tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644275821862159476.post2715129889951814111..comments2023-10-10T11:41:33.153+01:00Comments on The Armoury: Friday.Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15107533550298517814noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644275821862159476.post-86206641720880776702014-05-27T12:29:38.193+01:002014-05-27T12:29:38.193+01:00I think there are very many T.s left Mike. Pop T h...I think there are very many T.s left Mike. Pop T had at least twenty cousins, most of whom married and had families, I doubt they all petered out, even though his line and his siblings' lines failed.<br /><br />Tell Kippy there are some very good pictures of assorted eel glaives on Google if he cares to do a search.Crowbardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01350188604175280097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644275821862159476.post-64671536926661567122014-05-26T11:18:54.580+01:002014-05-26T11:18:54.580+01:00Hello Kippy. I don't know that they're on ...Hello Kippy. I don't know that they're on the menu much here nowadays, except elvers (very young eels) , and I do know one or two companies smoke eels, as a delicacy.<br />There are two major types of glaive that I know of - the sort illustrated here, and another type where the main prongs are large flat. sharp, arrow shaped, with a sharp, thin prong between every two arrow head prongs. Both work equally well on catching eels, but the type I am more familiar with probably does less damage to the eels than the arrow head and spike type.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07558857315748815249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644275821862159476.post-42947341851477321492014-05-26T00:59:42.569+01:002014-05-26T00:59:42.569+01:00Never tried them(not a common dish here in the U.S...Never tried them(not a common dish here in the U.S.). Do the spears always have that many tines?kippyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11715389823789274487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644275821862159476.post-59174823991203809862014-05-25T20:52:45.099+01:002014-05-25T20:52:45.099+01:00Hello Crowbard. Yes, I vaguely remember eating fri...Hello Crowbard. Yes, I vaguely remember eating fried eels. The eel glaive belonged to Grandfather T.'s father/grandfather, and was said to have been made by one of the Evison family. Shame there are now no T.'s, or indeed Evisons.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07558857315748815249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644275821862159476.post-34793021596877478132014-05-25T20:37:39.875+01:002014-05-25T20:37:39.875+01:00I must confess I'm partial to them fried in bu...I must confess I'm partial to them fried in butter with salt and pepper and a bit of fried bread cooked in the same pan. I expect the addition of parsley sauce would enhance the experience.Crowbardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01350188604175280097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644275821862159476.post-50993209887215406592014-05-25T09:38:40.377+01:002014-05-25T09:38:40.377+01:00Crowbard knows what it is, although he has cleverl...Crowbard knows what it is, although he has cleverly encrypted (?) his answer so as not to give the game away. I think probably Nea does, too. I'm not sure what Maggie thought it is, but she's probably got a good idea. Kippy's first guess is correct, as is Rog's third guess.<br /><br />It is an eel glaive (pronounced 'gleave' in the fens). It is an eel spear. I have seen it in use, and assisted in its use. When a fenland ditch had been tidied leaving muddy sides to the ditch, this tool (mounted on a long ash pole) would be thrust into the dyke sides, and when withdrawn, there's be two or three eels wriggling between the tines, which are alternately notched and quite heavily sprung. Eels are technically fish, and taste like a good white fish. Boiled with new potatoes, and served with a parsley sauce, they make a delicious meal. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07558857315748815249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644275821862159476.post-17200574823407979922014-05-25T08:12:51.749+01:002014-05-25T08:12:51.749+01:00The fenland clue isn't helping I'm afraid....The fenland clue isn't helping I'm afraid.<br /><br />Is it for despatching eels? Or unwelcome visitors?Roghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09430706557035189147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644275821862159476.post-54588930521380100182014-05-25T02:46:51.313+01:002014-05-25T02:46:51.313+01:00First guess would be that it is used to gather eel...First guess would be that it is used to gather eels. Perhaps it is remove grasses etc. from the waterways? kippyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11715389823789274487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644275821862159476.post-60480695742751278612014-05-25T01:33:12.766+01:002014-05-25T01:33:12.766+01:00I though I knew what is was, but after reading the...I though I knew what is was, but after reading the comments of my esteemed family I am obviously way off the Mark.<br />I look forward to knowing the truth!Maggiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08333491499562424008noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644275821862159476.post-58298685987532906412014-05-24T20:37:06.728+01:002014-05-24T20:37:06.728+01:00Hi Mike, I think I would have reversed the order o...Hi Mike, I think I would have reversed the order of the No!s, but as my beard is slimline and elegant and clearly not in the running for this mode of whisker-valeting I shall keep schtum! <br />The implement is, I suspect, an indirect dining fork at one remove from Ely waterways.... if you can eat out of a hyperbole?Crowbardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01350188604175280097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644275821862159476.post-42858312240179471692014-05-24T18:12:30.150+01:002014-05-24T18:12:30.150+01:00Hello Rog. the answers are No and No (in that orde...Hello Rog. the answers are No and No (in that order). Try again.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07558857315748815249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644275821862159476.post-37749495183629936822014-05-24T07:39:50.795+01:002014-05-24T07:39:50.795+01:00Is it a seed drill for making a seed planting patt...Is it a seed drill for making a seed planting pattern?<br /><br />Or a comb for that unmanageable beard?Roghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09430706557035189147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644275821862159476.post-18734214392297340612014-05-24T05:56:57.844+01:002014-05-24T05:56:57.844+01:00P.s. Nea. Sorry. You do say what the comment is, ...P.s. Nea. Sorry. You do say what the comment is, but not, of course, what the Mystery Object is. Thank you. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07558857315748815249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644275821862159476.post-33680185281470510472014-05-24T05:54:31.868+01:002014-05-24T05:54:31.868+01:00Good morning Nea. I've published your comment ...Good morning Nea. I've published your comment because you do not say what it is. Very discreet of you. Yes, I know about the 'Yellow Bellies' term. It was used about the Lincolnshire Fen men rather than the Norfolk Fenmen. All fen folk used 'poppy tea' as an anti malarial drug, and either the tea, or, more probably, the malaria itself, tended to leave people with a yellow complexion; but I think the term was used mainly for Lincolnshire folk because the uniform of the Lincolnshire regiment had yellow facings.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07558857315748815249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644275821862159476.post-38485134524704392052014-05-23T22:54:39.375+01:002014-05-23T22:54:39.375+01:00You'd better hold my comments back too, becaus...You'd better hold my comments back too, because I'm pretty sure I know what it is.<br />Speaking of fenish things I found out that "yellow belly" was a term used against us. The explanation given was the uniform of the Lincolnshire Regiment, I think, there were other suggestions made such as opium taking, due to malari, and coloring the skin yellow. Do you know anything about it?Neahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09528962078216397466noreply@blogger.com