Old Speckled Hen Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 My maternal grandfather (who I never met) when asked why he had a shiny tooth told my mum that he had a gold filling to pay for his passage to "the other side" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
majorbloodnock Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 My maternal grandfather (who I never met) when asked why he had a shiny tooth told my mum that he had a gold filling to pay for his passage to "the other side" Just a piece of unashamed trivia, but that's precisely why sailors in Nelsonian times wore ear rings. They were a superstitious lot, and thought that, without a proper burial, they'd be doomed to remain as ghosts, and dreaded the possibility. However, they also realised that their body, if left in the sea for a while, would soon part company with any valuables kept in pockets or purses. Therefore, they wore a plain gold ear ring that would remain with their body for a long time, and would pay for a proper burial once it was found. [Michael Caine voice] Not a lot of people know that... [/Michael Caine voice] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keyhole kate Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 My maternal grandfather (who I never met) when asked why he had a shiny tooth told my mum that he had a gold filling to pay for his passage to "the other side" Just a piece of unashamed trivia, but that's precisely why sailors in Nelsonian times wore ear rings. They were a superstitious lot, and thought that, without a proper burial, they'd be doomed to remain as ghosts, and dreaded the possibility. However, they also realised that their body, if left in the sea for a while, would soon part company with any valuables kept in pockets or purses. Therefore, they wore a plain gold ear ring that would remain with their body for a long time, and would pay for a proper burial once it was found. [Michael Caine voice] Not a lot of people know that... [/Michael Caine voice] Just to add my own bit of useless trivia sailors Jumpers were knitted in cable or fairisle/Shetland patterns unique to there homeport if they drowned they could be identified by the jumpers pattern and returned home Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 Gosh, both those facts are new to me (and I love the 'Michael Caine voice', Major B!). Which leads me to another Pearl of Wisdom, something I've always believed but phrased very succinctly by Warren Buffet on the BBC 2 programme last night ... "The School of Life is never closed". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 "You are never too old". But the mind may be willing while the body says "yes you are you silly woman, act your age". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarrensWorld Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 Another sailors fact. When a sailor was buried at sea, the sail-maker whos job it was to sew up the body in sail cloth. The last stitch was put through the corpses nose. Just to make sure that he was actually dead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 Blimey. The things we learn on a chicken keeping forum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 Another sailors fact. When a sailor was buried at sea, the sail-maker whos job it was to sew up the body in sail cloth. The last stitch was put through the corpses nose. Just to make sure that he was actually dead. Ugggh ... I saw that in Master and Commander Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chook n Boo Mum Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 One I've just remembered...........A journey of a thousand miles starts with just one step............it sprung to mind as I looked around my pigsty of a house & started wondering where to start, and decided a dog walk was a good way after taking back the chicks and dropping DD off at a pony day and delivering back a load of bits & bobs left at our house by other people I think I saw the "sailor nose stitch" on Hornblower Have a good day everyone, Sha x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 The day that I don't learn something new on this forum is the day I will stop using it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C&T Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 One I've just remembered...........A journey of a thousand miles starts with just one step............it sprung to mind as I looked around my pigsty of a house & started wondering where to start, and decided a dog walk was a good way after taking back the chicks and dropping DD off at a pony day and delivering back a load of bits & bobs left at our house by other people Sha x That's one that I use a lot! Especially at work... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
majorbloodnock Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 One I've just remembered...........A journey of a thousand miles starts with just one step............ Well, it's certainly more positive than "1 step down, just 5,279,999 to go" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
