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Pressganged

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In the 18th and 19th century the Royal Navy used impressment to maintain crew levels on British warships.

Gangs of about ten sailors would go ashore and wait by inns in coastal towns and then forcibly take men to join their ships, often brute force was used and the pressgangs as they became known were feared by many.

I was walking home from the inn one night Along the cobbled streets home to my wife Ten sailors' jumped out and gave me a fright They had coshes' and I feared for my life. I felt sharp pain on the back of my head It went dark and I fell down on the ground Before I passed out I was full of dread Another victim the pressgang had found. Next morning I woke tied at the ships mast The main sail above me flapped in the breeze An officer said "you'd better learn fast You are the kings now so him you will please". I looked over the side, we were at sea Freedom I once had was taken from me. ~ Written on 24th November 2018.

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Paula Goldsmith

Date: 2/24/2020 11:15:00 AM

Congratulations on your win. A great story and picture to go with it. Enjoy your win and day......

Tom Cunningham
Date: 2/24/2020 2:33:00 PM

Thank you very much Paula, happy you enjoyed it. Tom. Have a nice day too.

Sam Kauffman

Date: 2/23/2020 7:52:00 PM

Hi Tom, You are able to skillfully capture the essence of history and important themes in your poetry - especially in this sonnet! Congratulations my friend! A PS - do you know the history of the Cunningham clan?

Tom Cunningham
Date: 2/24/2020 6:34:00 AM

Thank you Sam, glad you enjoyed it. Yes, My parents are from the West of Ireland but the Cunninghams originated from Ayrshire in Scotland, Over Fork Over. Tom

Gary Bateman

Date: 12/11/2018 11:59:00 AM

Hello Tom, A great story here indeed!! And, wondrously articulated sonnet too!! I know this Royal Navy "Impressment" had been used, at times, when America was a very young country, and I believe also, during the War of 1812. America's naval tradition today, and our Army too, are both deeply rooted in the traditions and operational influence from the British Navy and Army -- and the closest of allies we shall always remain!! Enjoyed your sonnet very much here!! Cheers, Gary

Tom Cunningham
Date: 12/11/2018 12:22:00 PM

Thank you Gary, although it was a worldwide practise the Royal navy were notorious for it. Thankfully conditions on Navy ships improved and with better pay and a pension the impressment died out. Happy you.enjoyed it. Tom.

Jennifer Proxenos

Date: 12/11/2018 11:09:00 AM

Hi Tom, I marvel at your imagination, truly you have been blessed! Frightening that this used to happen - wonderful poem Tom, Best wishes, Jennifer

Tom Cunningham
Date: 12/11/2018 12:16:00 PM

Thank you Jennifer, imagine going out for a few tankards of ale and waking the next day with a sore head on a ship. Tom.

Lindsay Laurie

Date: 11/26/2018 9:02:00 PM

Crikey Tom … and these were the good old days. A shiver shot up my spine - thanks Mat - Lindsay

Tom Cunningham
Date: 11/27/2018 3:02:00 AM

Thankfully conditions improved and men started to volunteer so the press gang faded into history. Tom.

Carolyn Devonshire

Date: 11/26/2018 3:21:00 PM

Oh my! This type of thing really happened? Thanks for the history lesson written in such an amusing poem. Enjoyed very much, Tom. Hugs, Carolyn

Tom Cunningham
Date: 11/27/2018 3:00:00 AM

Terrible times back then, everything was for the taking even peoples freedom. Hope you had a nice thanksgiving celebration. Tom.

Anne-Lise Andresen

Date: 11/26/2018 3:18:00 AM

- A freedom stolen ... a great story, Tom :) - hugs // Anne-Lise :)

Tom Cunningham
Date: 11/26/2018 3:46:00 AM

Thank you Sunshine, they were dark times back then. Tom.

Kim Rodrigues

Date: 11/26/2018 2:46:00 AM

Another great moment you have captured from history! The wife and children wondering what happened to their loved one. A fave! tom!

Tom Cunningham
Date: 11/26/2018 3:49:00 AM

Thank you Kim, yes, it must have been awful for families and many never saw their families again, conditions on ships at that time were atrocious with disease, strict discipline and wars taking their toll. Tom.

Arthur Vaso

Date: 11/26/2018 2:04:00 AM

I loved this, in Scotland is was a wee bit easier, they waited for the drunks to fall asleep and then simply carried them onto the ships!! :)

Tom Cunningham
Date: 11/26/2018 3:44:00 AM

You'd come round the next morning still swaying with the motion of the sea, when reality hit they soon sobered up. Tom.

Demetrios Trifiatis

Date: 11/26/2018 1:19:00 AM

As though experiences of the past revived and come to life! Wonderfully done my friend, Tom! Are you certain it is ...fiction! Haha

Tom Cunningham
Date: 11/26/2018 3:42:00 AM

Thanks Demetrios, I do love the sea and sometimes it does make you wonder. Tom.

Mike Grant

Date: 11/25/2018 4:28:00 PM

I enjoyed this Tom nice write! ~Mike

Tom Cunningham
Date: 11/26/2018 3:41:00 AM

Thank you Mike, glad you liked it. Tom.

P.S. Awtry

Date: 11/25/2018 9:44:00 AM

ditto all that has been said. and this flows nicely :)

Tom Cunningham
Date: 11/25/2018 11:04:00 AM

Thanks very much P.S. Tom.

Silent One

Date: 11/25/2018 8:54:00 AM

Great sonnet Tom!

Tom Cunningham
Date: 11/25/2018 11:03:00 AM

Thank you S.O. Tom.

Darlene De Beaulieu

Date: 11/25/2018 7:16:00 AM

Hello Tom, I like this poem you have created. I use to watch Long John Sliver on tv, I enjoyed the adventures. Have a nice day my friend.

Darlene De Beaulieu
Date: 11/26/2018 12:17:00 PM

Oh-hh.

Tom Cunningham
Date: 11/25/2018 7:24:00 AM

Thank you very much Darlene, another good series was Black Sails about pirates in Nassua. Tom.

Gershon Wolf

Date: 11/24/2018 9:34:00 PM

Tom, you are the Dean of the History Department at Poetry Soup U... Thanks for the education. :) gw

Tom Cunningham
Date: 11/25/2018 7:22:00 AM

Thanks Gershon, I like researching a historical event then composing a rhyme. Tom.

James Horn

Date: 11/24/2018 8:48:00 PM

This sounds like something precursor to President Trump that we now hve to live with.

Tom Cunningham
Date: 11/25/2018 7:16:00 AM

Haha, Looks like you've all been pressganged James. Tom.

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 11/24/2018 6:54:00 PM

that was very interesting for me because I had not heard of it before. I am really into Outlander and a similar thing happened on a recent episode of that show. Some pirates beat up the main characters to take possession of a ruby that they wanted from those people. This was after the main characters had treated the pirate guy very nice and saved his life. There is no honor among thieves,

Tom Cunningham
Date: 11/25/2018 7:14:00 AM

There certainly isn't Andrea, Now that's a programme I haven't seen. Sounds like my kind of series. Tom.

Wren Rushing

Date: 11/24/2018 5:50:00 PM

Wonderfully written sonnet and history lesson as well.

Tom Cunningham
Date: 11/25/2018 7:11:00 AM

Thank you Wren. Happy you liked it. Tom.

Harry Horsman

Date: 11/24/2018 4:49:00 PM

Awesome, Tom, love the sonnet, and the history you weave into it..

Tom Cunningham
Date: 11/24/2018 4:53:00 PM

Thank you Harry, I do enjoy composing historical verse. Tom.

Pashang Salehi

Date: 11/24/2018 2:00:00 PM

Nicely done... great sonnet.

Pashang Salehi
Date: 11/25/2018 3:22:00 AM

You bet...

Tom Cunningham
Date: 11/24/2018 4:27:00 PM

Thank you very much Pashang, Regards. Tom.

Nette Onclaud

Date: 11/24/2018 1:57:00 PM

ohh, this engrossing poem allowed me to discover something new--impressment...impressive, tom.. huggs

Tom Cunningham
Date: 11/24/2018 4:26:00 PM

Thanks Nette, it was used by other countries too but the Royal Navy was famous for it. Tom.

Jan Allison

Date: 11/24/2018 1:48:00 PM

fabulous sonnet Tom, I do so enjoy your historical writes:-) hugs Jan xx

Tom Cunningham
Date: 11/24/2018 4:24:00 PM

Thanks Jan, there was an incident on the I.O.M. at Balkacraine where the press gang tried to 'Recruit ' some Manxmen and in the fight that followed one of the press gang died, its known as the battle of Balacraine. Tom.

Constance La France

Date: 11/24/2018 11:20:00 AM

Tom, oh what a great storyteller you are, I never knew this part of history, how horrible it must have been back then, Well done ~

Tom Cunningham
Date: 11/24/2018 4:11:00 PM

Thanks Dear Heart, terrible times for sure, in a way it was a form of slavery. Tom.

Vladislav Raven

Date: 11/24/2018 9:27:00 AM

Hi Tom, it was indeed a dangerous time to live. So many souls pressganged, learn to be a sailor or overboard you would go. It would have been so frightening. You have tiurned a leaf from history's pages with this wonderful sonnet Tom. You capture moments so well. Have a wonderful Saturday. Your friend always....Mike.

Tom Cunningham
Date: 11/24/2018 9:47:00 AM

Thank you Mike, as conditions on ships improved impressment slowly died out and with better pay and a pension at the the end recruitment improved so the Pressgangs faded into history. Tom.

Paul Callus

Date: 11/24/2018 9:22:00 AM

An enjoyable poem, Tom. The novel "Sylvia's Lovers" (I forgot the author) was partly based on impressment. Regards // paul

Tom Cunningham
Date: 11/24/2018 9:43:00 AM

Thank you Paul, just googled it (Elizabeth Gaskell) it looks an interesting read, of course sailors like the whalers in the book were ideal candidates being experienced sailors. They must have been frigtening times indeed. Tom.