he'd found out (GN7).

The Ds have some aunts, who are not like the Great Aunt but are most friendly, kindly creatures (PM3). But they do not have any uncles to compare Captain Flint with (WH23).