December Meeting – Mince Pies & Poetry
A select group of just nine BNRA members gathered in the Assembly Rooms at the Woodstock Town Hall for the traditional Mince Pies and Poetry meeting. Poor weather and flooding prevented some members from attending. The small numbers meant the servings of mulled wine, which accompanied the finger food and festive fare, could be more generous. Toasts were proposed, Rob White entertained us with his guitar and there were a few readings. Also, a great deal of discussion about the way forward for the association.
I read The Fleet by Alfred Lord Tennyson, a short poem he addressed to Parliament during the Naval Crisis of 1886. A copy of the poem used to hang in the Board Room of the Admiralty in Whitehall. Can any member identify the particular crisis in question?
HMS Beagle
Graham (Bill) Cumming has sent the following by email:
For your interest, I attach an image of a fine replica of the Beagle. It is stationed about 2 kms from the County of Peebles at Punta Arenas! It was constructed within the past decade or so.
The Last Days of HMS Warspite in Cornwall 1947- 1956, by BNRA member Richard Holme
This new book covers the wrecking, in Prussia Cove during a fierce storm, of the famous battleship Warspite on her way to breakers at Faslane. The wrecking, the heroic rescue of the crew by the Penlee lifeboat, the amazing salvage and the tricky demolition offshore are all brought to life, aided by Richard’s expert knowledge of shipbreaking. Acquired by two Bristol scrap merchants, the wreck was refloated in 1950 and moved to a position near St Michael’s Mount, a salvage operation seen by some as the most impressive operation of its time in the UK. The wreck had been battered on the rocks at Prussia Cove, and patching it up before refloating took over a year. The refloating was then accomplished on the open sea. Scrapping of the ship would take another seven years, in extremely hazardous and challenging conditions. The author’s detailed research into the last days of the battleship, using material from various archives and accounts relayed by those who were there, has allowed him to create a fascinating account of this unique episode. Paul Brown
Hardback, 128 pages with over 140 mainly rare, unpublished photos, some of which have been colourised. Richard will supply BNRA members at a trade price of £13.50 including P&P (normally £19.50). To order a copy, email Richard at richardholme8@gmail.com.
More on Acorns & Jays
At the November meeting Susan Amos explained that jays burying acorns in hedgerows, and their fledglings having a liking for young oak leaves, helped to produce large oaks which grew without competition from other trees, as is the case in a forest or grove. It led to strange open shapes and compass oak for ships knees, see here: https://seahistory.org/assets/KIDS-119-22.pdf.
Sturdy’s Castle
For the foreseeable future we will be having all our Sunday meetings and the Symposium* at Sturdy’s Castle. It is easy to find and in the same locality as where we used to meet, so no real change in travel distance. There is a good meeting room, pub-style restaurant, accommodation, pub, and free parking. All competitively priced, so your attendance fee will be £6.00 for members and £7 for guests. It is on the old Oxford Banbury Road (A4260) a few miles north of Kidlington. For your Sat-nav: OX5 3EP.