On This Day – 11th October 1982


On the 11th of October 1982 the Mary Rose, flagship of King Henry VIII, was raised to the surface after 437 years at the bottom of the Solent. The operation cost £4,000,000.

Launched in 1510, the Mary Rose sank on her way to engage the French enemy fleet off Portsmouth Sound on the 19th of July 1545. Between four and five hundred men perished.

In July 1545 the French fleet entered the Solent with the intention of invading the Isle of Wight and destroying the English fleet. The French fleet was huge, with around 200 ships.  The English fleet consisted of around 80 ships, in Portsmouth, with more expected from the west Country. The English aimed to fight a defensive battle, they were outnumbered, but had a positional advantage. The first day of the battle consisted of a long range cannonade between the French galleys and the English fleet in which neither side suffered any real loss. The French had managed to invade the Isle of Wight, tangling with the local militia. Continue reading “On This Day – 11th October 1982”

Be very careful….

‘Whatever you give a woman, she will make greater. If you give her sperm, she’ll give you a baby. If you give her a house, she’ll give you a home. If you give her groceries, she’ll give you a meal. If you give her a smile, she’ll give you her heart. She multiplies and enlarges what is given to her. So, if you give her any crap, be ready to receive a ton of shit.’ Anon.

Goodnight everyone, sleep well.

Swift Premonition

On Tuesday morning I ran a little late for work. Not entirely unusual for me as I’m usually just trying to fit a few hundred jobs in between the boys leaving the house to catch the bus and getting myself ready to get in the car for work. I have just under an hour. Continue reading “Swift Premonition”