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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: 001uk on Saturday 08 October 16 16:57 BST (UK)

Title: SHIP launch maybe ? UK LOCATION help required please
Post by: 001uk on Saturday 08 October 16 16:57 BST (UK)
SHIP launching  UK LOCATION help, please

Hello!

Any ideas please as to the  location of this

SHIP LAUNCHING and name of ship ?

Apart from the ship builders' technical wording nothing else to read. Huge crowd watching the launch. American flag is draped at the right. Hillside in the distance.


With thanks~001uk
Title: SHIP launch maybe ? UK LOCATION help required please
Post by: ScouseBoy on Saturday 08 October 16 17:06 BST (UK)
It could be Belfast, or Barrow in Furness, just as a starting point.

looks as though it is a ship commissioned for the Royal Navy
Title: SHIP launch maybe ? UK LOCATION help required please
Post by: PrawnCocktail on Saturday 08 October 16 17:30 BST (UK)
I see no women, just working-class men. The large liners would have had more razzamatazz?
Title: SHIP launch maybe ? UK LOCATION help required please
Post by: ScouseBoy on Saturday 08 October 16 17:35 BST (UK)
The women, children and VIPs  would be in a different location out of shot of the photographer.
Title: SHIP launch maybe ? UK LOCATION help required please
Post by: aghadowey on Saturday 08 October 16 17:36 BST (UK)
I don't think the view of the hills on distant shore looks like the view from the ways in Belfast but there are so many other possibilities in England, Wales, Scotland (of in the U.K.)

Are you sure it is in the U.K.?
Title: SHIP launch maybe ? UK LOCATION help required please
Post by: mazi on Saturday 08 October 16 17:39 BST (UK)
It's flying the White Ensign, so a navy ship?

Mike
Title: SHIP launch maybe ? UK LOCATION help required please
Post by: josey on Saturday 08 October 16 17:41 BST (UK)
looks as though it is a ship commissioned for the Royal Navy
Yes, definitely a White Ensign on the ship.

Another dark national flag on right as well as the Stars & Stripes and another [?pale blue and white possibly Greece] to right of steps.

Josey

ADDED: what does this word say?
Title: SHIP launch maybe ? UK LOCATION help required please
Post by: HazelBea on Saturday 08 October 16 18:28 BST (UK)
Just going on the background here. Devonport Plymouth ? The Warspite was launched in 1913 from this area. Scroll down to modern day pic.
https://goo.gl/images/Cg5a2q
Title: SHIP launch maybe ? UK LOCATION help required please
Post by: Kay99 on Saturday 08 October 16 19:02 BST (UK)
It does look good -This was the Warsprite launch http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-25104303
Title: SHIP launch maybe ? UK LOCATION help required please
Post by: 001uk on Saturday 08 October 16 19:24 BST (UK)
I'll try and clear up a few points in one go:
ScouseBoy - yes it does look like a RN ship and indeed there are women present but almost out of view (along with non ship builders). RN personnel present see image below.
aghadowey - yes, 95% sure it's the UK
mazi - ship IS flying the White Ensign plus the Union Flag and one other
josey - the word(s) you question (PORT CLEAT) I believe is a ship building term
Hazelbea - the background is a perfect match. and I'd say your date is just right so at the moment it looks like the launch of HMS WARSPITE having said that the image submitted by
Kay99 does differ very slightly....has the vessel turned to show the other end? But then I'm no (nautical) expert.

Thanks to everyone for their kind help and interest

Title: SHIP launch maybe ? UK LOCATION help required please
Post by: 001uk on Saturday 08 October 16 19:33 BST (UK)
Found another image of the HMS WARSPITE launch.
Title: SHIP launch maybe ? UK LOCATION help required please
Post by: jess5athome on Saturday 08 October 16 20:28 BST (UK)
....................................... (PORT CLEAT) I believe is a ship building term..................



Hi, it is indeed a nautical term, a cleat is used for securing a rope or line, they are usually on the deck of a ship, the crate could contain cleats for the port side of the vessel, although they are usually identical on both port and starboard sides.

It may be that there is another crate with the words "Starboard cleat" stenciled on it.

Frank.  :)
Title: SHIP launch maybe ? UK LOCATION help required please
Post by: Rudolf H B on Saturday 08 October 16 21:10 BST (UK)
- A ship launch at Devonport Royal Dockyard,
- a battleship or battlecruiser,
- before 1919.

Rudolf
Title: SHIP launch maybe ? UK LOCATION help required please
Post by: Little Nell on Saturday 08 October 16 21:32 BST (UK)
Have a look at the US flag and count the stars - there are differences over time according to the number of states in the union at that time.  It might help date the photograph.

Nell
Title: SHIP launch maybe ? UK LOCATION help required please
Post by: Trishanne on Saturday 08 October 16 22:15 BST (UK)
I agree that this does look like Devonport when you look at the photo posted by Hazelbea #7. However the bow of the HMS Warspite as seen in #8 by Kay99 and in #10 posted by yourself is totally different to the bow of the ship in your original post so I am sure it is not the launch of the HMS Warspite
Unfortunately for some reason your original photo is now too pixilated to even try to identify it. Can you tell me why it has been pixilated like this?
Pat
Title: SHIP launch maybe ? UK LOCATION help required please
Post by: orkrad on Saturday 08 October 16 23:09 BST (UK)
 Hi.  As to the absence of women ( apart from the invited spectators) I was brought up on the Clydeside  and women were not welcomed in the shipyards. I was told that it had something to do with superstition--women bringing bad luck to the building entrprise , but maybe the men  ( and their employers ) didn't want women invading their work space! I doubt it was due to any health and safety regulations which were minimal at that time. I was told that the only time women were allowed in the shipyards was at an official launch.  However I wonder if there were women typists and book keepers who were exempted from the general ban. I expect some knowledgeable person will be along  to explain or correct my observations.

Orkrad 
Title: SHIP launch maybe ? UK LOCATION help required please
Post by: Rudolf H B on Sunday 09 October 16 12:24 BST (UK)
@Pat: Thumbs up,

it is not the Grand Old Lady Warspite, it could be the Royal Oak
or a launch in 1917 or 1918?

Rudolf
Title: SHIP launch maybe ? UK LOCATION help required please
Post by: ScouseBoy on Sunday 09 October 16 12:30 BST (UK)
The bows of the ship in the original post look much more sleek and sharp,  more like a destroyer than a Cruiser, to my eyes.
Title: SHIP launch maybe ? UK LOCATION help required please
Post by: josey on Sunday 09 October 16 12:34 BST (UK)
The ship in reply #10  only has the White Ensign Union flag - not the darker flag as well that appears in OP.

Josey
Title: SHIP launch maybe ? UK LOCATION help required please
Post by: Rudolf H B on Sunday 09 October 16 12:38 BST (UK)
Too big for a destroyer,

a battlecruiser? See #12

Rudolf
Title: SHIP launch maybe ? UK LOCATION help required please
Post by: Trishanne on Sunday 09 October 16 12:41 BST (UK)
I find it impossible to identify now as the original photo has been 'disguised'. It appears that 001uk does this with all the photos he posts after he thinks they have been identified by us doing all the hard work.
Title: SHIP launch maybe ? UK LOCATION help required please
Post by: Gadget on Sunday 09 October 16 12:43 BST (UK)
From what little that I can see of the clothes in the snip, it looks like early 1900s but pre-WW1.
Title: SHIP launch maybe ? UK LOCATION help required please
Post by: aghadowey on Sunday 09 October 16 12:45 BST (UK)
I find it impossible to identify now as the original photo has been 'disguised'. It appears that 001uk does this with all the photos he posts after he thinks they have been identified by us doing all the hard work.

And I thought it was my iphone making the image pixelated  ::) Well, if that's the case I give up trying to help  :-X

Title: SHIP launch maybe ? UK LOCATION help required please
Post by: ScouseBoy on Sunday 09 October 16 12:49 BST (UK)
Are the original photos being sold anywhere?
Title: SHIP launch maybe ? UK LOCATION help required please
Post by: Rudolf H B on Sunday 09 October 16 12:49 BST (UK)
 ;D ;D ;D let's start with cryptic replies  :-X :-X :-X
Title: SHIP launch maybe ? UK LOCATION help required please
Post by: aghadowey on Sunday 09 October 16 15:51 BST (UK)
Maybe this will work  :o
Title: Re: SHIP launch ?
Post by: ScouseBoy on Sunday 09 October 16 17:59 BST (UK)
Are we in agreement that the ship is NOT  HMS Bulwark?
Title: SHIP launch maybe ? UK LOCATION help required please
Post by: 001uk on Sunday 09 October 16 20:02 BST (UK)
Are the original photos being sold anywhere?

No!!!The originals are NOT being sold