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Description
This programme looks at the structure and organisation of the Royal navy in 18th century Britain, and at the skills, experiences and privations of seamen. It shows the Navy as an institution unlike... the rest of British society in its scale, and in the way skill rather than birth ensured high office. Naval historian Nicholas Rodger takes a tour round HMS Victory to show the living conditions of sailors and how the hierarchy of skills afloat was reflected in the ship. Portsmouth and Chatham Dockyards are shown to illustrate the enormous scale of organisation and bureaucracy needed to keep ships at sea and Haslar Naval Hospital illustrates the importance ot the Navy of preserving the health of trained men. It was here that James Lind practised, who experimented with the effects of diet on scurvy. Archive footage of "The Royalist" is used and contemporary illustrations of naval life (Rowlandson etc.) and a variety of sea shanties giving voice to the daily lives of the sailors.
This programme looks at the structure and organisation of the Royal navy in 18th century Britain, and at the skills, experiences and privations of seamen. It shows the Navy as an institution unlike... the rest of British society in its scale, and in the way skill rather than birth ensured high office. Naval historian Nicholas Rodger takes a tour round HMS Victory to show the living conditions of sailors and how the hierarchy of skills afloat was reflected in the ship. Portsmouth and Chatham Dockyards are shown to illustrate the enormous scale of organisation and bureaucracy needed to keep ships at sea and Haslar Naval Hospital illustrates the importance ot the Navy of preserving the health of trained men. It was here that James Lind practised, who experimented with the effects of diet on scurvy. Archive footage of "The Royalist" is used and contemporary illustrations of naval life (Rowlandson etc.) and a variety of sea shanties giving voice to the daily lives of the sailors.
| Module code and title: | A206, The Enlightenment |
|---|---|
| Item code: | A206; 08 |
| First transmission date: | 1993 |
| Published: | 1993 |
| Rights Statement: | |
| Restrictions on use: | |
| Duration: | 00:24:20 |
| + Show more... | |
| Producer: | Alison Tucker |
| Contributor: | Clive Emsley |
| Publisher: | BBC Open University |
| Keyword(s): | 18th century; Chatham Docks; HMS Victory; James Lind; Organisation; Portsmouth Docks; Royal Navy; Scurvy; Seamen; Structure |
| Subject terms: | Chatham Dockyards; Hasler Naval Hospital; HMS Victory; Great Britain --History --18th century |
| Footage description: | Footage - HMS Royalist under sail. Sails and masts. Aerial view of HMS Royalist. Map of south east England panning to map of Britain. Drawing of sailing ships and sailors in port. Map of Britain showing east coast ports. Map of Europe showing sailing routes to the Baltic and Mediterranean. Map of world showing the sailing route to India and the "Triangle trail" route (0'23"-4'35") - Paintings of flora and fish. Portrait of Sir Joseph Banks. Paintings of 18th century crew: carpenter, sailor, cabin boy, midshipman, lieutenant. B/w film of ship sails. Exterior views of the Nonesuch (4'36"-7'07") - HMS Victory in Portsmouth. Cross section of HMS Victory. Admiral's State cabin. Nicholas Rodger speaking. Portrait of Nelson (7'08"-9'29") - Cross section of HMS Victory. Orlop deck. Nicholas Rodgers speaking. Sign: 'Surgeon's cabin'. Surgeon's tools. Cross section of HMS Victory. Gun deck. Nicholas Rodgers sitting at table. Hammock. Table. B/w drawing of sailors seated at a table (9'30"-12'24") - Cross section of HMS Victory. Captain's sleeping cabin. Hardy's cot. Captain's State cabin. Cross section of HMS Victory. Nicholas Rodgers speaking. Cross section of HMS Victory (12'24"-13'22") - Exterior view of HMS Victory. Nicholas Rodgers speaking from deck. Clock tower on dockyard building. Dockyard storehouses. Clock tower on central storehouse. 18th century office block. Dockyard papers including a provisions list (13'23"-16'33") - HMS Victory. Rope. Masts. Coiled ropes. Painting of Chatham Dockyard. Riverside anchor wharf storehouses. Main gate. Coat of arms. Timber seasoning sheds. Upper mast house. Buildings. Interior view of double rope house. View along lengths of rope (16'34"-19'26") - Sculpted coat of arms on wall of Haslar Naval hospital. Exterior view of hospital with anchor in foreground. Hospital grounds panning to hospital building. Painting of Haslar, island view. Painting of a marine. Portrait of James Lind. Title pages from "Treatise on scurvy" and "On the most effectual means of preserving health of seamen" by Lind (19'27"-20'37") - View across deck of sailing ship at sea. Crashing waves on deck. HMS Royalist under sail. Wall plaque to memory of James Lind. Church at Haslar. Close up of church clock tower. Drawing of shoreline and buildings at Haslar. Letter written by chaplain. Chandelier panning back to interior of Haslar church. HMS Royalist under sail. Bow and breaking waves. Crew member on rigging. Union Jack flag. Pulleys and ropes. View up mast. HMS Royalist under sail in sunlight (20'38"-24'19"). |
| Master spool number: | HOU7478 |
| Production number: | FOUA416T |
| Videofinder number: | 4534 |
| Available to public: | no |
