History Challenge & Journal

[dtaai-maai]

And the origins?

[pharvey]

And the origins?

I believe "Toe the Line" goes back to the Royal Navy and Sailing Ships where barefooted seamen (to attention) kept in line with the wooden planks - maybe just "fake news", though I do remember that from somewhere!

As for "Swing the Lead", I cheated by looking that up (although not the origin)....

[EDIT] Still awaiting others answers - I've not given for either (aside from my belief of the origins of the former). Come on guys!

[dtaai-maai]

They're both naval. You're spot on with toe the line.

Way back when, a seaman was allocated to drop a line overboard with a lead weight attached to make depth readings (soundings?) in shallow water. I imagine it was considered to be a cushy number, so if you were swinging the lead you were taking it easy.

I'm reading a series of novels by Patrick O'Brian set around the Napoleoic era based on the adventures of Capt Jack Aubrey RN. The first one was Master & Commander - you've probably seen the film starring Russell Crowe.
If you want to know anything about ketches, schooners, topgallant sails, etc. I'm your man...

And here's an interesting little tidbit - we all know sailors used to get a daily ration of rum to keep 'em sweet, but did you know that at the time of these books that ration was half a pint, twice a day!!

[dtaai-maai]

Try this one (nothing to do with the sea!):

Pull out all the stops

[pharvey]

Way back when, a seaman was allocated to drop a line overboard with a lead weight attached to make depth readings (soundings?) in shallow water. I imagine it was considered to be a cushy number, so if you were swinging the lead you were taking it easy.

Truly should have known this - was completely pi$$ed off after looking up

The first one was Master & Commander - you've probably seen the film starring Russell Crowe.

Indeed I have seen the film - certainly not one of his best, and not one I enjoed to be honest. Also inaccurate historically wise.

And here's an interesting little tidbit - we all know sailors used to get a daily ration of rum to keep 'em sweet, but did you know that at the time of these books that ration was half a pint, twice a day!!

When did the "Rum Ration" finish? Should be a History question!!

[lindosfan1]

Not sure of the exact date,I was stationed in Germany at the time, it was between 1968-1971

[dtaai-maai]

Ok history fans, we all know (don't we) that the word marathon comes from the legendary run by the messenger Pheidippides to announce the Greek victory at the Battle of Marathon, but who can tell me who lost?

[pharvey]

Ok history fans, we all know (don't we) that the word marathon comes from the legendary run by the messenger Pheidippides to announce the Greek victory at the Battle of Marathon, but who can tell me who lost?

I'm assuming who lost the war rather than the "run" - In that case, it would be the Greek victory over Persia?

[dtaai-maai]

Indeed! (My next clue was going to be "it was the Greco-Persian war"...)

[dtaai-maai]

Sticking with legend, the siege of Troy started after Paris ran off with Helen, but who was Helen's cuckolded hubby?

[Spitfire]

Sticking with legend, the siege of Troy started after Paris ran off with Helen, but who was Helen's cuckolded hubby?

Well, as a fan of the movie I'll say it was Menelaus of Sparta.

[dtaai-maai]

And you'd be spot on!

[Spitfire]

OK, as a history question then. How did the company Gillette become successful and famous and who/what were they supplying to make it happen and the 'why' story behind it?

[dtaai-maai]

they made swords, didn't they?

[Spitfire]

They may have done so initially, but what they are famous for is shaving blades. If you look at pictures of soldiers and burly men pre-WW1, then everyone had a beard/stash or whatever in photos ... but once WW1 turned up and they started gassing each other then you couldn't have a beard etc. as you couldn't get a seal on the gas mask ... hence all the clean shaven pictures of men from WW1 and after that and it kind of stuck. Gillette made their money initially supplying soldiers (especially US ones but others too) razors so the could wear their gas masks in the trenches. After WW1 then everyone is clean shaven until recently where goatie beards/beards/stashes have come back in but they were out of fashion for a long time due to WW1. Even Hitler was gassed because of his classic stash in WW1 and he trimmed it down to the famous one because he could then wear a gas mask in the trenches and that's where his Nazi stash style originated from ... funny really.