Trafalgar Day Celebrations

[Flossdog]

Has anyone at their club, organised or attended, a Trafalgar Day Dinner/Celebration? We, at the Teifi Boating Club, Cardigan, West Wales, are always looking for ideas to celebrate (and bring a few bob over the bar) and I wondered if any other clubs celebrate this event? If so, what is your format? Formal dinner with speaches? Informal buffet with disco? What do you have on the menu? Something of the era - hard tack with weevils?? Assume the Pussers Rum flows freely! Grateful for any suggestions.

 

[KenMcCulloch]

What do you have on the menu? Something of the era - hard tack with weevils?? Assume the Pussers Rum flows freely! Grateful for any suggestions.

I believe there is a cookbook offering recipes as served aboard HMS Surprise and other vessels commanded by the quasi-fictional Cap. J Aubrey. Miller casserole?

You can at least find the scope to deploy the best joke in the entire 20something books, about the lesser of two weevils.....

 

[capnsensible]

Try this site:

http://www.royalnavalmuseum.org/info_sheet_trafnight.htm

One of the best Trafalgar night dinners I went to was in Gib, aboard an old wooden Baltic Trader. THe hold was decked out a bit with flags, the guests dressed as sailors of the era and many toasts were taken!

I can still remember the, er, hangover.....

 

[Seajet]

At my old school the slighty eccentric but endearing head-mistress Mrs Donner had us all march into the assembly room on Trafalgar Day to the tune of 'Land & Hope & Glory'; the walls were decorated with the flag signals ' England Expects Every Man Shall Do His Duty', which I'd suggest makes a good back-drop/ conversation piece.

 

[Flossdog]

Thanks for the ideas. Not sure we should push the "England expects....." here in Wales!! Presumably there weren't enough flags for "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland expects........."!

Fancy dress sounds interesting. Wonder how many Admiral Lord Nelsons we would have? Guess that we should limit it to one.

Thanks Capnsensible for the link. Very interesting!

 

[Bosun Higgs]

Yes we have celebrated Trafalgar day for many years. Being a bit "down market" as yacht clubs go, its usually self catering by the club wives and a buffet or curry rather than anything fancy. We have in the past had plum duff and herrings ( not on the same plate! ) when my wife read something about meals in those days.

As for the booze, well yes there always is a tot of pussers rum when the toast is " death to the french". Mostly however its Worthingtons beer consumed in bulk