Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

History club

Whether you're interested in Roman, military, British or art history, join our History forum to discuss your passion with other MNers.

Flip

1 2 ··· 22 23 24 ··· 29 30

Original poster

The Historical Ponderings Society

740 replies

EverySongbirdSays · 24/11/2016 18:35

Following on from the thread "What questions do you have about stuff from History or am I the only one?" Which is here

Ever wondered how we got from the clothes of Cave people to the clothes of today?

Who was the first person to make and eat Cheese? Or cake?

How ideas became widespread

Why the Aztecs didn't have the wheel?

Why Elizabeth I never married?

How accurate historical fiction is?

Then this your thread and we are your people.

PROCEED HISTORY LOVERS

OP posts:

Thread gallery

lurkinghusband · 09/12/2016 17:01

There is an argument that we are still experiencing the aftershocks of the schism with Rome today (one reason why learning history is essential, IMHO). It's the root of the entire Whig-Tory split, which formed modern Britain.

FurryLittleTwerp · 09/12/2016 17:35

but did no-one sleep back then?!!

I read something a while back about the single 7-8 hour nighttime sleep being a very modern thing.

In years gone by people would have "first sleep" and "second sleep" during the night, with a definite wakeful period between in the small hours, during which they would go & do something, like visit neighbours or go to the pub for rum!

cozietoesie · 09/12/2016 17:48

What is it with all this rum that everyone is quaffing?

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 09/12/2016 17:55

Lurkinghusband, re horse infrastructure, there is a saddler's shop in my local high street that is being sold due to retirement that has been there for several hundred years and there's some kind of restriction on the lease to say it can only be a saddler's shop. I am intrigued (and slightly worried) about whether they will find anyone else to take it on and if not, what will happen? (And why the restriction in the first place?)

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 09/12/2016 18:01

Coming back to the egg and cream beating, pre rotary whisks I can confirm that a bunch of the right sort of twigs makes a very effective beater, far better than a fork.

lurkinghusband · 09/12/2016 18:03

Don't know about saddles, but tanning is a foul process - almost always required to be out of town.

Saddlers ... well being an immigrant to the West Midlands, I have learned about Walsall (local football club "The Saddlers" ). No idea how they coped though ...

cozietoesie · 09/12/2016 18:10

You can break covenants/trusts etc, Countess. (Eg if they're very elderly and 'out of touch') I suspect it's expensive, though, so it might depend whether the owners wished to do it.

Brillig · 09/12/2016 19:26

If anyone is in London and has ever noticed the quaint little green wooden cabmen's shelters that still exist in a few places.....they were originally for drivers of horse-drawn cabs to stop and take refreshment. Some of them still have water troughs outside for the horses to drink from.

(I have fond memories of a job many years ago which involved stopping off for mugs of strong tea at the Belsize Park cabbies' shelter - I wasn't a cab driver btw)

OlennasWimple · 09/12/2016 19:36

Is it an urban legend or actually true that black cabs aka hansom cabs are still legally required to carry a bale of hay for their horse?

Brillig · 09/12/2016 20:33

I just googled and found this, Olenna:

John Thomas of the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association says the law did exist at one time but it is not a requirement any more - it was finally removed from the law books in 1976

cozietoesie · 09/12/2016 20:36

I doubt it's true. I recall that in the (1980s, I think?) there was a big clear out of old and outdated legislation that was still on the statute books - Eg the laws requiring all men between certain ages to present themselves for archery practice once a week on the village green etc etc.

I don't know for certain if it's still in force - but I doubt it.

cozietoesie · 09/12/2016 20:37

Ah. Late 1970s then?

Weedsnseeds1 · 09/12/2016 21:31

Tanning was classed as a noxious trade under some bit if now revoked legislation (Public Health Act 1875? Can't remember exactly). The list also included fish frying, tallow boiling, soap making, lard rendering etc. They weren't permitted to be carried out on a Sunday.

OlennasWimple · 09/12/2016 21:54

Thanks Brillig.

Great British name for the LTDA boss - John Thomas. Perfect for the head cabbie

EBearhug · 10/12/2016 00:06

I recall that in the (1980s, I think?) there was a big clear out of old and outdated legislation that was still on the statute books

A lot has been repealed as everything''s been digitizer, too.

OrlandaFuriosa · 10/12/2016 02:52

Don't forget that Henry had already had to go to Rome to get dispensation to marry Catherine as she was his dead brother's intended. The failure to produce a living heir will def have produced a The Pope got it wrong and God doesn't want me married to her feeling even before he got the hots for Anne B.

And Anne B, unlike her sister I think, was intelligent and a devout Protestant. Her prayer book and her prayers are things of beauty.

Poor Catherine. She behaved so well, with so much dignity.

I'm v fond of Anne of Cleves. A really nice, good, woman , again v dignified. I've always wondered whether Henry made up the story of her smelling rank to cover his failure to achieve an erection, the Holbein portrait is beautiful.

cozietoesie · 10/12/2016 13:06

At the time I found that out, I was reading up on treason and military penalties for cowardice and desertion, Bear. Last night, I was sidetracked by an internet replication of the 'Offences against the person Act, 1961' - or some such title. Both quite fascinating. Legislation, even if elderly, really gives you insight into the stuff of lives backaways.

cozietoesie · 10/12/2016 13:07

Oops. 1861 of course.

Weedsnseeds1 · 10/12/2016 13:24

The Hawkers act of whenever it was prohibited rag and bone men from giving balloons or goldfish to children. I presume so that children wouldn't empty the house of clothes and furniture while parents backs were turned in order to get a pet!

Weedsnseeds1 · 10/12/2016 13:28

1888

cozietoesie · 10/12/2016 14:04

There are/were a huge number of desertion and cowardice charges. (Backaways at least.) Ranging from downright eg opening the city gates to the enemy to 'maybe not just completely and absolutely trying as hard as you really really could if you'd wanted to.) And everything in between. They were obviously much exercised by the notions at the time.

(Love the specificity of the Hawkers Act. )

cozietoesie · 10/12/2016 14:05

Sorry - I should have included treason in there. That seems to be at one end of the spectrum.

Weedsnseeds1 · 10/12/2016 14:18

There was also a Pedlars Act of 1871. I can imagine dastardly rag and bone men exploiting a legal loophole " Who, me, Officer? No, I'm not a peddler, I'm a hawker. Look, I've got a horse / ox / donkey. How about a nice goldfish for the kiddies?". Possession of a horse or other beast if burden was apparently the difference between the two.

cozietoesie · 10/12/2016 14:26

Goodness. Comparing legislation - in the absence of other documentation - can sometimes reveal loopholes which might have been used, right enough.

These dastardly rag and bone men!

EBearhug · 10/12/2016 21:35

How did they transport the goldfish before there were plastic bags of water to put then in?

Flip

1 2 ··· 22 23 24 ··· 29 30