Twelve Days of Christmas Quiz
This has been so much fun, so a very special thank you is in order to everyone who took part. Here are the answers, and the winner's details follow up at the rear.
Thanks for looking in , and a Happy New Year to one and all.
1. True love - Who or what was Nelson's 'Dear pledge of love.'
Horatia. 'I never had a dear pledge of love till you gave me one, and you, thank my God, never gave one to any body else ...' They say that love is blind, but I have my doubts about this one remaining a secret!
2. Turtle doves - Turtles served a particular purpose at Merton. What became of them?
They were especially imported for Lady Hamilton to adorn the table at Merton. As soup. (I've added an authentic, and slightly grim, turtle soup recipe on a separate thread!)
3. French Hens - Lady Hamilton said that she was as happy in the company of **** and hens at Merton, as she had ever been at Naples. Who were the hen's companions?
'Pigs and hens'... a variation on Nelson's 'country of fiddlers and poets, whores and scoundrels?'
4. Calling birds - Where in 1798, according to Cornelia Knight, did Nelson encounter a white bird?
Cornelia Knight recorded in her diary that a white bird flew into Nelson's cabin on board the Vanguard prior to the Battle of the Nile. The bird departed when the ship reached Naples.
5. Gold rings - In a ceremony recalled by the Dowager Lady Spencer in 1805, the rings supposedly exchanged by Nelson and Emma represented two clasped what?
Hands. Picture and story here:
http://www.nmm.ac.uk/collections/nelson ... ID=JEW0168
6. Geese A-laying - Name the place where Nelson's body lay in state before his funeral at St. Paul's in 1806?
Super detail in the entries here. Certainly more than I had on the crib sheet. The Painted Hall, Greenwich (followed by an overnight stay in the Captain's Room at the Admiralty.) Another correct entry pointed out that the Painted Hall was designed by a Wren (lots of birds in this quiz.)
7. Swans A-swimming - Writing to Alexander Davison on his way to the Baltic in 1801, Nelson said that 'sink or swim' he was taking something with him. What was he refusing to leave behind?
On Valentines/St. Vincent Day 1801, Nelson was thinking of his silver plate and writing about it to Alexander Davison: ‘… I shall take my plate with me; sink or swim, it goes with me…’
8. Maids A-milking - Whose wife (Jane), became the dairy maid at Merton?
Jane was married to Tom Allen, Nelson's 'wally de sham.'
9. Ladies dancing - Which famous (and energetic) Neapolitan dance did Emma perform on hearing the news of Nelson's victory at Copenhagen in April 1801?
She danced the Tarantella, recalled in the brilliant Memoirs of Sir Nathaniel Wraxhall: 'Sir William began it with her, and maintained the conflict, for such it might well be esteemed, during some minutes..'
10. Lords A-leaping. Complete the names of the following three Lords:
a. First Lord of the Admiralty 1794 - 1801.
Lord (Earl) George Spencer, who according to his Lady (or his Lady's friend), experienced a very un-festive dinner with Lord and Lady Nelson in the run up to Christmas 1800. I know, it was November, but this is a Christmas quiz. Perhaps the walnuts were intended to decorate the Christmas Tree.
b. Disapproving (disgusted even) guest at Merton?
Sir Gilbert Elliott (Lord/Earl Minto.) Gosh, I do find this man rather condescending - and very contrary! Considering they had only just moved in, that nothing belonging to Sir William was supposed to be in the house, that most of the furniture was left behind by the former owner, and the list of Nelson's possessions compiled by James Dods in 1801 consisted of the contents of an average bedsit. Ironing board, bread bin, sweeping brush, mis-matched furniture, a lot of prints and pictures (some broke), a large piece of the wreck of a ship, a coffin, a spinning wheel (broke), and boxes containing 'portable soup (?) and walnuts (again!) The wine list included 41 hampers of assorted alcoholic beverages, numerous casks of various sizes. And a 'pipe' of Madeira.
c. Penned some very bad verses representing Nelson and the Hamiltons' holiday party at Staines in July 1801.
Lord William Gordon, whose poetic talents equalled, at least, those of Cornelia Knight. He was a very good gardener though. And Cornelia - as fine a poet as she was a loyal friend.
11. Pipers Piping - Nelson's wine cellar was impressive, but how many pints would it take to make up a pipe of rum?
Well, this one has been a learning experience! Many different answers, and apparently there are a hundred and one ways to calculate how many pints make a pipe of rum. The most popular, and fully justified answer, was 840 (Imperial) so we'll go with that. Fully justified also, was 896-920. My own calculation came to 1008 - a little too generous. Hic!
12. Drummers Drummming - Name the tune beaten out on the drum that a ship's crew would hear at dinner time?
The Roast beef of Old England. Also played to summon guests to dinner on the Titanic.
The winner, with 10 out of 10 correct answers, and reaching the mailbag with the speed of a flying musket ball, is Fiddler.
Many congratulations Gretchen! Morrison's 'The Collection of Autograph Letters and Historical Documents - The Hamilton & Nelson Papers - Volumes 1 and 2' will be winging their way to you in New York soon. I will PM you for details of your preferred delivery.
Tycho - I'm dying to discover more about Nelson and the turtles - please enlighten soon.
Tony - By Carshalton Cocktail, I was referring to the fishing fly detailed in Tycho's thread "Nelson's Blood...Carshalton Cocktails" a few days ago. Picturing SW or HN landing a turtle from the Nile. Sorry if it didn't make sense.