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| The original Star-Spangled Banner |
“Oh! say, can you see, by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof thro’ the night that our flag was still there.
Oh! say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave,
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?”
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof thro’ the night that our flag was still there.
Oh! say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave,
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?”
Of course today is U.S. Independence Day, and the 'Star-Spangled Banner' will be much in evidence. Which reminds me that my adopted ( and almost ancestral ) hometown of Sudbury believes it has a good claim to have provided the raw material from which the original Star-Spangled Banner was made. As an aside, I learned what 'bunting' is, and that Sudbury was the biggest producer of the stuff. Every town needs to be proud of something (we also have Thomas Gainsborough, by the way).
All is explained by our excellent local historian Anne Grimshaw, on the Sudbury Society website; I hope it is of interest to any American readers - indeed any readers, given its military history angle.
( Anne has done quite a lot of local military history research, around our several local WW2 airfields and the US and British aircrew based here, and was prominent in an excellent project to research all the Long Melford men and women who served in the Great War of 1914-1918 - one of whom was my grandfather).
Have a good day, everyone - keep safe and well.
Hello there old chap,
ReplyDeleteSo Sudbury provided support to those rebellious colonists eh? You could be shot for treason old chap!
Local history from my home town of Sheerness is chock full of goodies and there is a great Facebook group for it.
Stay safe and well old chap,
All the best,
DC
Thanks David! I will take a look at that Sheerness page. Having grown up in Sittingbourne, we were of course aware of the rum old lot over on 'The Island' 😀
DeleteFascinating connection David (in Suffolk). I think the other David is being a little harsh. A little spell breaking rocks for the new turnpikes should satisfy justice.
ReplyDeleteI’d have to disagree with Ms Grimshaw’s statement that ‘we lost again’.
Thanks - I had expected to get critiqued by 'outraged' Americans, not Brits! It is interesting how trade clearly continued, folk left the fighting to politicians and soldiers - there was still money to be made!
DeleteAs long as the middling orders are occupied in trade, they won’t be agitating for the vote, what! Best keep them out of deciding Policy.
Deletethere may be truth in what you say..
Delete