 |
|
|
|
 |
|
 Tuesday 3.00-3.30 p.m |
|
|
Vanessa Collingridge and the team answer listener’s historical queries and celebrate the way in which we all ‘make’ history. |
|
|
|
Programme 8 |
18ÌýNovember 2008 |
|
|
|
 |
Vanessa Collingridge and the team explore themes from Britain’s past thanks to queries raised by listener’s own historical research.
|
|
|
|
|
|
John Paul Jones
Is the tale of John Paul Jones, the Scottish seaman who was brought up but then attacked the town of Whitehaven on the Cumbrian coast, true?
Making History’s Caz Graham went to find out from local historian David Bradbury.
John Paul Jones, a Scot, is famous in the United States as the 'Father of the American Navy'. In Britain he’s perhaps more as a pirate. Disraeli apparently claimed that "the nurses of Scotland hushed their crying charges by the whisper of his name".
John Paul went to Kirkbean school but spent much time at the small port of Carsethorn on the Solway Firth. At the age of 13 he boarded a vessel to go to Whitehaven across the Solway where he signed up for a seven year seaman's apprenticeship.
Eventually he would become involved in the slave trade which he left after a terrible voyage in 1766 and then at the tender age of 21 took over command of a vessel after the Captain and mate died of fever.
There are episodes of violence in his early life. A charge of murder, which was dropped, and he killed the ringleader of a mutiny. He then settles in America and takes the colonialists side in the War of Independence.
When Congress formed a ‘Continental Navy’ Paul Jones offered his services and was commissioned as a first lieutenant on 7th December 1775.
In November 1777 Paul Jones sailed in the 'Ranger' for France where he struck up a rapport with the American Commissioner in Paris, Benjamin Franklin.
On 10 April 1778, Jones sailed from Brest on a cruise to the Irish Sea capturing and destroying small vessels. Despite a near mutinous crew he carried out a hit and run raid on Whitehaven. The idea was to land on the coast and make way to the town. Unfortunately they landed in the harbour. The intent was similar to that of Drake’s at Cadiz.
Later the raiders reached Kirkcudbright Bay, more familiar territory to him and the plan was to capture the Earl of Selkirk who lived on St Mary's Isle to exchange him for captured American sailors. When they landed they met the head gardener and told him that they were a British press gang. Word of this spread and caused the locals to flee! They learned, however, that the Earl was absent. Jones wished to leave immediately but his crew insisted on looting the mansion as they had returned empty handed from Whitehaven.
After leaving Kirkcudbright he spotted HMS Drake, a 20 gun sloop, near Carrickfergus in Northern Ireland. Both vessels were well matched and the battle lasted just over an hour. Captain Burden of the Drake was killed and his second in command Lieutenant Dobbs was mortally wounded. The Drake surrendered.
Paul Jones had beaten the Royal Navy in battle.
Returning to Brest he was given command of the Duc de Duras, a French East Indiaman which he had converted as a warship. He renamed her Bonhomme Richard in honour of Benjamin Franklin, whose book Poor Richards Almanac had been translated into French with the title Les Maximes du Bonhomme Richard.
On 14th August 1779 he set sail on another ‘cruise’ of Britain as commodore of a squadron of seven ships. The plan was to destroy British commerce in the North Sea.
There was considerable trade between the Baltic and the east coast ports (the so-called Hanseatic trade) and the British were running an eighteenth century convoy system.
Eight days later, on the night of 23rd September 1779, he fought his most famous battle when he engaged H.M.S. Serapis and the Countess of Scarborough off Flamborough Head. Despite inflicting serious damage on the British the Bonhomme Richard sank and remains the subject of US Naval archaeology to this day.
Useful Links
- Dumfries and Galloway StandardÌýÌý
- Scarborough Evening NewsÌý
-Ìý´óÏó´«Ã½ Scotland
|
|
|
Sarah Kaye – survivor of the first daylight air raid
Sarah Kaye lives in north west London and is approaching 95 years of age. In June 1917 she was buried alive with the rest of her family in their house in Bethnal Green, London which had been hit by a bomb dropped by a German Gotha bomber.
This was the first daylight air raid on London and the first by an aeroplane.
Over 150 people are thought to have died in the attack, but remarkably Sarah and her mother and brother survived. Sarah lost her sight for 6 weeks but hasn’t been troubled by it since then.
Useful links
has more information on the Gotha bomberÌý
- First World War.ComÌý
- US Centennial of Flight CommissionÌý
- Museum of LondonÌý
- National Archives |
|
|
|
Contact ÌýMaking History |
|
|
Use this link to email Vanessa Collingridge and the team: email Making History
Write to: Making History
´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 4
PO Box 3096
Brighton
BN1 1TU
Telephone: 08700 100 400
Making History is produced by Nick Patrick and is a Pier Production. |
|
|
|
See AlsoThe ´óÏó´«Ã½ is not responsible for the content of external sites |
Vanessa has presentedÌýscience and current affairs programmes for ´óÏó´«Ã½, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and Discovery and has presented for ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 4 & Five Live and a regular contributor to the Daily Telegraph and the Mail on Sunday, Scotsman and Sunday Herald.Ìý