Nelson & His World

Hello, I have just come across the district of 'Blue Town' in Sheerness, Kent, and several sources say that the name was derived from the dockyard workers building houses out of the chips of wood they were allowed to take from the naval dockyard, which they then painted in grey-blue naval paint. The houses then became known as Blue Houses, which later changed to Blue Town. This apparently dated from the early 18th century. Is this true? Was the paint really that colour then for naval warships? And would they have been allowed to pilfer the paint for their houses? Or is this myth? (it sounds like it to me) Any thoughts would be very welcome.

Lower Deck,

I have read several sources that mention this too. I suppose there must be some reason for saying it, but are they just perpatuating a myth? In any case, I have never heard of blue-grey paint being used on warships of Nelson's period - black, yellow ochre, red ochre and white, being the normal colours used. I'm not certain, but I don't think grey paint was used until around 1900.

There was however a French blue, I believe it was called – which was often used to paint the forward bulkhead, just aft of the beakhead (you can see this on the Victory). I'm surmising here, but maybe it was this paint that they used if they did (perhaps mixed with white, so that it wasn't quite so obvious!) However, I then thought how could they manage to do all this on the Dockyard premises, and then smuggle it out! It seems a bit far fetched to me!

That's very helpful - it's what I was thinking. I'm fairly sure a myth is being perpetuated, but there was always the possibility that I was being stupid... This story appears on Wikipedia, which is not a surprise, but it also appears on official Sheerness information! Of course, the name may well have originated at a later date, when battleships were painted grey [yes, grey, so not really blue] - but that would mean the Blue Town name could only have come into use from the later 19th century, presumably? Is there evidence that Blue Town as a name existed before then? I suspect the word 'Blue' has a totally different derivation.

LD

I am known as the arch sceptic round here - quite rightly - but I can see that there might be at least a grain of truth in this story.

There is no doubt that the name Blue Town started to be used as early as 1801.

What I am thinking is that unless this place was some sort of shanty town it is unlikely that dockyard workers would have owned their own houses. More likely they would have lived in rented or tied houses and these might have been built by the owners of the dockyards. And then any dockyard paint used on them might have been used quite legitimately.

The paint did not need to be a commonly used colour. Paint in those days (and not so different now!) would have been a fairly crude mix of pigment, resin and a solvent. It might have actually been made by the dockyard itself or quite locally. If they had a blue pigment in the store - very easy to mix up some blue paint.

No need to give this notion any credibilty - as it comes straight from my imagination. But it could go a small way towards legitimising the original story.

MB

Arch Sceptic ,

That would seem a likely theory – and you could be as right as any of us!

Not a paint pot or brush mentioned here, but you also might find this of interest:
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.anc ... uetown.htm

Kester

What a cracking find!

There's me saying UNLESS it was a shanty town and it seems that it was INDEED A SHANTY TOWN.

Have I interpreted it correctly that there was a shanty town PLUS these four hulks?

I had never heard that familes lived legitimate and normal lives on board hulks. I know it's not quite the same but I can't help thinking of the Peggoty family in David Copperfield

I guess that this HMS Edgar was the same one that was at Copenhagen. What a weird way to end its life.

You never know what strange new story each day will bring!!

MB

P.S. Ships of the Old Navy says that HMS Edgar of Copenhagen fame became a hulk in 1813. So slight confusion there but doesn't detract from this charming story!!

When I get that time machine trip back to the early nineteenth century I am minded to pay a visit to Blue Town.

MB

Mark,

Interesting, huh? Yes, from my reading of it, it would seem that there were the four hulks, and the shanty town.

Apparently 'Ships of the Old Navy' wasn't so far wrong. Seemingly before the Edgar became a prison ship in 1815, it would appear that she was refitted in 1802 (just one year after the families were removed from her by Coffin) and put back into service, much strengthened, at the end of the Peace. She became the flagship of Lord Keith off the Texel. (I wonder if he knew of the families who had been living in his cabin?!)

Apparently there was a mutiny on board in 1808, and in the same year she went to the Baltic as part of Sir James Saumarez fleet. She was then laid up in 1811, converted to a prison ship in 1813, having her name changed to Retribution in 1815. She was finally broken up in 1835. I would imagine that it was quite common for ships to have all these uses, as and when required, and when circumstances dictated.

As to your last wish, roll on the day!

It's good when a small initial question results in all sorts of interesting threads! Members of the Kent History Forum are also a little sceptical about the supposed derivation of the name Blue Town, as you can see here:
http://www.kenthistoryforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=3855.15

LD,

You'll find that happens quite a lot here, since it's all to do with 'our period,' and I'm sure we learn a lot from each others input - at least I do! That's an interesting thread you posted from KHF, with a few more theories. I wonder when their scepticism will turn into a 'let's get to the bottom of this once and for all', philosophy!

Sorry if we can't provide a definitive answer to the original question.

But an interesting topic nevertheless!

MB