I'm just back from a couple of nights camping on the Isle of Bute and we went to visit Mount Stuart House, one of the homes belonging to the Marquis of Bute. Even among the ranks of the British aristocracy, the Butes have a reputation for extravagance and tax avoidance on a grand scale. The family recently "found" a Shakespeare First Folio in Mount ( Read more... )

Oh my goodness, where did the last five months go?! I can't believe the last time I posted here was February! Huge apologies for the radio silence and tank you so much to everyone who posted birthday wishes even though I wasn't here. You're all so very kind ( Read more... )

Can I just get this in under the wire for Halloween? Maybe if I'm quick :} Here's G.M. Woodward and Isaac Cruikshanks The Dance of Death Modernised which features, among other topical characters of the early 1800s, a one legged Jack Tar with whom Death is on very familiar terms...


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I'm sure you'll already seen the reports about HMS Victory's new paint job which appeared in the press a couple of weeks ago. I've been following the restoration research for a while so it's fascinating to see what the original 1805 paint colour looks like. In addition to analysing seventy-two layers of paint from the hull, the research team also ( Read more... )

Not AoS, but I love this photograph from The National WWII Museum, New Orleans.


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A few pics from Greenwich last week. The National Maritime Museum was looking very pretty in the sun and Cutty Sark was stunning as usual :) I was down for a committee meeting so I only saw them in passing, but still, there are worse venues for a meeting!


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Hello. Remember me? I haven't quite fallen off the edge of the internet ( Read more... )

I came across this delightful quote in a naval biography recently. I'll leave you to imagine my reaction...

Smooth, brilliant, speckless, a thing so brilliant in form, so graceful in position, so admirably proportioned.....the whole compact, fitted utility and beauty, even more perfectly than that wondrous thing of twelve inches length, on which ( Read more... )

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Hello peeps! Hope you're all well? I won't bore you with the tedious work crap that's been taking up all my time of late, instead have a look at this rather fabulous yooniform that I had to restrain myself from buying when it came up for auction in Glasgow this weekend.


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