Fuzzbox
20-03-2010, 17:38
Greetings from Tynemouth,
I have always been interested in social history especially naval history. How did our forefathers live work and die in the "Good Old Days". I have recently bought a book called JACK TAR by Roy and Lesley Adkins published by Abacus of London that answers a lot of my questions.
The authors have collated information from letters diaries and other sources on how people lived in Royal Naval warships around Nelson's time. Everything is covered from the Press Gangs, living conditions, victualling, battles, surgeons, punishments and women and leisure.
For example one story concerns a 15yr old boy George Mackay who had been at sea for two years when he was captured by the French in 1794. He tells of the hardship he endured in a French prison until 1798 when he escaped via Switzerland and Germany where he managed to get a boat to Yarmouth where he was immediately taken by the Press Gang and sent to the West Indies. No record of what happened to him after that , talk about a green rub!
I bought this book at Waterstones and I would strongly recommend it as it's a remarkable read.
Alan
I have always been interested in social history especially naval history. How did our forefathers live work and die in the "Good Old Days". I have recently bought a book called JACK TAR by Roy and Lesley Adkins published by Abacus of London that answers a lot of my questions.
The authors have collated information from letters diaries and other sources on how people lived in Royal Naval warships around Nelson's time. Everything is covered from the Press Gangs, living conditions, victualling, battles, surgeons, punishments and women and leisure.
For example one story concerns a 15yr old boy George Mackay who had been at sea for two years when he was captured by the French in 1794. He tells of the hardship he endured in a French prison until 1798 when he escaped via Switzerland and Germany where he managed to get a boat to Yarmouth where he was immediately taken by the Press Gang and sent to the West Indies. No record of what happened to him after that , talk about a green rub!
I bought this book at Waterstones and I would strongly recommend it as it's a remarkable read.
Alan