Images Dated 2019 September

The 'Renown', the 'Ark Royal', and the 'Sheffield', c1939-1941, (1942). Creator: Unknown

The 'Renown', the 'Ark Royal', and the 'Sheffield', c1939-1941, (1942). '"Out To Sea and Into The Sky". The three famous partners of Force H - the battle-cruiser Renown, the Ark Royal, the cruiser Sheffield - ready for action near Gibraltar'. A British Royal Navy aircraft carrier of the Second World War, 'HMS Ark Royal' was designed to carry a large number of aircraft, and had two hangar deck levels. She was involved in the first aerial and U-boat kills of the war, in operations off Norway, in the search for the German battleship 'Bismarck', and took part in the Malta Convoys. A German submarine torpedoed her on 13 November 1941 and she sank the following day. Only one of her 1,488 crew members was killed. From "Ark Royal". [His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1942]

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'"Did not you say could sing at sight?" - "Yes, sir, but not at FIRST sight

'"Did not you say could sing at sight?" - "Yes, sir, but not at FIRST sight!"', (1907). The German composer Handel works on his "Messiah" in 1741: 'detained at Chester for some days by contrary winds, he got together at his inn several of the choir boys from the cathedral in order to try over some of the choral passages in the work. One at least of these trial performers must have carried away an unpleasant experience of the great man's impetuous temper. 'Can you sing at sight?' was the question put to each before he was asked to sing, and one broke down lamentably at the start. 'What de devil you mean!' cried Handel, snatching the music from his hands. 'Did not you say you could sing at sight?' 'Yes, sir, I did,' responded the confused singer, 'but not at first sight!' An episode from the life of German composer George Frideric Handel (1685-1759). From "Story-Lives of Great Musicians", by F.J. Rowbotham. [Wells Gardner, Darton & Co. Ltd, London, 1907]

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'Lord Thurlow', (1731-1806), 1830. Creator: Unknown

'Lord Thurlow', (1731-1806), 1830. Edward Thurlow (1731-1806) British lawyer and Tory politician educated at King's School, Canterbury, Caius College, Cambridge and Inner Temple. Defeated in the case of Woodfall, publisher of the Letters of Junius, He sat in the House of Commons from 1765-1778, was raised to the peerage and served as Lord High Chancellor for 14 years under four Prime Ministers. From "Biographical Illustrations", by Alfred Howard. [Thomas Tegg, R. Griffin and Co., J. Cumming, London, Glasgow and Dublin, 1830]

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