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Hats off to Sim!
Posted on March 18, 2017 Leave a Comment
Sim Comfort’s eclectic treasure trove of coins, medals, paintings, swords and other naval items has been built up over many decades. An American by birth, Sim joined the US Navy at age 18. The US Naval Security Group sent him to Guam and later to London, where the National Maritime Museum sparked a life-long love […]
Spending a penny at sea
Posted on August 14, 2013 8 Comments
Early warships featured a beakhead on the bow which was used to ram enemy galleys. Around the 900s platforms for archers were built on either side of this beakhead. Known as ‘heads’, these platforms were slotted to allow drainage from breaking waves and became a convenient way to answer the call of nature. Since then […]
A Sterling Model!
Posted on August 8, 2013 9 Comments
[To leave a comment go right to the end of the page and just enter it in the ‘Leave a Reply’ box] After seeing my blog on HMS Victory yesterday Mike Softley emailed me some photographs of a very special model he was involved with. Mike takes up the story: ‘Victory was my second home […]
HMS Victory
Posted on August 7, 2013 25 Comments
[To leave a comment go right to the end of the page and just enter it in the ‘Leave a Reply’ box] There’ve been many famous ships in Britain’s proud history – Mary Rose, Golden Hinde, Cutty Sark, Trincomalee, Great Britain, Discovery … but one ship stands head and shoulders above the rest – HMS […]
Ask BigJules: Sailors’ pay
Posted on August 5, 2013 9 Comments
[To leave a comment go right to the end of the page and just enter it in the ‘Leave a Reply’ box] The first Ask BigJules question comes from Pete Dean: ‘In Kydd’s day, the crew were at sea for months at a time. How were the wives paid and supported?’ ‘Thanks for the question, […]
‘Very sad about tot…’
Posted on July 31, 2013 8 Comments
[To leave a comment go right to the end of the page and just enter it in the ‘Leave a Reply’ box] In a number of respects the Old Navy that I knew and loved is no more. Sailors do not sleep in hammocks these days, the female of the species now serves alongside chaps […]
Soup to Go!
Posted on July 28, 2013 15 Comments
[To leave a comment go right to the end of the page and just enter it in the ‘Leave a Reply’ box] In the 1750s the Royal Navy began issuing portable soup to ships embarking on long voyages, following recommendations by the naval surgeon James Lind that it should be supplied for the sick. It […]
Julian Stockwin 