Historical tidbits you didn't know you needed to know

[texasboy]

  Since we are used to double posting by now. Thought I would share another historical fact to enlarge Billys character.




This was followed in 1813 by the Puffing Billy built by Christopher Blackett and William Hedley. This was the first successful locomotive running by adhesion only, and is now on display in the Science Museum, London.
Toussards are putting a wax image of billy alongside this one as he seems to fit the Bill.
cheers

Go on billy I  deserve another karma point for this one.lol

[cissie]

Sympathizer.. well i never.  I am a very loyal supporter of Manchester United thank you.. hehe... someone told me about them, i did my research, and found them to be the most interesting, and gorgeous team in the league, plus they play well.  Chelsea might have beaten them in the premiershipa couple of years, but Manchester just felt that they should be sympathetic towards chelsea and let them have it.. hehe..   

[yelmertac]

These are great!  I enjoy learning about how/where expressions originate.

Cat

[texasboy]

These are great!  I enjoy learning about how/where expressions originate.

Cat

Greetings.
For that you get your first karma point.
cheers
Just wish some of these other Mods would follow my example.lol

[billyfridge]

Common entertainment included playing cards. However, there was a tax levied when purchasing playing cards but only applicable to the "Ace of Spades." To avoid paying the tax, people would purchase 51 cards instead.
Yet, since most games require 52 cards, these people were thought to be stupid or dumb because they weren't "playing with a full deck."

hmmmm...i wonder sometimes if Tex is 'playing with a full deck' when he thinks of clues for 'where am l'............

[texasboy]

hmmmm...i wonder sometimes if Tex is 'playing with a full deck' when he thinks of clues for 'where am l'............

  Better believe it billy. My deck is full plus I have a few more packs hidden down below, and heres proof.


Taken yesterday on way from Larne to Fleetwood double click photo for bigger size . Plus I took a photo of yer farm on the way past if you want to see it ?                                                                                                                   cheers

[texasboy]

  Sure you do. He He

This is not a wind up. Main source of supply from Billy
I`m getting better with age,lol
cheers

double click to enlarge photo (or zoom in). or if you prefer another angle.

Lovely breeze.

[seancwatson]

And since Billy is always talking about" the Beckhams"

POSH was a term used by the wealthy passengers on the trans atlantic ships(billy already knows this one)

PO= port out
SH= starboard home.
For you landlubbers  Port is the left side of the ship and Starboard the right.
So when you saiiled from the UK you always had the sun on your side from the south and vice versa on the way back from USA.
Cabins were more expensive this way.
cheers

Found this while browsing the web:
Posh, which did not originally stand for "Port Out Starboard Home" (referring to 1st class cabins shaded from the sun on outbound voyages east, and homeward heading voyages west). The musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang popularised this erroneous etymology.

Sorry man, hate to burst your bubble.   
Don't believe me, go here.

[TheNightWatchman]

How did I miss this topic? I actually looked at it thinking, 'wow that's a lot of posts for a new topic' but it's been around for 6 months now!

[billyfridge]

WOW!!!!....and I always thought POSH meant a Person Of Superior Hupbringing 

[fuzzytomcat]

"Iolite" gemstone of the Vikings -

When Leif Eriksson and the other legendary Viking explorers ventured far out into the Atlantic Ocean, away from any coastline that could help them determine their position, they had a secret gem weapon: iolite. The Viking mariners used thin pieces of it as the world's first polarising filter. Looking through an iolite lens, they were able to determine the exact position of the sun even in the fog, and navigate their way safely to the New World and back.

 
 

[cgonzales]

As incredible as it sounds, men and women took baths only twice a year (May and October)! Women kept their hair covered, while men shaved their heads (because of lice and bugs) and wore wigs. Wealthy men could afford good wigs mad e from wool. They couldn't wash the wigs, so to clean them they would carve out a loaf of bread, put the wig in the shell, and bake it for 30 minutes The heat would make the wig big and fluffy, hence the term "big wig." Today we often use the term "here comes the Big Wig" because someone appears to be or is powerful and wealthy.

 

So this is the reason why i saw some old pictures that involves rich ones with lots of lice squeezing out from their wigs.