This was the last of ITC swashbuckling shows to be produced for ITC. Debuting in 1961 the series starred Terence Morgan as Sir Francis Drake, the sixteenth-century Elizabethan maritime adventurer, with Jean Kent taking the role of Elizabeth the first. Other regulars in the series included a very young Michael Crawford as John Drake, his nephew, and cabin boy aboard the Golden Hind.
Much of the filming for the series took place around Brixham in Devon, where a full-size replica of Drake’s ship the Golden hind was built, using a former motor fishing vessel as its basis. This reconstruction of the ship designed by Hugh Paget, who had based his design on the back of the old halfpenny coin, which at the time featured an illustration of the Golden Hind. This ship was to remain moored in Brixham long after the show had finished becoming home to a museum about Drake. Though sadly while on the way to Southampton for a refit in the mid-eighties this original replica sank in bad weather, a replacement ship was constructed and is now moored in its place.
Taking his orders directly from Queen Elizabeth the First, Drake was a lone wolf and expert swordsman, who throughout the twenty six half hour episodes loyally defended both queen and country from foreign invaders. Several of the series adventures revolved around thwarting various veiled plots by the Spanish ambassador, Mendoza, played by future Doctor Who star, Roger Delgardo, while still maintaining diplomatic relations and avoiding all-out war with Spain.
Other items known to exist, but not in the collection included both a sword and matchlock pistol produced by Lone Star.
A Jigsaw by Tower Press.
A Colouring Book