You might be interested to know my grand parents lived on the island around the 1920 s they lived in a tin bungalow at the other end of the island a lot of rubbish was dumped there from the dock yard I can remember visiting a family there as a young child ,My mother was ferried across the Medway to school as a young girl by to dockyard workers ,she nearly drowned on more than one once when falling out of the boat,Grand dad finished as a foreman in the yard I think there used to be a small railway on the island taking rubbish from the barges ,my uncles worked the dredgers on the Medway.
Hi Michael, that's a very interesting story. I would love to talk with you further about it for a piece of writing, would there be a good way to contact you, thanks again for sharing that.
The graduated numbered arc is most likely part of a Gunner's Quadrant used to accurately elevate a cannon's barrel to achieve a certain range. There would have been a bubble level and the arc would move up and down within a raceway. When the bubble became centered within the glass level, the barrel would have been aimed at the correct angle to achieve the range specified on the arc.
Hey Nicola....You are quite the story teller 😊...seriously...very well done Ma'am!! My area in the US is only non native settled for about 150 years give or take a decade or so. The minimalistic people that homesteaded this area brought little with them and left with less during the dust bowl depression period. The comparison of human occupation between our home lands is like night and day. Perhaps the reason I so enjoy your finds and explainations. I look forward with great anticipation to your next installment!! Be Well Nicola!
I am a British expatriate living in the USA, I learned to read with Enid Blyton books...especially the Famous Five!!! Love your vids..so informative and entertaining 🥰
Some people meditate/do yoga, etc before sleep...I've found that watching your videos are the ULTIMATE Zen...Love listening and watching your vlogs, you bring lovely dreams of what we can find. THANK YOU SO MUCH!
Hi! Thank you, and Im so delighted that you find them zen. It is absolutely zen searching for these lost little pieces of history and trying to put them back together again
Zen and the art of Mudlarking ........One more Tee shirt for the product development "team" @Tideline Art add to the list (note book) One XXXL in estuary drab please !
Hello Nicola.my seven year old grand daughter absolutely loves your videos. So I decided to take her to the mouth of the river Tyne at North Shields. In nine months we never found one pipe. So to keep her interested I am afraid I planted one. When she found it she was ecstatic.But a few weeks later we went to Corbridge near Hexham in Northumberland and we found some pottery. A friend at Durham University dad it appraised and low behold it was Roman.Never mind computer games. Rain or shine she wants to be out mudlarking with her grandfather. I think we may have a budding archaeologist in the family. Any chance of a signed photo for my grand daughter Sorcha.
Hi Martin. That's wonderful that your grand daughter is so passionate about searching for treasures from the past! I whole heartedly approve! Mudlarking brings out the treasure hunting child in us all I think. drop me an email on nicola.white@tidelineart.com and say hi to her for me.
The reason so many pottery and bottle finds is due to the large amount of cement and brickworks. The contents of London dustbins are dumped on the foreshores of the thames and medway so they can collect the cinders from the residues from the ccoal fires. The cinders are added to brick clay to increase the heat to fire the bricks. Of course other things were in the bins such as bottles and crockery
Fantastic video! That graduated piece is from a quadrant sight. Rangefinders had just been invented in the late 19th century and were of the split optic type, basically big binoculars on a tripod that didn't attach to the gun. Unfortunately, I lost my Ian V. Hogg book "The Illustrated History of Ammunition" and haven't found a replacement. Col. Hogg's books are fantastic too! The cartridge was for the .455 Webley revolver wasn't it ? On that label plate from the chest, Navies put label plates on everything.... E.E.D. maybe E. something Engineering Department??? Ships crews are divided into departments and divisions... engineering department handles propulsion, engine rooms. Awesome video! Awesome adventure! Keep 'em coming Nicola. PS, the nylon bristled toothbrush was introduced by DuPont in 1938, but the British military still issued hog hair bristle brushes during WW2. Hog bristles rot away so I think your toothbrush was either a private purchase from after 1938, or post WW2.
Weapons range finder seems correct for the brass with distance graduations. A lot of excellent discoveries. Thanks for sharing this history of Hoo Island. Looking forward to more.
hi Nicola, well that was an amazing vid,,realy enjoyd it,what a real nice place the fort is on,bet it wasn't so quiet away back in the day,fantastic,thanks for taking us along,much apreciated folks,finds too are fantastic,looking forward to the next,cheers kc Keith, Scotland. peace,👍.
"Honni soit qui mal y pense" is a sentence pronounced by the king Edward III of England (funny story with Jeanne de Kent, Comtesse de Salisbury), and he created "l'ordre de la Jarretière" on the april, 23th, 1348 : the most Noble Order of the Garter.... thanks a lot for sharing this nice walk. 😊👍👍👍
Fantastic video and some amazing finds. It's like a treasure trove. You can only imagine whats out there to be found. Looking forward to seeing the next part :)
My brothers and I grew up at Hoo St Werburgh, the shoreline and adjacent woodland on the North shore of the Medway was our playground where our imagination flourished.
Hello Nicola, at 8:24 there is a rusty metal cylindrical object that looks like an anti-aircraft projectile. I originally thought this location would be fantastic to metal detect along but after seeing the footage of the waterline & bank, maybe just fossicking would be the better idea. There are so many interesting items to look at its amazing. Thank you for another lovely video. ❤️ from 🇦🇺.
Just eyeballing is a good idea. There is so much metal there. Sifting with a screen would be good. I've made some oak ones with stainless 1/4" screen, and use them often bottle digging.
Nicola, I truly enjoy your mud larking videos and your creations. You’re quite talented. When you discovered the toothbrush in this video, I couldn’t help but giggle at an idea for some whimsical tideline art. You could make a old sailor with a big toothy grin. He could be brushing his teeth with said toothbrush. However, each tooth could be a finding of yours... maybe an old pipe sticking out the corner of his mouth. Regardless, I love your work. Sincerely, Brandy
My farther was a royal fusilier , his barracks were the tower of London. He was one of the last to be stationed there..it now houses the fusilier museum, open to the public and holds all information on the regiment..
Good morning nicola Your welcome.. regarding the RAF being in the area, you must remember this was a major interception area for engaging the lufftwaffer in the hope of minimizing bombers making to London docks.. but I think always a great find... Regarding cap badge again the Thames estuary was dragging post for possible invasion.. the RF were a rifle regiment and is thought to be involved in the very first engagement of WW2. The history of London and surrounding areas is amazing.. and I congratulate you on your presentation of this in a form most people can enjoy.. Going back to the said beach on isle of sheppy .. It is a little known fact that it has on a regular basis given up to the lucky stunning French gold coins .. Happy hunting..
The cap badge is an amazing find , I also loved how the pottery had barnacles living on it.The item with numbers reminds me of smaller ones I have found that were fuse timers off bombs , great place to go look forward to part 2 best wishes :)
You made some great finds, Like the old Navy plates and cups , The button or badge is a real keeper and I agree on the aiming circle. However Your best Accomplishment is your capturing of the moon and being able to hold it n your room. Loved seeing it go across the water in the picture.
It amazes me how well the pottery keeps its blue color, fantastic stuff. The metal certainly looks like a part from a cannon site or gun site, notice how the hash marks get closer together the further the distance is.
Well done Nicola, definitely on par with any time team episode I have watched. The "more ammunition" is a .455 Webley cartridge for Webley revolver, nick named the man stopper. Boy o boy the Enid Blyton stuff brings back memories also.
Then it's off to those rusting sea forts! Nah I wouldn't recommend that... And your studio is LIFE GOALS. What an amazing cosy inventive space ! ! ! And Kent really is a beautiful place.
That early bottle reminds me of bottle digging in new York state when I was about 16 I found an early dump on an old farm . We found nothing newer than about the 1920's and stuff from the 1800's or earlier possibly. It was great fun, wish I could come over just to experience your countrys rich history. Great video Nicola, keep them coming.
Nice finds. N.A.C.B stand for the Navy and Army Canteen Board, the precursor of the modern Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes. They were responsible for running restaurants, shops, cafes and such on British bases, just like their modern equivalent. The iron scale could be a fragment of the (vertical) sighting apparatus for the RML 9 inch 12 ton gun. It appears too small to be a piece from a depression range finder.
I just found your channel by some of my viewers. They suggested I check your channel for some tips on mudlarking in the UK during my vacation last week. Well I am back in the US now and am enjoying your channel. I'm looking forward to the next one.
I can imagine that all the men stationed on that fort would need a lung tonic after a British winter spent in the Medway estuary! Really interesting, I love the historic stuff just laying around in the UK.
I guessing the difference in the plate decorations signifies what mess - i.e single fowled anchor, Killicks mess, two fowled anchor Petty offices mess and the crown is the chip Petty Offices mess... also your videos brings back many happy memories as a kid, looking though the mud in front of old Billingsgate fish market with my dad many years back - and yes, pipe bowls and stems were the find of the day then too :-) Thank you from New Zealand
Hi Zoe! What great memories! And thank you for the explanation regarding the messes. Really useful. Im very keen to find out the reason for all these pieces of crockery.
My best guess is at the end of the forts military life, the staff who were there last decided to break the china in the manner of a decommissioning party... The silver for the officers would have gone back to where ever, but the more mundane stuff might just have been "lost at sea" for the regimental diary.... :-)
Island's like this are wonderful repositories of history, aren't they, as things just lie there, moldering for centuries. There was such an island in my own childhood. When you picked up the tonic bottle, I immediately thought 'Owbridges'! That must be a childhood memory that is seventy years old. We always called it Ohbridges, It tasted rather nice and I seem to remember liking it, when our mum decided we needed a dose. I was utterly amazed to find I was right, when you turned it over and cleaned it. Thanks for this great channel and all your material.
I enjoy you're videos very much. It would also be interesting to see you working on some of your masterpieces. I've seen some of the finished products and they're great. But seeing the process would be interesting to me and, I'm sure, to many of you're other viewers.
My favorite part of this video is your taking time out for a cup of tea. I know... there are many great things I could call out but in a hurried world, I think it’s so important not to rush into things and take a few moments to enjoy a hot beverage.
The bottle Nicola is showing is not Uranium glass, but yes Uranium glass has 2 % Uranium by weight 1st-glass.1st-things.com/gallery-deco/artdecosetvaseline01.jpg
mikeo Digs bottles thank you for reply, yes, it's called Vaseline glass, I remembered now. Last year I saw similarly shaped specimens in National museum of Scotland, chess pieces I think and they glowed under the UV light... Fascinating sight.
This is a nice niche hobby. I got here by accident, probably watching magnet fishing videos or metal detecting. Many years ago, like 20 or so, people in villages were tidying old houses in villages in Slovakia and you should see the bottles that suddenly turned up anywhere on rubbish dumps or just thrown away in nature. Very decorative pieces, with floral designs, made of thick glass, usually square or rectangular shape of bottom, like these but richly decorated: ostatne.bazos.sk/inzerat/84915381/Flase-z-cireho-skla-7-dcl.php ostatne.bazos.sk/inzerat/84392272/stare-flasky.php I saved some, thinking there will be more. But later this stopped, which is good, less pollution, since year 2000 maybe, no glass is wasted at all and it's recycled or sold back to shops.
I went to Hoo fort in my inflatable canoe once and I nearly drowned in mud. So be very careful where you land your boat especially when the tide is falling. Darnet fort is much easier to access. Also to avoid getting a wet bum on your way over, get a canoe with a seat so that if any water gets in your boat , you are not sitting in it. I will go again some time. Thanks for that Nicola.
what a great video looks a very interesting place to visit , i did notice a very lovely bottle in your studio a torpedo Hamilton bottle i used to find lots of them and still find them along a river which is next to an old town tip. al
Hi Nicola Hope your well. Loving your stuff, find it so relaxing to watch. I'm ex Royal Navy and regarding them anchors on plates. Single anchor is leading hand rank, crossed anchors are Petty officer and the crest is just the Royal navy crest maybe used for able ranks mess that's below leading hands? Be interesting to see what Naval barracks was on the plate, nearest was Hms Pembroke Chatham where I was based, that's now very sadly closed. Keep the great work up, just love the exploration side of things.
Thank you very much John! Really useful. I've actually found a few beautiful pieces of pottery with hms pembroke in it - Victorian I believe. Glad you're enjoying the explorations. Nicola
@@nicolawhitemudlark Hi Nicola my pleasure, glad I can help. Wow that's amazing too know you've got some pottery from Pembroke. Does date back along away as you know, a little before my time there lol, I was there in 1981. No really I've suffered from long term Ptsd and getting out each day walking the early morning beaches helps. Have always been into history and the findings etc and what I'm trying to say is watching the stuff you do and where you go really does help me mentally as there's a real kinda homely relaxing unstressful feel to it if that makes sense. Think it helps me being an all weather's adventurous outdoor person. But really Thankyou Nicola, still got quite a few to watch but i will get there. Must watch the one about the forts out at sea on the estuary, love the history of them. Oh yes just for your interest, alot of clay pipes, pottery and many other old bits seem to turn up on Margate beach between the Nayland hotel and past the old sea bathing hospital towards Westgate. I know Margate harbour had alot of activity back in the days with ships etc. Keep meaning to go and search as its local,you never know what your find? I'll call it sand or pebble larking with some mud😂. Thankyou again Nicola and be safe please John.
It’s so fun watching your adventures and your studio is the best! Thanks for sharing your treasure treks I would of never known all the cool stuff that is found on your shores , Neat!
I adore your little vignettes of the birds. Nice touch. (am a USA birder who will probably never get to the British Isles) I am birding AND mudlarking with you!! Love your videos! They're fun, interesting and informative. (I know nothing of British history... sadly)
Interesting video, brought back a lot of memories. I worked on the island, properly called Hoo Ness island, from the 70`s until the closure of the dockyard when it was MOD property. I worked for the Dept of the environment, It was used for depositing mud dredged up from around the dockyard locks and basins. I operated a drag-line on there. Best job I ever had.
When we drove to Poland to visit my girlfriends family we would stop and have coffee at the side of the road. She had a hot plate thing that ran on something that brewed the coffee. So funny. Thanks for sharing your adventures
I LOVE your videos and your art. Although I’ve never been to the UK, I live along a river. Sadly, it has no tide, but does experience spring flooding. My family and I like to search the masses of debris and find lots of fishing lures and such. But it is all new... not the wonderful historical finds that you make. I watch our videos with equal parts fascination and envy...
What a great adventure to such a historic site. Really liked the find of the cap badge. I was so excited when you sent out the video can’t wait for part 2. Wish I had an area to explore with such treasures. 😊
He's right about the dial thing, it's to point a gun by degrees. Very common in artillery installations, sometimes they are much, much larger than that.
Another amazing video Nicola 👍 the gun range finder could be for the bearing/ elevation of the barrel as military use mills opposed to degrees , 360 degree in a circle + 6400 mills as mills is more accurate over distance easy way to explain if you imagine degrees over distance the further the distance the bigger the cap between degrees . As for elevation 0 mils would be horizontal the higher the barrel elevates the higher the mills may explain graduations closer together , hope this helps as my memory is a bit rusty 😀
Are there restrictions to mudlarking on the islands like there is on the Thames ? Also, have you ever considered using a metal detector ? There appears to be a lot less metal on the Hoo beach. Very nice when you not only discover treasure, but you provide an explanation / research. Amazing and informative videos and excellent production values. Heartfelt thanks John
I visited those forts about 25 years ago with my father who lived and grew up on the Island. My grand father was caretaker of the Island and when we visited, my fathers house was still there on the Eastern end of the Island, along with his little sailing boat. I cant see if its still there today when I look on google earth and even back when I visited there was a lot of reclaiming and dredging going on which you can still see today so Hoo Island has changed a lot. I think it has been taken over by the scouts since the dockyard closed. Anyway a little story I remember being told was that a thick chain was strung between the two forts. It was used to stop ships sailing up the river to the dockyard without permission. The chain was initially installed as a result of the worst attack suffered by the British Navy in its history when the Dutch Navy can you believe, sailed up the Medway and destroyed much of the British fleet in harbour. Dastardly daring attack by the Dutch which has its rightful place in history as a win for them. When I visited Amsterdam I saw a painting depicting the attack with Rochester Castle in the background, it was a fantastic painting and you could buy a tea-towel with a print of the painting. I wanted to get one but they had run out so it must have been very popular. Hoo Fort was always in a better position with all the reclaiming going on but that's not good for your mudlarking, Darnet Fort is almost completely surrounded by water now with much of the Island washed away. When I visited Darnet Fort there was so much more of the Island still there it seems a shame that these Forts are just left to die and erode, so much history falling through the gaps in our fingers.
Hi would it of been possible to paddle over in a bigger canoe. With camping gear and Stu for a couple of days Thanks for sharing another excellent film thankyou des
What a great video Nicola, really well filmed. Some great interesting finds & commentary. Thanks so much & looking forward to part II (though glad I’m not getting up at the crack of dawn to film with you !!!)
N.A.C.B. navy and army canteen board www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30077018 and the cap badge 2nd (City of London) Battalion (Royal Fusiliers) www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30076449
Hi Nicola, I'm from Canada & live on the border with the USA along a river(Rainy River, ON.), which was used by our First Nations & then the fur trade came & several forts/outposts were built to trade furs but U will remeber the famous HBCo(Hudson's Bay Co), NWCo(Northwest Co)., XYCo.(offshoot of both Co's), & the troubles with selling alcohol to the Indians, etc), however B4 our current new laws pertaining to digging in any archaeology sites is a no no, however we used to dig the hillside of the Ft. Lac La Pluie(NWCo), & find all kinds of fur trade artifacts from beads to 1 King George III farthing being found. Post was built around 1775 & abandoned upon amalgamation with the Hudson's Bay Co., well this fort fell into disuse & now it's on the National Historic Registry, so I found lots of clay pipe stems & the odd whole bowl(winter's ice in ground is always shifting stuff underfoot & most artifacts like clay pipes & bottles are broken. I am what's called an avocational Archaeologist licensed under the Provincial Gov., & I'm allowed to surface collect & take surveys &hand in my data to my mentor a Bio-Archaeologist at Lakehead University & it's world famous Paleo-DNA lab. He's guiding me around the Gov., website & I have to record over 10000 artifacts I have in my private collections, I got whatever u find just not so many intact clays. Great show by the way but 1 thing that u never show are gun flints or any flint weapons so do u come across these types of artifacts on your outings? I'd love to show u some of my collections but it's all boxed up as I'm donating it to the archaeology dept., at LU. I am also a member of the OAS(ON. Archaeology Society-Thunder Bay, ON. CAN. chapter), hoping to start 1 here as the archaeology is amazing here, if u ever make it over the pond to CAN., I'd love to show u a totally different style of Mudlarking, Canadian Style! Happy New Yr to u 2!
Another fascinating video, I've sailed past that fort many times! The current is fast and strong round that corner so I imagine that the foreshore is nicely scoured.
Nicola, stunning video...the grass, the sun rise, the studio, the glassy water, a cuppa, and THE FINDS...omg! Oh, that was exciting and really informative...Hoo named that Island?...lol!
Amazing finds! It would be interesting to know what the ingredients were in the lung tonic. Love the cap badge! Amazing find! Always love the pottery...beautiful pieces. Love your studio...thanks for sharing! ~ Gypsy
I love watching you folks find things and your chatter back and forth as and after you do. Our area (Portland, Oregon, USA) has been “settled” only since the mid-1800’s and there’s really no litter along our rivers. Perhaps our huge Spring floods (sometimes as much as 18’ above flood stage) scours everything out into the Pacific Ocean? Be that as it may, I envy you your trash. :-) Your follow-up details on found items are especially interesting. Keep up the excellent reporting.
You might find it helpful to carry a small trowel with you as a convenient digging tool (I'm an archaeologist and that's a very necessary part of my field kit). The ceramic markings (for maker and/or ownership) always catch my attention in examining historic era materials. Here in the US there were literally thousands of "tonic" bottles produced during the late 19th and early 20th centuries (I suspect most of these were 90% alcohol and some lesser part "secret" -- but narcotic -- ingredient.
Nicola, that looked like a barge that you were walking along at the end, did you know that if it's abandoned, not tethered you are legally entitled to take it home with you !
Wonderful Nicola!!!!! Thank you so very much for taking time to share the history, that really adds to your treasures!!! Georgi......not my president!!!!!!
Single fowled anchor is a junior rates. A pair of fowled anchors is a Petty Officers. The crown is the symbol of the RN. THe image underneath (surrounded by rope) would have been the ship or shore establishment.
Woo Fort looks like a truly fascinating place with shores literally littered with history. And with the a sunrise chorus of birds and water as practically smooth as class, what a perfect day it was to go for a visit. Thank you for sharing your journey. Just in case this hasn't been shared already, here is a link to a website that may be useful in identifying the pieces of naval pottery you found: www.thepirateslair.com/british-royal-navy-mess-dinnerware.html
I look forward to your videos for many reasons. I'm a history nut and pack rat. Also , if ever your ego needs a boost , I'm your man to do it ! - - - A fan.
You might be interested to know my grand parents lived on the island around the 1920 s they lived in a tin bungalow at the other end of the island a lot of rubbish was dumped there from the dock yard I can remember visiting a family there as a young child ,My mother was ferried across the Medway to school as a young girl by to dockyard workers ,she nearly drowned on more than one once when falling out of the boat,Grand dad finished as a foreman in the yard I think there used to be a small railway on the island taking rubbish from the barges ,my uncles worked the dredgers on the Medway.
Hi Michael, that's a very interesting story. I would love to talk with you further about it for a piece of writing, would there be a good way to contact you, thanks again for sharing that.
The graduated numbered arc is most likely part of a Gunner's Quadrant used to accurately elevate a cannon's barrel to achieve a certain range. There would have been a bubble level and the arc would move up and down within a raceway. When the bubble became centered within the glass level, the barrel would have been aimed at the correct angle to achieve the range specified on the arc.
I'm simply having a ball watching your adventures!! Thank you for taking many others and I along with you! 😀
My great pleasure. Thank you for watching!
The sound of that water is so relaxing! As is listening to your history updates...
Thanks Andy.
That was a great beginning to your series on the Hoo. I am so thankful for your knowledge and for sharing your adventures.
Hey Nicola....You are quite the story teller 😊...seriously...very well done Ma'am!! My area in the US is only non native settled for about 150 years give or take a decade or so. The minimalistic people that homesteaded this area brought little with them and left with less during the dust bowl depression period. The comparison of human occupation between our home lands is like night and day. Perhaps the reason I so enjoy your finds and explainations. I look forward with great anticipation to your next installment!! Be Well Nicola!
Thanks Jerry! Glad you enjoy. part 2 out tonight UK time.
Another fantastic adventure and history lesson. Love the studio shot. Thanks again.
Nicola you go on some of the most wonderful adventures - thank you for sharing them!
Hi Joel. Thank you, and thank you for accompanying me!
I am a British expatriate living in the USA, I learned to read with Enid Blyton books...especially the Famous Five!!! Love your vids..so informative and entertaining 🥰
Sharon Barnes Being an American it was Robb White books that captured my imagination as a young boy.
Some people meditate/do yoga, etc before sleep...I've found that watching your videos are the ULTIMATE Zen...Love listening and watching your vlogs, you bring lovely dreams of what we can find. THANK YOU SO MUCH!
Hi! Thank you, and Im so delighted that you find them zen. It is absolutely zen searching for these lost little pieces of history and trying to put them back together again
Zen and the art of Mudlarking ........One more Tee shirt for the product development "team" @Tideline Art add to the list (note book) One XXXL in estuary drab please !
What a wonderful place you have I could spend along time just looking around , thankyou very much .
Thank you for sharing your adventures with us.... So looking forward to part two!!
Thank you for watching. Part 2 out later tonight uk time
Thank you, I'll be on the look out for it!!
Hello Nicola.my seven year old grand daughter absolutely loves your videos. So I decided to take her to the mouth of the river Tyne at North Shields. In nine months we never found one pipe. So to keep her interested I am afraid I planted one. When she found it she was ecstatic.But a few weeks later we went to Corbridge near Hexham in Northumberland and we found some pottery. A friend at Durham University dad it appraised and low behold it was Roman.Never mind computer games. Rain or shine she wants to be out mudlarking with her grandfather. I think we may have a budding archaeologist in the family. Any chance of a signed photo for my grand daughter Sorcha.
Hi Martin. That's wonderful that your grand daughter is so passionate about searching for treasures from the past! I whole heartedly approve! Mudlarking brings out the treasure hunting child in us all I think. drop me an email on nicola.white@tidelineart.com and say hi to her for me.
Sorcha will see this printed here and know her only treasure is her grandmother
Absolutely wonderful story Martin....YOU are a good Dad....God bless you n family
@@outdoorfreedom9778 Maybe trade some gold for one. :)
The reason so many pottery and bottle finds is due to the large amount of cement and brickworks. The contents of London dustbins are dumped on the foreshores of the thames and medway so they can collect the cinders from the residues from the ccoal fires. The cinders are added to brick clay to increase the heat to fire the bricks. Of course other things were in the bins such as bottles and crockery
Fantastic video! That graduated piece is from a quadrant sight. Rangefinders had just been invented in the late 19th century and were of the split optic type, basically big binoculars on a tripod that didn't attach to the gun. Unfortunately, I lost my Ian V. Hogg book "The Illustrated History of Ammunition" and haven't found a replacement. Col. Hogg's books are fantastic too! The cartridge was for the .455 Webley revolver wasn't it ? On that label plate from the chest, Navies put label plates on everything.... E.E.D. maybe E. something Engineering Department??? Ships crews are divided into departments and divisions... engineering department handles propulsion, engine rooms. Awesome video! Awesome adventure! Keep 'em coming Nicola. PS, the nylon bristled toothbrush was introduced by DuPont in 1938, but the British military still issued hog hair bristle brushes during WW2. Hog bristles rot away so I think your toothbrush was either a private purchase from after 1938, or post WW2.
Thanks Dustin! sorry you lost your book
I Love watching your adventures. The joy in your voice when you find pieces of history is genuine and beautiful.
Weapons range finder seems correct for the brass with distance graduations. A lot of excellent discoveries. Thanks for sharing this history of Hoo Island. Looking forward to more.
Thanks Jay.
Action woman you are very brave with your kayaking! Interesting information thank you. GL and HH
hi Nicola, well that was an amazing vid,,realy enjoyd it,what a real nice place the fort is on,bet it wasn't so quiet away back in the day,fantastic,thanks for taking us along,much apreciated folks,finds too are fantastic,looking forward to the next,cheers kc Keith, Scotland. peace,👍.
Another great video Nicola love all the history, your studio looks so interesting cannot wait for the next instalment
I love the sound of birdsong early in the morning before the sun comes up. Fantastic video Nicola!
"Honni soit qui mal y pense" is a sentence pronounced by the king Edward III of England (funny story with Jeanne de Kent, Comtesse de Salisbury), and he created "l'ordre de la Jarretière" on the april, 23th, 1348 : the most Noble Order of the Garter.... thanks a lot for sharing this nice walk. 😊👍👍👍
Enjoyed the video tremendously! Loved having David along as he seems a great partner and full of knowledge. Can not wait for part 2.
Hi Rebecca. Yes, he is very knowledgeable and fun too, and good at making campfires
Fantastic video and some amazing finds. It's like a treasure trove. You can only imagine whats out there to be found. Looking forward to seeing the next part :)
My brothers and I grew up at Hoo St Werburgh, the shoreline and adjacent woodland on the North shore of the Medway was our playground where our imagination flourished.
Hello Nicola, at 8:24 there is a rusty metal cylindrical object that looks like an anti-aircraft projectile. I originally thought this location would be fantastic to metal detect along but after seeing the footage of the waterline & bank, maybe just fossicking would be the better idea. There are so many interesting items to look at its amazing. Thank you for another lovely video. ❤️ from 🇦🇺.
Thank you
Just eyeballing is a good idea. There is so much metal there. Sifting with a screen would be good. I've made some oak ones with stainless 1/4" screen, and use them often bottle digging.
Nicola,
I truly enjoy your mud larking videos and your creations. You’re quite talented.
When you discovered the toothbrush in this video, I couldn’t help but giggle at an idea for some whimsical tideline art. You could make a old sailor with a big toothy grin. He could be brushing his teeth with said toothbrush. However, each tooth could be a finding of yours... maybe an old pipe sticking out the corner of his mouth.
Regardless, I love your work.
Sincerely,
Brandy
Hi Brandy! I love that idea. Thank you :)
Rich with history! Great finds, well done
My farther was a royal fusilier , his barracks were the tower of London.
He was one of the last to be stationed there..it now houses the fusilier museum, open to the public and holds all information on the regiment..
Wow. thanks Michael. I must visit it! I wonder what this cap badge was doing on the island and why the RF went there.
Good morning nicola
Your welcome.. regarding the RAF being in the area, you must remember this was a major interception area for engaging the lufftwaffer in the hope of minimizing bombers making to London docks.. but I think always a great find...
Regarding cap badge again the Thames estuary was dragging post for possible invasion.. the RF were a rifle regiment and is thought to be involved in the very first engagement of WW2.
The history of London and surrounding areas is amazing.. and I congratulate you on your presentation of this in a form most people can enjoy..
Going back to the said beach on isle of sheppy ..
It is a little known fact that it has on a regular basis given up to the lucky stunning French gold coins ..
Happy hunting..
P.s apologies
" Luftwaffe "
The cap badge is an amazing find , I also loved how the pottery had barnacles living on it.The item with numbers reminds me of smaller ones I have found that were fuse timers off bombs , great place to go look forward to part 2 best wishes :)
So enjoyable! So much to see on the island. There were some really interesting pieces of masonary & blue bricks etc. Thank you!
I am jealous, you are so lucky to live in a place with such old treasures to be found!!!!
Yes, I am very lucky! That is for sure.
Wherever you live, people lived there before you, so there is always history around.
just gets better ....looking foward to part two immensely. ...
Nice vid. I remember back in the early 80s i would go with my family to this island. Been there a few times and nothing has changed.
You made some great finds, Like the old Navy plates and cups , The button or badge is a real keeper and I agree on the aiming circle. However Your best Accomplishment is your capturing of the moon and being able to hold it n your room. Loved seeing it go across the water in the picture.
Great video Nicola, very interesting. Thank you.
Another fine and informative video Nicola. Always enjoy the historical content you describe so well. Keep up the good work...!!
Thanks Ian.
It amazes me how well the pottery keeps its blue color, fantastic stuff. The metal certainly looks like a part from a cannon site or gun site, notice how the hash marks get closer together the further the distance is.
Thank you
Repete Myname - actually it looks like the reverse... they seem closer together when the ‘range’ is nearer...
I just took another look at it and you are correct, not sure what I thought I was seeing yesterday, thanks!
I love seeing the behind the scenes part of how you do your research , brilliant!!
Hi from NZ. I grew up on the Medway, best finds yet.
Well done Nicola, definitely on par with any time team episode I have watched. The "more ammunition" is a .455 Webley cartridge for Webley revolver, nick named the man stopper. Boy o boy the Enid Blyton stuff brings back memories also.
Thank you! oh Enid Blyton. Just love her.
Then it's off to those rusting sea forts!
Nah I wouldn't recommend that...
And your studio is LIFE GOALS. What an amazing cosy inventive space ! ! !
And Kent really is a beautiful place.
maunsell forts. Would like to visit them. They are fascinating.
nicola white mudlark - Tideline Art Me too! (0u0)
That early bottle reminds me of bottle digging in new York state when I was about 16 I found an early dump on an old farm . We found nothing newer than about the 1920's and stuff from the 1800's or earlier possibly. It was great fun, wish I could come over just to experience your countrys rich history. Great video Nicola, keep them coming.
Thanks Jon.
Nice finds.
N.A.C.B stand for the Navy and Army Canteen Board, the precursor of the modern Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes. They were responsible for running restaurants, shops, cafes and such on British bases, just like their modern equivalent.
The iron scale could be a fragment of the (vertical) sighting apparatus for the RML 9 inch 12 ton gun. It appears too small to be a piece from a depression range finder.
Thank you!
I was thinking something Army Cadets Barracks
Nicola, I just love your videos! They are so therapeutic to watch after a long day.
Thanks Katie.
I just found your channel by some of my viewers. They suggested I check your channel for some tips on mudlarking in the UK during my vacation last week. Well I am back in the US now and am enjoying your channel. I'm looking forward to the next one.
Hey! Great. glad you found it and you're enjoying it. Thank you for writing! Nicola
ps - I just subscribed to your channel. My son is a guitarist and loves rock - especially US rock music.
Great video nicola. Some nice and interesting finds.looking forward to part 2☺
Thanks Shaun!
Very good day out, great finds!! Thank you for the trip! Happy hunting and the best of luck to you Nicola!!
Facinating video. Thank you Nicola....I look forward part 2
I can imagine that all the men stationed on that fort would need a lung tonic after a British winter spent in the Medway estuary!
Really interesting, I love the historic stuff just laying around in the UK.
Your videos are so cool. You find clay pipes as often as Aquachigger finds Civil War bullets.
I guessing the difference in the plate decorations signifies what mess - i.e single fowled anchor, Killicks mess, two fowled anchor Petty offices mess and the crown is the chip Petty Offices mess...
also your videos brings back many happy memories as a kid, looking though the mud in front of old Billingsgate fish market with my dad many years back - and yes, pipe bowls and stems were the find of the day then too :-)
Thank you from New Zealand
Hi Zoe! What great memories! And thank you for the explanation regarding the messes. Really useful. Im very keen to find out the reason for all these pieces of crockery.
My best guess is at the end of the forts military life, the staff who were there last decided to break the china in the manner of a decommissioning party...
The silver for the officers would have gone back to where ever, but the more mundane stuff might just have been "lost at sea" for the regimental diary.... :-)
Island's like this are wonderful repositories of history, aren't they, as things just lie there, moldering for centuries. There was such an island in my own childhood. When you picked up the tonic bottle, I immediately thought 'Owbridges'! That must be a childhood memory that is seventy years old. We always called it Ohbridges, It tasted rather nice and I seem to remember liking it, when our mum decided we needed a dose. I was utterly amazed to find I was right, when you turned it over and cleaned it. Thanks for this great channel and all your material.
Hi Nicola. Absolutely love your videos!! I am so envious of your outdoor life! Keep it up and be careful it is slippery there.
I enjoy you're videos very much. It would also be interesting to see you working on some of your masterpieces. I've seen some of the finished products and they're great. But seeing the process would be interesting to me and, I'm sure, to many of you're other viewers.
Thank you for the suggestion. Ok, I''ll put something together.
So that's Hoo that's a lot treasure thanks very interesting video nice history behind the fines too!!
Thanks Richard.
My favorite part of this video is your taking time out for a cup of tea. I know... there are many great things I could call out but in a hurried world, I think it’s so important not to rush into things and take a few moments to enjoy a hot beverage.
It's a beautiful color Lung Tonic bottle, Thanks for taking us along. . happy digging
Hi mikeo Digs bottles, is it true that some old green glass bottles are radioactive?
The bottle Nicola is showing is not Uranium glass, but yes Uranium glass has 2 % Uranium by weight
1st-glass.1st-things.com/gallery-deco/artdecosetvaseline01.jpg
mikeo Digs bottles thank you for reply, yes, it's called Vaseline glass, I remembered now. Last year I saw similarly shaped specimens in National museum of Scotland, chess pieces I think and they glowed under the UV light... Fascinating sight.
I just found a piece of Uranium glass/Vaseline glass in my video: ua-cam.com/video/Mhzrc5XC_yE/v-deo.html Straight sided Coke video.
This is a nice niche hobby. I got here by accident, probably watching magnet fishing videos or metal detecting. Many years ago, like 20 or so, people in villages were tidying old houses in villages in Slovakia and you should see the bottles that suddenly turned up anywhere on rubbish dumps or just thrown away in nature. Very decorative pieces, with floral designs, made of thick glass, usually square or rectangular shape of bottom, like these but richly decorated: ostatne.bazos.sk/inzerat/84915381/Flase-z-cireho-skla-7-dcl.php
ostatne.bazos.sk/inzerat/84392272/stare-flasky.php
I saved some, thinking there will be more. But later this stopped, which is good, less pollution, since year 2000 maybe, no glass is wasted at all and it's recycled or sold back to shops.
I went to Hoo fort in my inflatable canoe once and I nearly drowned in mud. So be very careful where you land your boat especially when the tide is falling. Darnet fort is much easier to access. Also to avoid getting a wet bum on your way over, get a canoe with a seat so that if any water gets in your boat , you are not sitting in it. I will go again some time. Thanks for that Nicola.
My favourite book of all time (even still) was an Enid Blyton (non Famous Five) book called "The Secret Island"
mine was The Secret of Spiggy Holes. I think I read the secret island too. I read ALL her books! don't even get me started on Malory Towers!
Loved her books but Arthur Ransome was my hero.."We Didn't Mean to Go to Sea" and all those adventures!
Wonderful adventure....thank you for taking us along!
what a great video looks a very interesting place to visit , i did notice a very lovely bottle in your studio a torpedo Hamilton bottle i used to find lots of them and still find them along a river which is next to an old town tip. al
yes, I love torpedo bottles!
Hi Nicola
Hope your well. Loving your stuff, find it so relaxing to watch. I'm ex Royal Navy and regarding them anchors on plates. Single anchor is leading hand rank, crossed anchors are Petty officer and the crest is just the Royal navy crest maybe used for able ranks mess that's below leading hands? Be interesting to see what Naval barracks was on the plate, nearest was Hms Pembroke Chatham where I was based, that's now very sadly closed. Keep the great work up, just love the exploration side of things.
Thank you very much John! Really useful. I've actually found a few beautiful pieces of pottery with hms pembroke in it - Victorian I believe. Glad you're enjoying the explorations. Nicola
@@nicolawhitemudlark Hi Nicola my pleasure, glad I can help. Wow that's amazing too know you've got some pottery from Pembroke. Does date back along away as you know, a little before my time there lol, I was there in 1981. No really I've suffered from long term Ptsd and getting out each day walking the early morning beaches helps. Have always been into history and the findings etc and what I'm trying to say is watching the stuff you do and where you go really does help me mentally as there's a real kinda homely relaxing unstressful feel to it if that makes sense. Think it helps me being an all weather's adventurous outdoor person. But really Thankyou Nicola, still got quite a few to watch but i will get there. Must watch the one about the forts out at sea on the estuary, love the history of them.
Oh yes just for your interest, alot of clay pipes, pottery and many other old bits seem to turn up on Margate beach between the Nayland hotel and past the old sea bathing hospital towards Westgate. I know Margate harbour had alot of activity back in the days with ships etc. Keep meaning to go and search as its local,you never know what your find? I'll call it sand or pebble larking with some mud😂. Thankyou again Nicola and be safe please John.
excellent nicola i enjoyed this hunt
It’s so fun watching your adventures and your studio is the best! Thanks for sharing your treasure treks I would of never known all the cool stuff that is found on your shores , Neat!
The crown motif on that piece of pottery (18:34) is the same one that is on the larger ' barracks' piece :)
I adore your little vignettes of the birds. Nice touch. (am a USA birder who will probably never get to the British Isles) I am birding AND mudlarking with you!! Love your videos! They're fun, interesting and informative. (I know nothing of British history... sadly)
Thank you!
Such a great video again.......so entertaining 👍
Thank you
Interesting video, brought back a lot of memories. I worked on the island, properly called Hoo Ness island, from the 70`s until the closure of the dockyard when it was MOD property. I worked for the Dept of the environment, It was used for depositing mud dredged up from around the dockyard locks and basins. I operated a drag-line on there. Best job I ever had.
When we drove to Poland to visit my girlfriends family we would stop and have coffee at the side of the road. She had a hot plate thing that ran on something that brewed the coffee. So funny. Thanks for sharing your adventures
I LOVE your videos and your art. Although I’ve never been to the UK, I live along a river. Sadly, it has no tide, but does experience spring flooding. My family and I like to search the masses of debris and find lots of fishing lures and such. But it is all new... not the wonderful historical finds that you make. I watch our videos with equal parts fascination and envy...
The NACB one is probably from the Navy Army Canteen Board N.A.C.B, so WW1 Era.
Love your videos :D Keep up the good work!
Thank you!
Another great video with more great finds lucky woman and look forward to the next video
I love your glass fish they are wonderful!
Thank you Nancy.
What a great adventure to such a historic site. Really liked the find of the cap badge. I was so excited when you sent out the video can’t wait for part 2. Wish I had an area to explore with such treasures. 😊
Thanks Chuck. part 2 out later tonight uk time
He's right about the dial thing, it's to point a gun by degrees. Very common in artillery installations, sometimes they are much, much larger than that.
Thank you
Thank you for taking us with you!! Absolutely fascinating!!
Thanks Chris!
Another amazing video Nicola 👍 the gun range finder could be for the bearing/ elevation of the barrel as military use mills opposed to degrees , 360 degree in a circle + 6400 mills as mills is more accurate over distance easy way to explain if you imagine degrees over distance the further the distance the bigger the cap between degrees . As for elevation 0 mils would be horizontal the higher the barrel elevates the higher the mills may explain graduations closer together , hope this helps as my memory is a bit rusty 😀
Thank you! It's great to get so much info on this
wow!! wonderful Nicola, you have such a great life.Keep up the good work (fun) and happy hunting.I am only a little jealous.
Are there restrictions to mudlarking on the islands like there is on the Thames ?
Also, have you ever considered using a metal detector ? There appears to be a lot less metal on the Hoo beach.
Very nice when you not only discover treasure, but you provide an explanation / research.
Amazing and informative videos and excellent production values.
Heartfelt thanks John
Thanks John. I dont ever use a detector but maybe one day I'll try one. I prefer finding by eye.
I visited those forts about 25 years ago with my father who lived and grew up on the Island. My grand father was caretaker of the Island and when we visited, my fathers house was still there on the Eastern end of the Island, along with his little sailing boat. I cant see if its still there today when I look on google earth and even back when I visited there was a lot of reclaiming and dredging going on which you can still see today so Hoo Island has changed a lot. I think it has been taken over by the scouts since the dockyard closed. Anyway a little story I remember being told was that a thick chain was strung between the two forts. It was used to stop ships sailing up the river to the dockyard without permission. The chain was initially installed as a result of the worst attack suffered by the British Navy in its history when the Dutch Navy can you believe, sailed up the Medway and destroyed much of the British fleet in harbour. Dastardly daring attack by the Dutch which has its rightful place in history as a win for them. When I visited Amsterdam I saw a painting depicting the attack with Rochester Castle in the background, it was a fantastic painting and you could buy a tea-towel with a print of the painting. I wanted to get one but they had run out so it must have been very popular. Hoo Fort was always in a better position with all the reclaiming going on but that's not good for your mudlarking, Darnet Fort is almost completely surrounded by water now with much of the Island washed away. When I visited Darnet Fort there was so much more of the Island still there it seems a shame that these Forts are just left to die and erode, so much history falling through the gaps in our fingers.
Hi would it of been possible to paddle over in a bigger canoe. With camping gear and Stu for a couple of days
Thanks for sharing another excellent film thankyou des
Hi Des, better to stay on Darnett. Not really supposed to linger long on Hoo
nicola white mudlark - Tideline Art .great thànkyou
Why should one not linger there?
David Schwartz -I thought it was ‘hoo’ should not linger there? Where? On hoo... 😂😜
@@janvafa4253 Hoo's on First...
What a great video Nicola, really well filmed. Some great interesting finds & commentary.
Thanks so much & looking forward to part II (though glad I’m not getting up at the crack of dawn to film with you !!!)
ha ha. thank you! The early bird catches the worm :)
N.A.C.B. navy and army canteen board www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30077018 and the cap badge 2nd (City of London) Battalion (Royal Fusiliers) www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30076449
Thank you very much Dave
Hi Nicola, I'm from Canada & live on the border with the USA along a river(Rainy River, ON.), which was used by our First Nations & then the fur trade came & several forts/outposts were built to trade furs but U will remeber the famous HBCo(Hudson's Bay Co), NWCo(Northwest Co)., XYCo.(offshoot of both Co's), & the troubles with selling alcohol to the Indians, etc), however B4 our current new laws pertaining to digging in any archaeology sites is a no no, however we used to dig the hillside of the Ft. Lac La Pluie(NWCo), & find all kinds of fur trade artifacts from beads to 1 King George III farthing being found. Post was built around 1775 & abandoned upon amalgamation with the Hudson's Bay Co., well this fort fell into disuse & now it's on the National Historic Registry, so I found lots of clay pipe stems & the odd whole bowl(winter's ice in ground is always shifting stuff underfoot & most artifacts like clay pipes & bottles are broken. I am what's called an avocational Archaeologist licensed under the Provincial Gov., & I'm allowed to surface collect & take surveys &hand in my data to my mentor a Bio-Archaeologist at Lakehead University & it's world famous Paleo-DNA lab. He's guiding me around the Gov., website & I have to record over 10000 artifacts I have in my private collections, I got whatever u find just not so many intact clays. Great show by the way but 1 thing that u never show are gun flints or any flint weapons so do u come across these types of artifacts on your outings? I'd love to show u some of my collections but it's all boxed up as I'm donating it to the archaeology dept., at LU. I am also a member of the OAS(ON. Archaeology Society-Thunder Bay, ON. CAN. chapter), hoping to start 1 here as the archaeology is amazing here, if u ever make it over the pond to CAN., I'd love to show u a totally different style of Mudlarking, Canadian Style! Happy New Yr to u 2!
That is a very exciting adults playground and one can imagine The Famous Five having some rather super adventures there.
oh definitely!
Then home for tea with lashings of ginger beer!
Another fascinating video, I've sailed past that fort many times! The current is fast and strong round that corner so I imagine that the foreshore is nicely scoured.
Interesting stuff, always something new!
Nicola, stunning video...the grass, the sun rise, the studio, the glassy water, a cuppa, and THE FINDS...omg! Oh, that was exciting and really informative...Hoo named that Island?...lol!
Amazing finds! It would be interesting to know what the ingredients were in the lung tonic. Love the cap badge! Amazing find! Always love the pottery...beautiful pieces. Love your studio...thanks for sharing! ~ Gypsy
Hey Gypsy, what's your email??
nicola white mudlark - Tideline Art Hey Nicola, my email is michelegypsywoods@gmail.com
Great. Thanks I'll email you later
nicola white mudlark - Ti
I love watching you folks find things and your chatter back and forth as and after you do. Our area (Portland, Oregon, USA) has been “settled” only since the mid-1800’s and there’s really no litter along our rivers. Perhaps our huge Spring floods (sometimes as much as 18’ above flood stage) scours everything out into the Pacific Ocean? Be that as it may, I envy you your trash. :-) Your follow-up details on found items are especially interesting. Keep up the excellent reporting.
Fascinating!
You might find it helpful to carry a small trowel with you as a convenient digging tool (I'm an archaeologist and that's a very necessary part of my field kit). The ceramic markings (for maker and/or ownership) always catch my attention in examining historic era materials. Here in the US there were literally thousands of "tonic" bottles produced during the late 19th and early 20th centuries (I suspect most of these were 90% alcohol and some lesser part "secret" -- but narcotic -- ingredient.
Thanks Don! I do generally carry one. It just wasn't in that shot. Id be lost without my lucky trowel.
Nicola, that looked like a barge that you were walking along at the end, did you know that if it's abandoned, not tethered you are legally entitled to take it home with you !
oh id better get on back there then!!
Del Bonner shhh don't tell her! she might!
nicola white mudlark - Tideline Art that will not fit in your studio 😂 is there room for a barge rack on top 😉😜😍
I could use that down in Wood's Hole.
Wonderful Nicola!!!!! Thank you so very much for taking time to share the history, that really adds to your treasures!!! Georgi......not my president!!!!!!
Single fowled anchor is a junior rates.
A pair of fowled anchors is a Petty Officers.
The crown is the symbol of the RN.
THe image underneath (surrounded by rope) would have been the ship or shore establishment.
Loved the video , very interesting finds, looking forward to your next instalment on Hoo Island, cheers and g’day from Australia 👍🏻👏👏🇦🇺
Woo Fort looks like a truly fascinating place with shores literally littered with history. And with the a sunrise chorus of birds and water as practically smooth as class, what a perfect day it was to go for a visit. Thank you for sharing your journey.
Just in case this hasn't been shared already, here is a link to a website that may be useful in identifying the pieces of naval pottery you found:
www.thepirateslair.com/british-royal-navy-mess-dinnerware.html
Thank you! yes, it is a real nature haven too
Love the military badge & Great lung tonic bottle. Looks like you had a fabulous day. 👍
I look forward to your videos for many reasons. I'm a history nut and pack rat. Also , if ever your ego needs a boost , I'm your man to do it ! - - - A fan.
Thank you Chuck! It's always good to have an ego boost and you just boosted mine. thanks :)
Great video with some nice finds. Looking forward to the next episode.