Seadog Posted 26 October , 2011 Share Posted 26 October , 2011 OMG Mark is that true?, is Lord Julian writing a dramatization of that famous shipwreck HMS Titanic that sank in 1911 just days before the start of the Great War One and from which Patrick fell hitting his head on the way down and so became a Canadian?. I do hope Lord Julian gets the facts right this time and just to help here are a few: HMS Titanic – built in Portsmouth, Ireland by Scottish shipwrights On her maiden voyage 24th May 1911 she struck an iceberg off the Isle of Wight near Greenland. Lots of people drowned luckily mainly the poor ones. The Americans rescued lots of people, luckily mainly the rich ones. I do hope the above will help Lord Julian when he starts typing out the drama. Regards Norman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibbo Posted 26 October , 2011 Share Posted 26 October , 2011 My suspicion is that Fellowes isn't very interested in WWI and dislikes the way in which it forces characters away from Downton Abbey. This would explain why series 2 has rushed through the war. Some of the improbable events (Matthew's frequent leaves, Thomas being put in charge of the convalescent home, William being allowed to die in a guest bedroom, Branston talking about Irish revolution but not going to Ireland to join in) my result from a desire to have the action at Downton. There were few scenes away from it in the first series e.g. we did not see any scenes of the Grantham family in London during the 1913 season. Hopefully, series 3 will revert to the pace and style of series 1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seadog Posted 26 October , 2011 Share Posted 26 October , 2011 I don’t know about the rest of you but I am now really looking forward to Lord Julian’s next award-winning magnum opus, TITANIC! If Downton is anything to go by the new one will keep us going for months! Norman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auchonvillerssomme Posted 26 October , 2011 Share Posted 26 October , 2011 Treason surely! One day, when I write my autobiography I will tell the story of being accused, by an RAF Sergeant, of putting the life of Princess Alice at risk by my 'inconsiderate' and 'quite unnaceptable' behaviour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonraker Posted 26 October , 2011 Share Posted 26 October , 2011 ... Has it ever been established what the precise link is between O'Brien and Thomas? There must be one ... Smoking and being snide. Moonraker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NigelS Posted 29 October , 2011 Share Posted 29 October , 2011 Some of the various accuracy debates have now reached the hallowed ground of the Telegraph letter's page: Click (scroll down to 'Birds singing out of turn at Downton Abbey') Click (scroll down to to 'Life in the parallel universe of Downton Abbey') I haven't been watching, so have there been any train scenes for the railway enthusiasts to moan about? NigelS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delta Posted 31 October , 2011 Share Posted 31 October , 2011 presumably there was nothing out of place on the last episode.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Hone Posted 31 October , 2011 Share Posted 31 October , 2011 I thought it got rather better now that that pesky little war's out of the way. You can see the plot developments lumbering towards you from twenty miles away but it was still good fun. However, some of the sub-plots break down on first examination like the black market one. Didn't Liam, er Thomas, check any of the stuff in advance? Would you be even able to make a reasonable looking cake out of flour that was mainly plaster of paris? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonraker Posted 31 October , 2011 Share Posted 31 October , 2011 I haven't been watching, so have there been any train scenes for the railway enthusiasts to moan about? NigelS Yes, someone has moaned that a railway engine and coaches would only be seen in the South of England, not Yorkshire. With the war over, I guess that this thread is nearing its conclusion too. I sense mods waiting to pounce. At least there's an even more flippant thread running in Skindle's. Moonraker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seadog Posted 31 October , 2011 Share Posted 31 October , 2011 Flippant? Norman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 31 October , 2011 Share Posted 31 October , 2011 Deadly serious to Norman. Flippant to the rest of us Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Armstrong Custer Posted 31 October , 2011 Share Posted 31 October , 2011 Tony Hatch, of course, saw all of this life-enhancing stuff coming back in 1965, when he penned this ditty for Pet Clark: When you're alone And life is making you lonely you can always go - Downton. When you got worries all the noise and the hurry seems to help, I know, Downton. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salesie Posted 31 October , 2011 Share Posted 31 October , 2011 Tony Hatch, of course, saw all of this life-enhancing stuff coming back in 1965, when he penned this ditty for Pet Clark: When you're alone And life is making you lonely you can always go - Downton. When you got worries all the noise and the hurry seems to help, I know, Downton. I'll ring for the butler to get yer coat! Cheers-salesie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Armstrong Custer Posted 31 October , 2011 Share Posted 31 October , 2011 Come on mate - that was one of the most moving songs I've ever heard! George Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salesie Posted 31 October , 2011 Share Posted 31 October , 2011 Come on mate - that was one of the most moving songs I've ever heard! George I know, just the mention of it brought a tear to me old eyes. But the old ticker can only take so much excitement in one day - we've got Lord Fellowe's modern masterpiece, and now Pet's 60's classic - what next? Take A Chance On Me by ABBEY - that would really finish me off! Cheers-salesie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 31 October , 2011 Share Posted 31 October , 2011 For he's a jolly good Fellowes For he's a jolly good Fellowes And so say all of us Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 31 October , 2011 Share Posted 31 October , 2011 Come on mate - that was one of the most moving songs I've ever heard! George Sure is - seen more places of entertainment empty very quickly when that is played than any other tune. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Hone Posted 31 October , 2011 Share Posted 31 October , 2011 Apparently it became the theme song of the US airmen during Operation 'Rolling Thunder' in the mid-60s. Attacking Hanoi was referred to as 'going downtown'. I feel a trivia question coming on ...what links 'Crossroads', 'Neighbours' and the Vietnam War? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salesie Posted 31 October , 2011 Share Posted 31 October , 2011 Apparently it became the theme song of the US airmen during Operation 'Rolling Thunder' in the mid-60s. Attacking Hanoi was referred to as 'going downtown'. I feel a trivia question coming on ...what links 'Crossroads', 'Neighbours' and the Vietnam War? They're all classic examples of "winners"? Cheers-salesie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 31 October , 2011 Share Posted 31 October , 2011 Noele Gordon? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Hone Posted 31 October , 2011 Share Posted 31 October , 2011 Tony Hatch, you buffoons. Sorry, this is becoming 'Skindles-Like'. In an effort to keep some relevance, when did the Spanish flu pandemic really strike? I seem to recall that it came in two waves on the Home Front, 1918 and the Spring of 1919. Also, is there evidence that people did observe a solemn vigil at 11 am on 11th November 1918, as in 'Downton', rather than engage in wild rejoicing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 1 November , 2011 Share Posted 1 November , 2011 Tony Hatch, you buffoons. He means you, Salesie. As any fule kno, Noele Gordon and Tony Hatch were one and the same. I thought (rapidly getting on-topic) that Spanish 'Flu first struck in the Spring.early Summer of '18. I seem to recall reading a regimental history which referred to a lot of men being down with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Hone Posted 1 November , 2011 Share Posted 1 November , 2011 Re-reading Ronald Hutton's 'Stations of the Sun', about annual British rituals, there is a brief section on the development of Armistice commemorations. It appears that there was no initial concensus on what form the ritual should take. Some people apparently wanted an annual festival of patriotic celebration and until 1925 an annual Charity Ball was held on the anniversary which was only replaced by a solemn Festival of Remembrance on the urging of the vicar of St Martin in the Fields. Hutton implies that the idea of a sorrowful, mourning commemoration only began to take hold as the 1920s progressed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nepper Posted 1 November , 2011 Share Posted 1 November , 2011 I thought (rapidly getting on-topic) that Spanish 'Flu first struck in the Spring.early Summer of '18. I seem to recall reading a regimental history which referred to a lot of men being down with it. The Spanish flu pandemic lasted from June 1918 to December 1920. It is believed to have started in the US in early 1918 and moved to France in the middle of the year. In the UK there were three peaks to deaths attributed to the flu and the often associated pneumonia. The first was the middle of July 1918 when the death rate peaked at about 5/1000 population per week. The second and biggest killer bout started in September and lasted until Christmas and peaked at 25/1000 population per week in mid-November (hence the tragedy of seeing so may who dies just before the Armistice or just after) and the third bout lasted from February to May 1919 peaking in March at about 12/1000 population per week. With Downton being in rural North Yorkshire it's physical isolation has helped it miss the first two infections and it's just going to catch the third one. I blame Mrs Crawley - she's the only one who's been gadding off into other areas. Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobL Posted 8 November , 2011 Share Posted 8 November , 2011 Tony Hatch, of course, saw all of this life-enhancing stuff coming back in 1965, when he penned this ditty for Pet Clark: When you're alone And life is making you lonely you can always go - Downton. When you got worries all the noise and the hurry seems to help, I know, Downton. Sorry, Harry Hill beat you to it; Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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