Everyone knows something

[cavalryman]

On a very recent trip up to London i was standing in the Mall

when an old gentleman approached me,

can you see Admiral Lord Nelson on top of his column he asked.

yes i replied, well he's reviewing his fleet you know.

really? yes can you see them he asked?

em no i replied, well look up on the top of the lamp posts.

and each one is different, sure enough he was right.

on getting home i Googled Nelson's fleet in the Mall and there you have it.

regards John

[mike_vee]

I must have walked along The Mall hundreds of times and never realised what I was missing !

.

[Hawthorn]

Originally Posted by mike_vee

I must have walked along The Mall hundreds of times and never realised what I was missing !

.

Similar experience Mike. have marched down the Mall and mounted Guard at St James's Place and Buckingham Palace so many times and never had a clue! Another of London's hidden gems to have a look at.

Simon.

[Fatherofthree]

Greetings all.

Being born in London and although moving to the countryside as a youngster, I did work in London for 30 or more years and did indeed know of the Nelson story.

However, another fascinating piece of history is Wellington's nose.

As you pass through the left hand arch of Admiralty Arch, from The Mall into Trafalgar square, there is a facsimile of Wellington's nose fixed to the right hand side of the wall at head height of those on horseback.

As I understand it, mounted cavalry touch the nose whilst passing.

However, there is also the story that the nose is a fairly modern fixture and placed there as a protest against CCTV, although cavalry men touch it still touch it for luck.

Who knows.

Regards.

Brian

[mike_vee]

There are more noses around London.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Noses

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[Artynut]

Strange, As a Londoner, I never heard of the ships on the lampposts in the Mall as being of Nelson’s fleet. What I did learn as a young lad in school was that the ships which on one side of the Mall are sailing toward Buckingham Palace, as opposed to the other side of the Mall where they are sailing toward Admiralty Arch, represents commerce or trade coming into the country and out of the country. Logically, this would appear more correct as the ships appear to be inline astern, two lines sailing in opposite directions and not the ideal situation for an Admiral to be reviewing his fleet. It may be that there is an OFFICIAL explanation but at the moment, I rest my case! With respect, David J.

[mike_vee]

Originally Posted by Artynut

not the ideal situation for an Admiral to be reviewing his fleet.

Especially as Nelson is not looking down The Mall but is actually looking down Whitehall.

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[Fatherofthree]

Originally Posted by mike_vee

There are more noses around London.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Noses

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Indeed there are, as I discovered with a Google search.