A quick note: my name is Mike Romero, and I'm a Historic Interpreter at Colonial Williamsburg. The postings I make on this site are my own personal opinions and research, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Colonial Williamsburg. With that said, enjoy the read!
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"Wittles is up...which it wants eating this directly minute."
Monday in the year 1815 usually signified lean eating for the average British Tar. This was one of three meatless or "banyan" days, wherein every man in His Majesty's Navy was allotted one gallon of beer (provided they were in home waters...brandy, wine, or rum was often substituted on foreign stations), one pound of biscuit, one pint of oatmeal, two ounces of butter, and four ounces of cheese.
However, Christmas 1815 fell on a Monday, and Commander Basil Hall of the sloop-of-war HMS Lyra was an indulgent captain and decided to provide his men with a feast. While Lyra was fitting out at Deptford, he purchased one goose and one turkey for each four to six man mess (likely a significant expense providing such a meal for a complement of 75). The dinner went well, until one of Lyra's men could no longer resist showing off to the crew of an adjacent ship...the man asked how many geese and turkey had been eaten by the neighboring crew. "None." Was the answer. The first man then waved a drumstick in each hand, gleefully calling out, "Look at these and weep, you hungry-faced rascals!" The drumsticks were summarily yanked out of the man's hand and thrown back in his face. At that point, Lyra's crew was honor bound to knock the other crew on the head, and a brawl between both crews ensued.
The following Christmas fell on a banyan day as well (Wednesday), and Lyra found herself in Canton in company with several merchant vessels. Hall's steward reported that Christmas dinner was a popular topic of conversation among the men, last year's row notwithstanding, and that a multitude of poultry was available in a nearby village. Hall decided once again to indulge the crew, and dozens of geese, chickens, and ducks were purchased. On Christmas morning, dawn broke with a tremendous racket...a great squawking, quacking, flapping, and clucking that sent Hall rushing on deck and likewise drew the attention of the sailors aboard the nearby Indiamen. As it turns out, Lyra's crew had taken the birds aloft during the night; they were tied to the yards, cross-trees, gaffs, and booms with lengths of twine, and the crew sat holding the birds and keeping them quiet (suffering numerous pecks and scratches for their trouble) until morning. Once the sun rose on Christmas, the birds were dropped from the yards, provoking a tumult most fowl. The screeching of the future dinner was accompanied by the enthusiastic shouts of the crew, drawing the envious view of the many onlookers...Commander Hall did not report a repeat of the previous year's scrap, though.
Two hundred years later, the Royal Navy tends to opt out of the Christmas After Dinner Brawl, but they still have their fair share of rowdy holiday traditions. From 'escaping' HMS Protector while dressed as a reindeer, to Able Seamen standing in for Captains, to consuming kilo after kilo of pudding laced with Pusser's, the "Hearts of Oak" remain steadfast and strong. Merry Christmas to all my readers, and especially to those serving away from home in their country's armed services!
Sources:
1. His Majesty in Council. Regulations and Instructions Relating to His Majesty's Service at Sea, The Fourteenth Edition. (1806).
2. MacDonald, Janet. Feeding Nelson's Navy: The True Story of Food at Sea in the Georgian Era. (Greenhill Books, 2004).
3. Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity. You Know You're in the Royal Navy at Christmas When..., https://www.rnrmc.org.uk/blog/you-know-its-xmas. (December 10, 2016).
4. Wikipedia. Cherokee-class brig-sloop, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherokee-class_brig-sloop. (June 8, 2017).
"Wittles is up...which it wants eating this directly minute."
Monday in the year 1815 usually signified lean eating for the average British Tar. This was one of three meatless or "banyan" days, wherein every man in His Majesty's Navy was allotted one gallon of beer (provided they were in home waters...brandy, wine, or rum was often substituted on foreign stations), one pound of biscuit, one pint of oatmeal, two ounces of butter, and four ounces of cheese.
 |
| A chart from the 1806 edition of Regulations and Instructions Relating to His Majesty's Service at Sea detailing the provisions allotted to Royal Navy seamen each day. |
 |
| "Cook: No. 4 in Series," by Thomas Rowlandson, circa 1799. Royal Museums Greenwich. |
The following Christmas fell on a banyan day as well (Wednesday), and Lyra found herself in Canton in company with several merchant vessels. Hall's steward reported that Christmas dinner was a popular topic of conversation among the men, last year's row notwithstanding, and that a multitude of poultry was available in a nearby village. Hall decided once again to indulge the crew, and dozens of geese, chickens, and ducks were purchased. On Christmas morning, dawn broke with a tremendous racket...a great squawking, quacking, flapping, and clucking that sent Hall rushing on deck and likewise drew the attention of the sailors aboard the nearby Indiamen. As it turns out, Lyra's crew had taken the birds aloft during the night; they were tied to the yards, cross-trees, gaffs, and booms with lengths of twine, and the crew sat holding the birds and keeping them quiet (suffering numerous pecks and scratches for their trouble) until morning. Once the sun rose on Christmas, the birds were dropped from the yards, provoking a tumult most fowl. The screeching of the future dinner was accompanied by the enthusiastic shouts of the crew, drawing the envious view of the many onlookers...Commander Hall did not report a repeat of the previous year's scrap, though.
 |
| "Canton Warehouse on the Pearl River," circa 1850. |
Two hundred years later, the Royal Navy tends to opt out of the Christmas After Dinner Brawl, but they still have their fair share of rowdy holiday traditions. From 'escaping' HMS Protector while dressed as a reindeer, to Able Seamen standing in for Captains, to consuming kilo after kilo of pudding laced with Pusser's, the "Hearts of Oak" remain steadfast and strong. Merry Christmas to all my readers, and especially to those serving away from home in their country's armed services!
Sources:
1. His Majesty in Council. Regulations and Instructions Relating to His Majesty's Service at Sea, The Fourteenth Edition. (1806).
2. MacDonald, Janet. Feeding Nelson's Navy: The True Story of Food at Sea in the Georgian Era. (Greenhill Books, 2004).
3. Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity. You Know You're in the Royal Navy at Christmas When..., https://www.rnrmc.org.uk/blog/you-know-its-xmas. (December 10, 2016).
4. Wikipedia. Cherokee-class brig-sloop, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherokee-class_brig-sloop. (June 8, 2017).
