Nelson & His World

An interesting edition of the BBC radio 4 Midweek just broadcast with a nautical flavour mentioning Nelson and featuring Tom Cunliffe and the replica of the Pickle.
Should be repeated tonight, change of government items permitting!
Ed.

I caught the interview too, while in the car this morning, and it was quite the most enthralling radio interview I have heard in a long time! Tom Cunliffe has an infectious enthusiasm for the story of Lapenotière and the Pickle, and his account of the replica Pickle knocked onto her beam ends in a force 8 gale was thrilling!

He is presenting the BBC TV series 'The Boats that Built Britain', currently on BBC4 and repeated on BBC2. This had passed me by, and the Pickle episode was on BBC4 last week, but is repeated on BBC2 this Saturday, and is already on BBC iPlayer here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0 ... he_Pickle/

More about the episode here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00sbp0t
and about the series here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00scc5w

As I type, I am watching episode 4 about the Reaper, the largest sailing lugger built - two masted, with lugsails so large they use a steam capstan to raise them - fascinating stuff!

Yes, thanks for posting that info, Ed. I caught the repeat on Radio 4 later in the evening. As Tony said, Tom Cunliffe came over as an infectiously enthusiastic character - and isn't Libby Purves a wonderful interviewer? She is always well-prepared, sympathetic and able to bring out the best in her interviewees. She would have enjoyed Tom Cunliffe's appearance as she is a great enthusiast for our maritime history and is also an expert yachtswoman. I heard her give a talk in which she described how she made mincemeat of the BBC top brass for initially ignoring the gathering of ships from 35 nations to mark Trafalgar 200 because 'they thought the public wouldn't be interested'.