“In the Church of England, marriage banns must be read three times . . . before a marriage can take place. These readings occur in the parish church of each person getting married and also in the church where the marriage will be solemnised, if it’s a different location.” (AI)
On this occasion AI seems to have got the facts right. Yesterday, looking for a quote from The Italian Job for Miami Vice, it regurgitated something incorrect. Unless I am wrong, Lorna is with Charlie Croker in Turin and he sends her to Geneva from there not Luton. But I digress. I am reading Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey-Maturin books for the third time.
Desolation Island, fifth in the twenty part series, is one of the best. For almost all the novel rhe characters are isolated on board a Royal Navy warship, The Leopard. It is the classic set-up for a 1930s mystery. One passenger is a female American spy, others are convicts, a stowaway is discovered; there is a contagious and usually fatal disease, an exciting sea chase for at least five days leading to one vessel foundering with all hands and The Leopard barely afloat; a murder, a mutiny, a shipwreck – what more could one ask for.
At the same time daily life is described in detail, although I can never quite get the hang of all the bells. Eight bells mark the end of a four hour watch so could be midnight, 4.00 am, 8.00 am etc but once a characters says it is 3.30 am, or is this Maturin not understanding naval terms as usual? It is a much more complex book than the Hornblower books to which Patrick O’Brian’s series is sometimes compared. Early on, as an aside, Preserved Killick buys a wife when he rides with Bonden to collect Jack Aubrey’s mail. The town is crowded because it is market day and Bonden explains the transaction to Jack.
”It seems her husband and she did not agree, so he brought her to market in a halter; and Killick, he bought her legal – laid down the pewter in sight of one and all, and shook hands on it. There were three to choose on.”
Pure Mayor of Casterbridge in which the wife is also sold to a sailor. As usual PO’B gives each character a distinctive speech pattern – such a pleasure to read.
Before, or when, you embark on either POB or CSF go and see HMS Victory. Quite the most perfect museum. Aristotelian singularity of time and theme, nothing superfluous, and very little ersatz. The audio guide was as captivating to my 7yo grandson as to me but he was better at operating the kit. Quite the most vivid captivating and informative museum I have ever visited. HMS Victory is still commissioned in the Royal Navy.
Hi Christopher, I came upon your blog by chance, in particular your tribute to your grandfather (comments are closed on that item!). I run the Clonsilla & Porterstown Heritage Society, in Dublin. I wanted to let you know, that there is wonderful stained glass window, by Evie Hone, in St Mary’s Church Clonsilla. It was commissioned by Jeanie Bellew (formerly Jameson), in 1938 and is dedicated to the memory of her parents. I can send you a photo of it, if you email the heritage society. All the best, Christine