<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> T H E B O S U N ' S C H R O N I C L E The official Ezine of the Thomas Kydd Shipmates' network <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> VOL. 7, ISSUE 11, Dec 2006/Jan 2007 !! SPECIAL BUMPER ISSUE !! Try your hand at our special maritime quiz, enter the contest for a holiday package of great sea books - and read all about one +very+ special nautical beverage... Avast, Shipmates and anchors aweigh! 1 DISPATCHES 2 ASK JULIAN 3 BOOKSHELF 4 JUST-FOR-FUN QUIZ 5 JOHN CHANCELLOR REMEMBERED 6 SALTY SAYINGS 7 GEORGIAN JOTTINGS 8 CONTESTS 9 JULIAN'S YEAR IN REVIEW 10 THE MOTHER OF ALL PUNCHES 11 QUIZ ANSWERS ==================== 1 DISPATCHES + First encounters Following John Wong's story last month about when and where he first discovered the world of Thomas Kydd, many Shipmates emailed their own accounts. From Down Under, Chief Petty Officer John Lipscombe told us: "My first experience of Kydd was when I was looking for a book to read during downtime whilst on a Mine Warfare exercise period in Northern Australia. A well-worn copy was sitting in the Ship's Library at HMAS Waterhen (Mine Warfare and Clearance Diving support facility) at Waverton in Sydney. I thought KYDD looked interesting as it tackled the lower deck and the lot of pressed men during the leadup to the British domination of the seas. I subsequently borrowed the book from the library and then I was hooked on the experiential development of Kydd's seagoing character and personality, the rich fabric of the community of the sea and a damn great tale. Good on Julian for his skill to amalgamate his nautical experience with his writing ability to produce such great dits!" + Book Eight title We've had a number of emails asking what the title for book eight (out October 2007) will be. It will be announced early New Year! + In Captain Cook's Wake Australian Shipmates have the opportunity of signing aboard the magnificent replica HM Bark "Endeavour" on coastal voyages from Sydney to Hobart and back in February and March 2007. As well as learning eighteenth-century sailing skills, crew members will sleep in hammocks, just as Cook's sailors (and Julian, for much of his Navy days!) did. Further information: + Maritime Repository Shipmate Captain Daniel Twohig has launched a new internet site for all those who love the sea, its stories and adventure... We'll chat with Dan in the New Year but meantime you might like to have a browse. www.monstermaritime.com + Art for the Nation Now showing at the 17th-century Queen's House at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, the largest and most in-depth display of paintings expressing Britain's maritime identity they have ever staged. Artists represented include the Van de Veldes, Hogarth, and Turner. If you can't make the exhibition, which runs until September 2007, you can purchase the lavishly illustrated book of the same name featuring some of the key paintings. www.nmm.org + COMMAND plaudits "The author sets a new standard in the genre of Napoleonic War naval stories" - Nighthawk Portal Read the full review online: http://www.broadlyboats.com/cgi- bin/profiles?Query=Command And your emails about COMMAND keep coming, thank you! Among them, these comments from Ken Pastore, a retired US airforce colonel. "Having, like Tom, risen from the ranks, I felt sure of his direction - but the story is 'in the trip' - and Julian continues to chart an adventurous but totally believable course for Tom. This latest book adds that major factor of total authority and total responsibility and provides a very credible picture of the best and worst features that accompany command." ==================== 2 ASK JULIAN After last month's feature on Matthew Flinders, Shipmate Gordon Fields wants to know whether "Flinders Bars" had any connection with the famed navigator. Julian replies: "Although compass deviation had been recognised as a phenomenon for some time, Flinders was the first to make a systematic investigation of the problems caused by the presence of iron in a ship. He postulated that it would be possible to correct such errors by using a 'counter-attractor' and suggested using a vertical iron bar near the compass with one end on the deck and the other almost level with the compass card. Although such compensating devices were not used until the second half of the 19th century, they were called Flinders Bars in his honour, and are an integral part of ship's compasses even today. Do you have a question for Julian? Emails to Julian@JulianStockwin.com. Please put "Ask Julian" in the subject line. ===================== 3 BOOKSHELF Two selections this month:- Come Hell and High Water Extraordinary Stories of Wreck, Terror and Triumph on the Sea By Jean Hood. Conway Maritime. ISBN 1844860345 Written by a former information officer at Lloyd's Register of Shipping, the book provides a fascinating selection of seventeen true-life stories of tragedy, courage and disaster at sea over the past 250 years. Hood also draws out the themes and qualities that make maritime drama so compelling. www.conwaymaritime.com --- The Mariner's Book of Days 2007 by Peter Spectre An entertaining desk diary and calendar by Peter Spectre, famous for his eclectic mix of nautical fact, fiction and folklore. First published in 1992, this is now an annual treasure and each year's offering is completely different from its predecessors. The 2007 contents range from a list of some of the most notable small-boat adventures to an old Nova Scotia recipe for "planked haddock". www.seafarerbooks.com (UK) www.sheridanhouse.com (US) --- Both books are included in the special book package prize this month, see CONTESTS ==================== 4 SEA SUPERLATIVES See how you go with this quiz; no prizes, just a bit of fun! There's one point for each correct response, answers at the end of the newsletter. 1. Which city lays claim to the world's biggest natural harbour? 2. Can you name the commissioned warship with the longest period of naval service? 3. What was the worst disaster in maritime history? 4. Which sea is the saltiest on the planet? 5. What is the manufacturing date (give or take a couple of decades) of the most ancient ship's biscuit preserved in a museum? 6. Name the only ship-of-the-line built with four gun decks. 7. Where are the highest tides on earth? 8. Name the most famous fishing schooner to sail the Grand Banks. 9. What is unique about the Royal Cork Yacht club? 10. What age are the remains of the world's oldest known sea-faring ship? =================== 5 CHANCELLOR - by his daughter Starting in August 2003, we ran a three-part feature in the Chronicle about three of Julian's favourite sea painters - John Chancellor, Derek Gardner and Geoff Hunt. Sadly, John Chancellor died in his prime, having completed only a relatively small number of works. Julian and Kathy have a print of his "Victory in Search of Nelson" in pride of place above the fireplace in their living room. We caught up with Chancellor's daughter Tessa Makepeace, who recently purchased the existing stock of the limited edition prints of her father's works published by Triton Galleries, and is now offering these for sale. Bosun: What do you think attracted your father to the sea as a young man? Tessa: He was born in Portugal, the son of a British Anglo-Latin lawyer. My father told me his earliest memory was seeing the "Grand Bankers" setting off for the Newfoundland and Greenland fishing banks. These images never left my father and were his inspiration to go to sea. He painted "Day of the Men" [one of the prints currently available from Tessa] in honour of those majestic vessels. Bosun: What memories do you have of your father painting? Tessa: My first memories of my father painting are of him leaning over the dining table, brush in hand, while the rest of the family went about their lives around him - four noisy teenagers playing loud music and entertaining their friends in the same room. In those early days his painting was almost entirely of local fishing boats, commissioned by his fellow trawler-men, which he did simply as a means to help the family budget. I was about 16 when my father gave up the sea to paint full time. It was a worrying time for my parents - for two years they lived on an overdraft as he worked up a collection of paintings for his first exhibition. Later he converted a small chalet at the end of the garden to use as his studio, and I recall many occasions when he would talk me through some crisis in my work or social life, while at the same time be creating another work of amazing skill. Bosun: For a time the Chancellor family lived in a Thames sailing barge. Can you describe life aboard? Tessa: As a family we had an unusual mix of experiences, with all four children being born aboard the sailing barge "Viper". I recall the bath - raised so high on top of the water tank that we had to climb a ladder to get in and so big we four children bathed together - and a toilet, which had to be raised like a throne to get it above the waterline in order for it to flush. This arrangement was a constant and irresistible invitation to me to push my doll down the outlet pipe, and the doll would then have to be retrieved overboard by my father when the tide was out! Always creative, as the family grew, my father solved the ever-increasing problem of galley space by cutting a hole in the centre of the small galley table, where my younger sister and I would sit, eating outwards as the rest of the family faced us, eating inwards. I also have an abiding vision of the lop-sided birthday cakes and jellies we were presented with as children. If "Viper" settled down at an awkward angle on her mud berth at low tide, not only did she have a severe list, but so did my mother's culinary efforts! www.johnchancellor.co.uk ==================== 6 SALTY SAYINGS Close quarters Today, "at close quarters" refers to something done hand-to-hand or at close range. The origins of this phrase are definitely salty. In the seventeenth century hand-to-hand fights aboard ships were known as "close-fights", and the term was also applied to the barriers that sailors erected to keep the enemy at bay. By the mid-eighteenth century this confined defensive space was also called "close quarters". Falconer, in his dictionary first published in 1769, defined it thus: "Close-quarters, certain strong barriers of wood stretching across a merchant ship in several places. They are used as a place of retreat when a ship is boarded by her adversary, and are ... fitted with... loop holes (from the French 'louvre' for window) through which to fire." And yes, "loop holes" is another salty saying, now meaning gaps in the law. ==================== 7 GEORGIAN JOTTINGS One of the resources Julian uses in his research is his collection of eighteenth-century diaries. These include both naval reminiscences - and works by those with no particular connection to the sea, but who have left us some wonderful portraits of Georgian life ashore. This month we feature Parson Woodforde - and he'll be followed by others in future issues of the Chronicle. The diaries of Parson James Woodforde (1740-1803) were first published in a five-volume selection, edited by John Beresford, in the 1920s. There have been subsequent one-volume selections from his diaries, such as a 1992 publication by the Folio Society. His detailed observations of English country life, diligently recorded almost every day for 45 years, provide a unique insight into everyday routines of 18th century rural England. There is a strong emphasis on food and drink in the diaries, indeed immense quantities seem to be consumed - and we would perhaps find it hard to keep up today - but the Georgians were great bon viveurs! Here's an excerpt: June 10, Monday (1799) We breakfasted, dined etc. again at home. Mr Maynard called on us this morning. To a man of Shearingham by name Hull for six small crabs paid him one shilling. Dinner today, a small leg of mutton roasted and remarkably fine flavoured - Scotch mutton. Mr. Custance called on us in his evening walk around 7 o'clock and spent an hour with us. Michael Andrews's wife has met with a very bad fall and very dangerously strained her ankle. Washing week with us this week. We wash every five weeks. Our present washerwomen are Anne Downing and Anne Richmond. Washing and ironing generally take us four days. The washerwomen breakfast and dine the Monday and Tuesday and have each one shilling on their going away in the evening of Tuesday. Mr. Custance brought us great news, that the French had been entirely driven out of Italy by the Austrians and vast numbers of them had been killed and taken prisoners in the late battles. Further information is available from the Parson Woodforde Society:- http://www.mabrayne.supanet.com/parson_woodforde_society. htm ==================== 8 CONTESTS There's a special contest this month, with a prize of a wonderful package of sea books - two signed Kydd hardbacks and best-sellers from Shipmate favourites Conway Maritime and Seafarer Books. Julian sets great store by detailed location research for his books and feedback from readers tells us that his evocation of the sights, smells and feel of places in the eighteenth and early nineteenth century is one of the strengths of the Kydd books. For a chance to win the book package, email the Bosun saying in not more than 200 words, Which, in your opinion, is the most interesting place that Kydd has visited - and why. Here's the list of prizes: > Come Hell or High Water by Jean Hood > The Mariner's Books of Days by Peter Spectre > The Lilibet Logs, Restoring a Classic Wooden Boat by Jack Becker > QUARTERDECK, signed UK hardback > MUTINY, signed UK hardback The contest closes January 15, so you should have plenty of time over the holiday period to give it a go! Don't forget to include your full postal address when you submit your entry. + Winners all Congratulations to the twelve winners of Kydd memorabilia last month:- Tony Glover, Jari Palsio, Shaun Major, Stephen Collins, Tim Watson, Rod Marklew, Philip Curry, William Kearney, John Meadows, Wally Jarvis, Richard McCabe and Dan Reagan. A copy of "Churchills navy" has gone out to Fred Wyatt, for correctly naming two other Conway Maritime Books written by Lavery; and a large-format paperback of COMMAND went to Steve Whitely and Lee Wells who were first out of the hat of correct answers that it was sharks that so terrified Cecilia in SEAFLOWER. ==================== 9 THE YEAR in REVIEW Julian reflects on the past twelve months: "I can't believe how quickly this year has gone - and the fact that I now have seven books in print! It hardly seems any time since KYDD came out in 2001... As usual, 2006 started with location research - for this year our base was the delightful Cornish village of Polperro. From there we explored the Southwest coast of England in preparation for the book that I have been writing this year, and which will be out next October. I spent many happy hours with local people like former fisherman Bill Cowan, now in his eighties, postulating about the kind of life their ancestors at the dawn of the nineteenth century would have experienced. Kathy and I also tramped for many miles along the rugged coast spying out likely smugglers' haunts and secret hideaways that they used to evade the Revenue men. Shortly after we returned, I was delighted when my agent Carole Blake told me she had sold French rights to the Kydd series. In addition to this, the list runs to Portuguese, Japanese, German, and Russian, as well, of course, as the English-language editions, large print, ebook, audiobook and Braille. Since I became an author I have found that the literary life is a balancing act between research and planning, writing time and promotional events - and this year was no exception! In April I was on the road for book signings and talks when the paperback of TENACIOUS came out and when COMMAND was launched October 5, there were numerous publicity events around the UK. Despite the hectic schedules, as usual I very much enjoyed meeting readers from all walks of life. I always get a thrill from author appearances at Hatchards of Piccadilly, the oldest surviving bookshop in London - and of course this venerable institution played a role in MUTINY, when Renzi was desperately trying to save his friend from the hangman's noose. I also got pleasure from a number of events this year that focused on children, including a short-story competition about the great age of sail, and an art contest based on youngsters' interpretations of my sea artefacts. In one delightful piece of artwork by little Miss Nine-Year-Old, a ferocious and bearded Captain Stockwin was ordering the swabs to work harder at cutlass-point! Once this current manuscript is emailed to my publishers in January, Kathy and I take a short break and then head off on location research to Guernsey and the Channel Islands, which will be the focus for the book I will be writing next year. Kathy is busy lining up interviews with local experts and access to the extensive archival material held there - but I am also assured that the Bailiwick of Guernsey is justly famed for its culinary offerings so it won't be all work..." ==================== 10 CELEBRATION PUNCH, NAVY STYLE! Looking to herald the New Year in style? How about this for a festive punch recipe for the holiday season - from Sir Edward Kennel RN: 80 casks of brandy 9 casks of water 25,000 limes 80 pints of lemon juice 13 quintals (1300 pounds) of Lisbon sugar 5 pound of nutmeg 1 large cask of Malaga wine The story goes that on October 25, 1599, Kennel offered this punch, prepared in a huge marble basin, to some 6000 guests assembled at his country estate. A platform was built over the basin to shield it from the rain and the beverage was served by a ship's boy who rowed around on the sea of punch in a rosewood boat. The boy had to be replaced by another every quarter of an hour as the fumes on the alcoholic sea were so intoxicating! =================== 11 QUIZ ANSWERS Score yourself one point for each correct answer. 1. Which city lays claim to the world's biggest natural harbour? > Sydney, Australia. Captain Arthur Phillip established the first colony at Sydney Cove inside Port Jackson in 1788, which was to become the city of Sydney. In his first dispatch back to England he wrote "we have the satisfaction of finding the finest harbour in the world, in which a thousand sail of the line may ride in the most perfect security." The title of the second largest natural harbour in the world is hotly contested by Poole Harbour in Dorset, southern England, Cork Harbour in Ireland and Halifax Harbour in Canada. 2. Can you name the commissioned warship with the longest period of naval service? > HMS "Victory" of course! To this day she is manned by officers and ratings of the Royal Navy and has seen over 220 years of almost continuous naval service. Best known for her role in the Battle of Trafalgar, she was commissioned in 1778. She now has a dual role as the flagship of the Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command and as a living museum of the Georgian navy. 3. What was the worst disaster in maritime history? > No, not the sinking of the "Titanic" nor the loss of the huge riverboat "Sultana". (The "Titanic" death toll was 1,512; 1,547 lives were lost on the "Sultana".) The deadliest maritime disaster was the sinking of the "Wilhelm Gustloff", a hospital ship carrying wounded German soldiers and refugees in the closing days of the Second World War. As many as 9000 lost their lives when the vessel was hit by three torpedoes from a Soviet submarine in the Baltic Sea on the night of January 30, 1945. 4. Which sea is the saltiest on the planet? > The salinity of the Dead Sea is about 30%, over eight and a half times greater than the average ocean salinity. No fish or macroscopic aquatic organisms can live in it, but bacteria and microbial fungi can survive the harsh environment. 5. What is the manufacturing date (give or take a couple of decades) of the oldest ship's biscuit preserved in a museum? > The National Maritime Museum in Greenwich has several ancient ship's biscuits in its collections, including one dating from 1784! If you would like to try your own ship's biscuits, similar to those Kydd would have eaten, here's a recipe. Make a stiff dough with one pound of coarse stone-ground wholemeal flour, water and a pinch of salt. Leave for half an hour and then roll it out thickly. Cut out about six biscuits and bake in a hot oven for 30 minutes. Leave the biscuits undisturbed in a warm, dry atmosphere to harden and dry out. Mind your teeth! 6. Name the only ship of the line ever built with four gun decks. > She was the huge "Santissima Trinidad". Despite her impressive dimensions, in her four gun deck configuration she sailed badly due to the weight so high above the waterline. Built in Cuba, she was launched in 1769 as a 120-gun three decker. In 1795 her forecastle was joined to her quarterdeck to create a fourth deck with additional guns, initially a total of 144, but this was reduced to between 130 and 136, still more guns than any other single ship in her day. She was reputed to be the largest warship in the world, although she was surpassed in sheer size by the French "l'Orient". Interestingly, the British designed a ship with four gun decks, the "Duke of Kent", but never built her. 7. Where do the highest tides on earth occur? > In the Bay of Fundy, in Canada. The average range is nearly 40 feet, but it can reach over 50 feet. 8. Name the most famous fishing schooner to sail the Grand Banks. > She was the "Bluenose", a celebrated racing ship from Nova Scotia. Launched in March 1921 she won the International Fishermen's Trophy that year and never relinquished it. Her name comes from the nickname for Nova Scotians, dating from at least the late eighteenth century. No one knows the derivation of the name - maybe it describes Nova Scotian noses in winter, perhaps it began from the name of a mottled purplish potato once common there. 9. What is unique about the Royal Cork Yacht Club? > It's the oldest such establishment in the world. Shortly after King Charles II returned from exile in 1660 to take the throne, he was presented with a yacht called "Mary" by the Dutch which he sailed enthusiastically on the Thames. By 1720 interest in the sport had progressed so much that the great-grandson of King Charles, the 9th Lord Inchiquin and five of his friends established "The Water Club of the Harbour of Cork", now known as the Royal Cork Yacht Club. 10. What age are the remains of the world's oldest known sea-going ship? > Four millennia! Four-thousand-year-old Wooden ship planks have been found in caves at the edge of the Egyptian desert. The discovery suggests ancient Egyptians sailed 1,000 miles on rough waters to get treasures from a place they called God's Land. Shipworms that had tunnelled into the planks indicated the ships had weathered a long voyage of several months. === Check out the latest on the website by clicking on NEW on the home page. www.JulianStockwin.com We'll be back in February. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Yours aye, THE BOSUN ++ Don't forget: you can change your email address or download back issues via the WebSite ++