HMS Trincomalee

Past meets present in Hartlepool

It’s all a matter of perspective, isn’t it?  Once Hartlepool had thriving docklands where we’re standing now.  In 1913 alone over 1 million tons of timber and iron-ore were imported, and 2.5 million tons of coal and coke from the Durham pits left these docks.  World War II brought change, as well as bombardment, but the town picked itself up and looked for new industries to replace the old.

In the 1990s a marina brought a new lease of life to the town.  Old shipbuilding skills had not been lost and HMS Trincomalee was restored locally, soon to be joined by the paddlesteamer PSS Wingfield Castle.  Both now form part of Hartlepool’s Maritime Experience museum.  But what of the surrounds?  There we have an issue or two with our local council.  Jackson’s Landing was an attractive looking shopping complex, whose cafe enjoyed some of the best views in Hartlepool. Today it has been razed to the ground, after standing empty for countless years.  The seagulls now enjoy the forlorn open space.

But it’s not all bad, as you can see.  Great skies!  And Thursday’s Special has me back in our marina again, thanks to Paula.

Thursday : Lingering look at Windows- 23
You'll have to excuse these windows for not being very clean. I'll have a word with the bosun.

Not too clean, these windows?  I’ll have a word with the ship’s bosun.

When I was a little girl, our town had docklands.  I remember being fascinated by the chain bridges that linked them all together.   I would walk with care over the wooden boards, water on either side of me.  Then we were no longer competitive at the shipbuilding game, and a wealth of skills were laid to waste.  Years passed, with the town in decline.  Still, we can be tenacious in this north eastern corner of England.

A happy ending, of sorts, is on display every day at Hartlepool’s Maritime Experience, our recreation of an 18th Century seaport.  The website incorporates a brief history of Hartlepool, and details of HMS Trincomalee, restored locally and the only British warship still afloat.

Come and gaze with me into the windows of an 18th Century seaport.

Let's walk round the quay together. I love this reflected windows shot.

Let’s walk round the quay together. I like this reflected windows shot.

The tailors first- you've got HMS Trincomalee too, of course

The tailor’s first- got to be suitably attired. (and HMS Trincomalee, clearly reflected! )

The swordsmith's- do take care in here!

The swordsmith’s- they’re pretty sharp in there!

Wax figures? A strange one this.

Wax figures? A little strange, this one.

Shadrach Moggridge- a fine name for a Chandler

Shadrach Moggridge- a fine name for a chandler!

The upstairs window looks good too

The upstairs window looks good too.

All very useful!

So many useful things!

A gunmakers, naturally!

A gunmaker’s, with shot, naturally!

The printer's- useful again!

The printer’s- useful again!

Head in hands- he must have got it wrong! (best yet reflection of the Trinc?)

Head in hands- he must have got it wrong! (best yet reflection of the Trinc?)

Turn around. There she is, HMS Trincomalee.

Turn around, and there she is, HMS Trincomalee.

The windows look a little cleaner from the outside. :)

Those windows look a little cleaner from the outside.

Hope you enjoyed my tour.  Come up and see us sometime.  It really is quite fascinating inside the shops.  I think I put my time to good use at Sunday’s visit to the Steampunk event.

Dawn, I hope you approve my choice of windows?   Many thanks for hosting Thursday : Lingering look at Windows.  I enjoy exploring your world too.

Tea duelling? I thought you’d never ask!
Ready, get set...go!

Ready, get set…go!

On Sunday I was finally introduced to the world of tea duelling.  My expectations were high, because, as I stepped on board the HMS Trincomalee, one of the first sights to catch my eye was a table full of pistols.  I was a little apprehensive as I hadn’t brought a swashbuckling hero to defend me.

The atmosphere below decks was ripe for a little duelling, but first I wanted to meet up with Lynne and Richard Hardy.  I knew they were exhibiting and giving lectures in the captains quarters.  Normally they like to play their table top game “Cogs, Cakes and Swordsticks” in a tea shop.  Well, that’s just the kind of people Steampunks are- never too far from cake, or at the very least a biscuit or three.

The captain was obviously a person of taste

The captain was obviously a person of taste

Up on deck, the cannon looked primed for action

Up on deck, the cannon looked primed for action

The harbour, not surprisingly, was empty of craft

The harbour, not surprisingly, was empty of craft
Even the quay seemed bereft of people

Even the quay seemed bereft of people

Below deck a curious accumulation of items for the "battle ready"?

Below deck, a curious accumulation of items for the “battle ready”?

Or had I got the wrong idea?

Or had I got the wrong idea? Still, that pistol looks tricky.

There seemed to be a little problem of a rifle misfiring, so I was greatly relieved when it was set aside, and tea duelling commenced.  The rules were carefully observed.  How glad I was to discover that tea duelling was simply a variation on the biscuit dunking that my very own swashbuckling hero was at home, busy practising!  In fact, he’s an old hand at it.

All in all, “Tiffin on the Trinc” was another example of the wacky, but harmless, exploits that I’m beginning to associate with Steampunk.  I hope nobody minds me poking a little gentle fun.  I’m withholding names to protect the innocent.

Lynne wrote a very nice piece on the event in her blog Cogs, Cakes and Swordsticks.  The snowy picture alone of the Trincomalee, at home in Hartlepool Maritime Experience, is worth a look.  Her explanation is one hundred percent clearer than mine.

Six word Saturday

6ws-participating-in-banner

From one Steampunk Event to another!

Isn’t life strange sometimes?  Last Sunday I was in Nottingham, in the wonderful company of my daughter, Lisa, and her role-playing friends.  I was attending a book launch for “Steampunk Apothecary”, an enchanting collection of jewellery and fantastical tales.  Emilly Ladybird (otherwise known as Jema Hewitt, and the chief bridesmaid at my daughter’s wedding, if you remember that far back) describes how to make these beautifully curvy pieces.

You could create blood red ruby earrings

Blood red ruby earrings- Jema demonstrates how to make them

Or how about the mermaids?

Or how about these curvaceous mermaids?

The balcony in the Malt Cross Cafe

The beautifully curved balcony in the Malt Cross Cafe

We were upstairs in the uniquely beautiful Malt Cross Cafe, a grade 2 listed building.  Emilly Ladybird was our gracious hostess, and naturally, there was cake!

Lisa, Emilly Ladybird and Claire

Lisa, Emilly Ladybird, Mr. Woppit and Claire

Mr. Woppit and cake

Mr. Woppit and cake

Lisa was keeping cool most elegantly

Lisa was keeping cool most elegantly

And posing, when requested, with her husband, Leo

And posing, when requested, with her husband, Leo

Imagine my surprise to learn, during the conversation, that this coming Sunday my hometown is to host its first ever Steampunk event!  Lynne and Richard Hardy, designers of the game “Cogs, Cakes and Swordsticks” will be appearing on board HMS Trincomalee in Hartlepool marina.  “Come and say hello” they said.

Sure enough, on my return home I found “Tiffin on the Trinc- a Steampunk convivial”, advertised locally.

Tiffin on board the Trinc poster

Tiffin on board the Trinc poster

What’s a girl to do?  It’s Father’s day so I’ll be cooking lunch first.  For more details of Jema’s fabulous work, and last Sunday’s fun, take a look at An extraordinary, but delicious, affair.  Tomorrow?  It won’t be the same without my gorgeous girl.

Got your six words ready for Saturday?  With thanks to Cate at Show My Face.  And I really can’t resist a “two for one” approach this week.  I’m submitting this to the Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge : Curves 

After all, what’s a corset without curves?

Flat Ruthie captures hearts in Hartlepool

This week I played hostess to an inquisitive young lady who hailed all the way from Pittsburgh, USA.  An impressive-looking city on the Ohio River in Pennsylvania, I kind of worried what I could show her in my humble little home town Hartlepool, on the north east coast of England.

Duquesne Incline, Pittsburgh, by Wikipedia

I needn’t have worried.  Flat Ruthie knew her manners and had been impeccably brought up in her website home http://cardboardmetravels.com/

Our town has a strong maritime heritage so it was off to the marina and Hartlepool Historic Quay http://www.hartlepoolsmaritimeexperience.com/ Cameras swinging nicely in tune we checked out the paddle-steamer PSS Wingfield Castle.

Hello sailor!

And Britain’s oldest fighting ship, HMS Trincomalee, built in India in 1817, was restored in Hartlepool over a 10 year period.

Pirates lad? Where be my cutlass?

A pirate party was about to break out on board so I steered Ruthie away to admire some smaller craft.  I’ve seen what a cutlass can do to a cardboard lady!

The Customs Office! Any smuggling still going on in these parts?

Let's just hang around a while

Whoo, I'm dangling!

Swiftly on to the lock gates, I think.

Tickets anybody? No? Oh, you can cross over for free- great!

Ah, now we're talking! You know I like monkeys.

Knowing Ruthie has a fondness for monkeys I didn’t like to share with her the Legend of the Monkey Hanger!  But you might like to read it- it’s just a bit of folklore. http://www.thisishartlepool.co.uk/history/thehartlepoolmonkey.asp

Tired with our efforts and beginning to attract a crowd of admirers, we decided to save the beach for another day and head home for a cuppa.

Is this a seahorse, Restlessjo? No dear, just a bookend.

Very grateful thanks are due to Ruth of http://cardboardmetravels.com/ for creating my little friend and allowing her to travel with me.  I’m hoping she just might accompany me to the Algarve sometime, and there I really can promise her a beach.

I absolutely love Ruth’s idea.  You can read all about it and follow Flat Ruthie’s travels by following the link.  Maybe some of you would like to escort Ruthie on a little trip yourselves?  The gal loves to travel- we’re kindred spirits.