Salute to… Category
Celebrating 20 Years of Thomas Kydd: Going Forward
Posted on November 14, 2021 10 Comments
I sometimes have to pinch myself that the Kydd Series has been coming out now for twenty years. I certainly remember my trepidation when putting together, at my agent’s request, a timeline for twelve books! But as I got into the Series, and found the historical record so rich and varied, my creative juices flowed […]
HMS Victory – 250 this month!
Posted on May 12, 2015 6 Comments
There’ve been many famous ships in Britain’s proud maritime history – Mary Rose, Golden Hinde, Cutty Sark, to name but three… but one ship stands head and shoulders above the rest – HMS Victory, now currently undergoing major restoration in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard to ensure her preservation for future generations This month marks the 250th […]
World’s First Factory Assembly Line
Posted on April 2, 2015 2 Comments
The name of the great Victorian engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel is widely known for his heroic engineering feats but we should also raise our glasses to his father, Marc Brunel, born this month in 1769 – for it was he who gave us the first factory assembly line ‑ and something that was of great […]
Poetry of the Sea: Part 2
Posted on March 10, 2015 8 Comments
They that go down to the sea in ships, and occupy their business in great waters. These men see the works of the Lord; and his wonders in the deep… — Psalm 107 Some of the English language’s finest poetry has been written about the sea. Here’s some more of my favourites, some are excerpts […]
Poetry of the Sea: Part 1
Posted on January 30, 2015 20 Comments
They that go down to the sea in ships, and occupy their business in great waters. These men see the works of the Lord; and his wonders in the deep… — Psalm 107 Some of the English language’s finest poetry has been written about the sea. Here’s five of my favourites, some are excerpts due […]
Ninety-six years’ naval service!
Posted on June 24, 2014 7 Comments
I would have loved to have met Provo Wallis! Throughout maritime history many seamen gave a huge part of their lives to King and Country. In the course of his service at sea, John Balchen saw action in numerous battles against the French and Spanish navies across 60 years and three separate wars. Earl St.Vincent […]
The Restoration of the Admiral
Posted on March 30, 2014 4 Comments
[To leave a comment or reply go to box at the end of the page] Knowing of my love for traditional wooden boats my father-in-law recently sent me a fascinating little volume edited by Graeme Broxam about the history, recovery and restoration of Admiral, Tasmania’s (possibly Australia’s) oldest commercial boat, now returned to fully operational […]
The Sea Painters: Turner
Posted on November 22, 2013 2 Comments
Joseph Mallord William Turner, the greatest of the English Romantics and colourists, (1775-1851) was born in London, a stone’s throw from the River Thames. His father (like Tom Kydd’s) was a wig-maker. Although he painted many subjects, water would hold a fascination for Turner for the whole of his life. His seascapes range from peaceful […]
Sim’s Treasures
Posted on November 17, 2013 5 Comments
[To leave a comment go right to the end of the page and just enter it in the ‘Leave a Reply’ box] Over the decade or so that I’ve been a writer I’ve been privileged to meet many collectors, modellers, academics and historians who share my love of the Age of Fighting Sail. They’ve all […]
Huzzah: A Toast to Britannia!
Posted on October 2, 2013 7 Comments
This year marks the 150th anniversary of the start of training of British naval officers on the River Dart in Devon. In 1863 the wooden hulk HMS Britannia was moved from Portland and moored in the Dart. In 1864, after an influx of new recruits, Britannia was supplemented by HMS Hindustan. The original Britannia was […]
Julian Stockwin 