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Archiver > Mariners > 2002-12 > 1039186130


From:
Subject: [Mar] No Room At The Inn
Date: Fri, 6 Dec 2002 09:48:50 EST


Here's a bit of Christmas cheer:
.......................

>From 'The Illustrated London News', January 19th, 1856

[From 'The North British Daily Mail'.]

In a storm, on the night of Tuesday, December 18th, 1855, at about ten
o'clock, the schooner 'Ellen', of Wisbeach, was cast ashore at the entrance
of the Tay. At the moment that she struck, a poor boy was washed away and
perished, and after a time the master, mate, and two hands succeeded in
gaining the inhospitable shore, and made for the lights on the railway.
Unfortunately, it was past eleven o'clock before they were able to claim
admittance at the door of an inn, where they were refused shelter; on
application at other houses of so-called entertainment these unprofitable
customers were "not heard." And in fact, in Carnoustie, the law is so
rigorously observed that it was three hours before these poor, half-drowned,
perishing strangers received that shelter that they thought they had a right
to expect in a Christian land. At last, it appears, they fell into the hands
of one who considered them to be both "bona fide travellers and bona fide
fellow creatures;" and, regardless of the law, took them in and made them as
comfortable as his circumstances would allow.
...................

In fact, not all that long ago, I recall a ship-load of ourselves having to
sign-in as "bona fide" travellers before we could get a gargle in a Scottish
hotel, on a Sunday - we might not have been 'wrecked', beforehand, but we
were, afterwards.
.....................

Tony

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