Living History Interpretation – British Royal Navy c. 1812
Quartermaster Billy Creighton
Carin Bloom, Historian and Educational Interpreter
January 26, 2024: Noon – 1:30pm
Carin Bloom presents as Billy Creighton, a fictional sailor and Quartermaster of HMS Phoenix of the British Royal Navy. Billy’s story is a window into the complex world of sailing in Nelson’s Navy, including trials and tribulations that awaited a “hand-before-the-mast”, the potential rewards and benefits that came with a life at sea, and the realistic expectations a man from the lower class might aspire to in the greatest fighting force in the 19th century Atlantic world.
Carin is delighted to bring humor, sorrow, and inquisitiveness to her presentation, as she presents her interpretation of what Billy might share with an audience, were he alive today. Hear about how sailors would pass the time, some superstitions and traditions, recount Phoenix’s most famous action, and maybe sing a song or two!