Nelson & His World

Just watching the Jubilee Flotilla on the T.V.

I had no idea that the HMS would be taking part but thought they looked splendid.

"Blue Launch" - manned by "Nelson era" sailors and marines.

This image from their website - at a previous event.



MB

Mark,

I've just watched the River procession, broadcast on Swedish television, courtesy of the BBC. Very impressive, apart form the rain! Although quite good, I thought the Swedish commentary could have been a bit more informative, and told one about the different historic craft taking part, and what was actually going on on the screen!

I saw the craft you pictured, but I wondered if the Victory's cutter might have been there. Do you happen to know if she was?

Hi Kester

Not that I am aware of - but I am sure someone will put me right if I am wrong on that.

I wasn't glued to the T.V. but I was aware that they had a lady on from Grazia magazine to comment on the fashions. My ears pricked up when I heard her say ". . . . . . . . the same company that made the hat that Nelson wore at the Battle of
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Waterloo!"

Nothing new there then!!

MB

P.S. It's been raining here since I got up - so at least London got a bit of dry weather earlier on. Thankfully our Jubilee event here is tomorrow - so fingers tightly crossed that the weather will turn by tomorrow lunchtime.

Mark,

Thanks. Are you sure that's not the same company that made the hat that Wellington wore at Trafalgar?

Good luck for tomorrow. I don't hold out many hopes over here!

Haha I noticed that too, had a mini-rant about it to my partner, and about the fact that no one corrected her

They weren't particularly informative about any of the boats apart from the ones they happened to have reporters on, which was a shame.

Well, that was an amazing display - despite the rain and ill-informed BBC commentators and/or researchers. I heard the 'blooper' too, thought of posting here then reflected that someone would beat me to it!

If you are in London, you might like to look in on the exhibition at the NMM until September 9th:

Royal River: Power, Pageantry and the Thames, with David Starkey as guest curator.

http://www.rmg.co.uk/visit/events/royal-river

I hope they'll include images of the role of the Thames in Nelson's funeral, a solemn as opposed to a celebratory occasion, when his coffin was rowed upstream from Greenwich to Whitehall, 'the flotilla of state and City barges and the crowds lining the route silently acknowledging that the Royal Navy was defending commerce on which the City's prosperity depended.'

Vicki

I definitely paused for a couple of seconds in case someone corrected her - but as you say, no such luck.

(A bit off topic but I thought the younger generation - William, Kate, Harry looked fantastic. What an asset they will hopefully be for this country!! )

MB

Yes, the HMS Victory cutter was participating.

I haven't seen any of the TV coverage myself as we were too busy partying in our street (in the rain!), but I have heard comments that to the disappointment of many, the BBC's coverage was very patchy on historic vessels and music vessels.

Yes, as I said, the display was splendid, but the BBC's coverage was not up to their usual standard of outside broadcasting. The visuals were breathtaking, but the sound was patchy. The bells and the music were, by all accounts, spectacular. I'm old enough to remember BBC outside broadcasts in their heyday - those flawless, seamless linkings - we would have heard not only the bells on the river but all the city bells answering them as they sailed downstream, and glimpses of some of the hundreds of church bells all over the country joining in. English bell-ringing is a unique and glorious sound - an opportunity lost. |(And don't say, 'cost'. The managed these things better when the Director General and his hangers-on were not paid millions. (But that's another rant!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynMJGwf1 ... re=related

I agree, but Kate could do with feeding up a bit!

Anyone know if any other channels (maybe American?) were broadcasting it with their own presenters? It'd be interesting to see the difference.

Tony,

Thanks for the info on Victory's cutter. I thought she might have been there. I did check the Victory website, where they have details of the cutter's programme – but they hadn't updated it to include 2012!

So, the BBC's coverage, commentary wise wasn't up to much either then? What's happened to all the good commentators these days? Perhaps they're not interested in them now – as they think that people don't want that sort of thing any more. All you seem to get is just general chat, although I notice that they (especially the female ones) are usually spot on, when it comes to the ladies outfits! I know I'm probably showing my age here, but I remember the commentary's of Richard Dimbleby (just!), Tom Fleming and others, at such events as Trooping the Colour, the Royal Tournament, etc. They made it just so interesting, with all the details of what you were watching. Splendid stuff. They just don't seem to make 'em like that any more – why not?

Talking of outfits, I certainly liked the one the Queen wore. It was just right, although her outfits usually are. Anyone else thought that it harked back to the other Elizabeth, you know, No. 1? I'm sure that must have been the intention.

Nice touch to include, for example, Britannia's barge, although I couldn't help thinking that the men manning both her, and some of the other naval craft were, agewise, rather more RNR, rather than RN! A great pity though that they couldn't have talked about some of the other interesting craft there, such as 'Havengore' and the Dunkirk veteran craft, all with their own story to tell.

Vicki, I would agree, 'Mrs William' she looks as though she could do with a good 'square meal', however that might be just her build. I'm sure she gets fed quite well up at RAF Valley, in the officers mess! Very attractive young woman though, and I agree that we have a splendid set of young Royals at the moment. Not sure the Americans would do it any better than us, and it might be more of the same!

Further to what I wrote in my previous post, re. the commentary for the River Pageant, I have just come across this. It seems I was not alone. The following comments say it all::

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... anity.html

Apologies for deviating slightly but the concert wasn't much better.

3 Americans - Grace Jones, Stevie Wonder and Will.i.am all seemed under the impression that they were there to celebrate the Queen's birthday rather than the Jubilee.

And "Macca" was introduced on stage as "Sir Paul Winston McCartney". I would love to know who scripted that, as Winston was John Lennon's second name not McCartney's!!

MB

Mark,

Will.i.am? I have not heard of them, or is it a him? Call me intuitive, but I think he must be named after a certain 'Will-i-am'!

Reverting to the BBC's coverage, I have just seen this. It would seem we were in good company, as to its content (or not):

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-18337851

I was pleased to read though, that some thought it was very well done – mainly the BBC!

Complaints numbered over 4,500 by the weekend.

Here is the reaction of the man who knows best, Martyn Heighton, Director of National Historic Ships: http://www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk ... e-coverage