Description

In fact the scope is fairly limited to the Thames, the Solent and the Channel. There are a couple set aboard ocean liners. There are one or two excursions on the Scottish Island steamers.

“I think you have made a mistake. That is my toothbrush”

“Ah beg years mun… Ah thoght ‘t belonged to the sheip”.

“I say steward how do you expect anybody to dry their hands on this towel? It’s as wet as if it had been dipped in the sea.”

“…there’s a hundred fowk hae used the toowl and yere the furrst that’s grummelt!”

Returning south punting mishaps on the Thames feature strongly as does the Henley Regatta, where visitors enjoying champagne, strawberries and cream, the music fireworks and gossip, are surprised to be told that racing has actually been taking place. On the Solent, fashionable attendees appear to be unaware that they are attending a sporting event.

Out in the Channel, those immune to seasickness display the usual lack of sympathy to those who suffer.

Steward to comatose passenger “Nice piece of biled mutton sir?”

In a cartoon from the 1870s, the wife of an MP who is suffering badly, suggests that he learns his lesson, and next time votes in favour of the Channel Tunnel Bill

Punch was always topical, and as usual the cartoons provide a pretty accurate record of contemporary fashions and pastimes.