| Ref No | MS 4000/5/1/10/7 |
| Title | Sound recording of Captain Alfred Ernest Horton of Poole, Dorset (1883-1974) describing the beginning of his career on the seas c1880-1910 Tape 8 |
| Level | File |
| Date | 11 December 1972 |
| Description | Recording of interview by Charles Parker of Captain Alfred Ernest Horton (AEH) (1883-1974) where he describes his career on the sea and navigation exams.
Track 1: Duration (min/sec): 3.21 Description of track: AEH describes his pattern of work as he left work on the barges for work on a brigantine the 'Elsie Owen'; he then started working on coasting vessels in the winter and schooner yachts in the summer [1901] which was better than the heavy cargo work on the brigantines and coasters
Track 2: Duration (min/sec): 2.09 Description of track: describes bad weather at sea; mentions Flanborough Head and Bridlington Bay [E Yorkshire]; the need for lights
Track 3: Duration (min/sec): 1.52 Description of track: describes a summer on a three masted yacht where he was encouraged to take navigation exams and get his 'ticket'; in the past, the trade was learned by word of mouth and in rhyme
Track 4: Duration (min/sec): 7.15 Description of track: AEH recites a rhyme mentioning E Yorkshire coast again; recites other sailing sayings; there was no ambition amongst the men on the brigantines to take nautical exams and have a career
Track 5: Duration (min/sec): 2.22 Description of track: AEH talks about the nautical almanac and the importance of understanding the tide
Track 6: Duration (min/sec): 3.28 Description of track: AEH describes a voyage on a cargo brigantine in bad weather
Track 7: Duration (min/sec): 4.15 Description of track: AEH talks about working hours on board; he belonged to the National Seaman's Union
Track 8: Duration (min/sec): 4.21 Description of track: AEH recites rhymes re port and starboard; CP mentions Tate's Seamanship 9th edition for Board of Trade Examination published 1913 [which looking at]
Track 9: Duration (min/sec): 5.31 Description of track: describes an incident on an international (rather than local) brigantine where it ran aground of f the coast of France
Track 10: Duration (min/sec): 2.49 Description of track: talks of his first schooner yacht journey summer-autumn 1901 which was to Bergen, Norway
Track 11: Duration (min/sec): 4.57 Description of track: describes what he would take with him on board including woollen shirts, singlet, oil skins, leather sea boots; he describes their bunk beds with mattresses made of straw
Track 12: Duration (min/sec): 2.12 Description of track: agrees he preferred his life on the sea to a job on land; he mentions the variety of his work again between sailing ships and brigantines
Track 13: Duration (min/sec): 1.51 Description of track: AEH compares the attitudes of men working on sailing ships to the steamships with their cargo
Track 14: Duration (min/sec): 9.08 Description of track: describes a journey to France with a cargo and difficulty of landing due to the weather
Track 15: Duration (min/sec): 4.47 Description of track: describes how to fix a gasket around a sail; rates of pay
Track 16: Duration (min/sec): 4.04 Description of track: briefly mentions drinking on shore in pubs by other sailors and disapprovingly of drunks [interview stops abruptly]
Total duration: (min/sec): 64.21 |
| Related Material | See MS 4000/1/7/9 for correspondence and songs connected with the interviews of Captain Horton by Charles Parker and notebooks kept by Captain Horton of his voyages (written material). See also the Philip Donnellan collection (MS 1938) for Horton's contributions to his film work |
| Physical Description | Listening copy: 1 x CD-R serial number PF235 S108 4774
Original tape:
Size: 5" tape reel
Gauge: 1/4" tape (0.625cm)
Speed: 3.25ips (9.5cm/s);
EQ Curve used: IEC
Track configuration: Half Track Mono
Dubbing Date: 11/02 |
| Access Status | Open |
| Language | English |