Hornblower

[byron]

Watching Hornblower I noticed that when the Snotty was about to ride the Cannon up the cliff he was asked if he was ready. He answered with a 'thumbs up' which made me wonder. I thought that was a 20th century sign, can anyone satisfy my curiousity as to this.

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[ToMo]

I don't know about the 20thC....wasn't it used in the Roman arena - to live or die?

 

[DepSol]

Prob meant the same thing then as the finger does now

 

[tyger]

Re: Thumbs Down

I seem to recall that the signs used to decide the fate of the vanquished gladiator were actually thumbs down - meaning "stab him" or thumbs hidden in the fist meaning "sheath your blade". At some point in modern times school-boys who did not pay enough attention to the text started to assume that the opposite of thumbs down was thumbs up.

Given the 18C interest in things Roman, in The Happy Return we learn that Hornblower's favorite author is Gibbon, I would imagine that thumbs up may have become a school-boy gesture by Hornblower's time.

I am intregued (sp?) by the reference to a midshipman riding on the cannon as it is hoisted up a cliff. I can't remember any reference to it in the books, as a boy I read and re-read the whole canon (pun intended). I can see no reason for this in any case - except to make better television.

Is this a new Hornblower series? Living outside the UK I loose touch with what is shown today. If it is, does it make good watching and how true to the books and the times is it?

 

[byron]

Re: Thumbs Down

This was the second series a story played over two nights totalling 4 hours. In my view stunningly photographed and reasonably accurate though with some poetic licence, as with anything of this nature one mustn't be too picky. What interested me was the lack of use of Grand Turk in the filming, maybe Mike Turk asked too much money to use it this time around. In the first series of four it was used all the time.

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[tyger]

Re: Thumbs Down

Thank you for the update. Now, with any luck my father will have taped it so I can see the next time I'm home. }

 

[martin]

Interesting Fact about the G Turk

I went out on a corporate eveing cruise and dinner jaunt on the G Turk after last years Southampton Boat Show. We motored up the River and the crew scampered about the rigging looking V authentic...When the guests went downstairs for dinner, I stayed behind and started talking to the Captain. I asked him what it was like to sail it. He said he didn''t know because it had never been sailed!...Ah but what about Hornblower I said being all clever... I saw it under sail then...

No he said...all they did was drop the sails and nudge the engine into reverse to fill the sails with wind...so it just looked like it was sailin.... :-(

 

[mtb]

Reudley Pope

Now here's a man that can write a book ,I've just about read the whole series titled Ramage's Revenge or the Drum Beat I think there were around 16 titles .
His depiction of that time is enthralling and yet the level of knowledge re sailing ships and life at sea is amazing
I saw the first part on Monday night it did not impress me at all, mind you I did put a Dudley Pope book down to watch it !!!. I felt the characters were not as hard as they would have been then .
The cloths the sailors wore were not realistic as back then things were very hard and most sailors had to buy from the Purser !! so they would not have been crisp and new.
By the way if any one wants the books when I've read them, cover the postage and they are yours there are 14 so far all to do with the sea even modern WW11 stories. Last time I cleared them out the charity shop did not look impressed ,what's up with two carrier bags of sea stories !!!!
Mick

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/boats
I want a big steel ex trawler / tug v / cheap or swap for tug

 

[mtb]

Re:another Interesting Fact

My boys and I watched the barges sailing up the Orwell a couple of years ago .
What a sight ,to see them tacking and with sutch speed .There were at least 5 or more, we shall have to go there again this Summer
Mick

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/boats
I want a big steel ex trawler / tug v / cheap or swap for tug

 

[byron]

Re: Interesting Fact about the G Turk

I know Ian the Skipper quite well but the owner Mike Turk and I go waaaay back. I have been over the Grand Turk with a fine toothcomb. Everything on board is as authentic as possible. She was built in Turkey. Mike Turk has a collection of old boats some of which are in a sad state now, boats like the Empress of India and the Windsor Castle are his and he has a literal shed ful of beautiful skiffs. The King's Barge one sees in the film "A man for all seasons" is his too. He supplies boats for all manner of films requiring a nautical aspect even to marine stuff for the film "A bridge too far" . Mike has also been Worshipful Master of the Waterman's Company.

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[Dreamers]

Re: Interesting Fact about the G Turk

Is Mike Turk related to the Mr Turk who was the Keeper of the Queen's Swans on The Thames in the 1970's. Just a thought - I was engaged to his nephew at one time. The swan man, not the boat man.

 

[byron]

Re: Interesting Fact about the G Turk

Yes! John Turk (Captain John) is Mike's much much older cousin and as you say was the Queen's Swan Marker for many many years only relinquishing the position a few years back. The post didn't stay in the family it is now held by David Barber. I believe the Turks are the 2nd oldest family on the Thames their freedom going back to Henry VIII.

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[suzie1923]

Hello Byron

Hi Byron,
My Name is Suzie, My father was Tony Turk, as a child i remember my father telling me about somebody in his family being something to do with the Queens swans. I was doing some research and came across a thread you had written, and was hoping you could maybe help me out with my research. I hope to hear back from you soon. Thank you.

yours sincerely Suzie