HMS Warspite

[Maggott]

Hi  I'm trying to untangle a family story concerning HMS Warspite visiting Cyprus, somewhen between 1910 & 1925.  I wonder if anyone knows whether the ship was actually in the Mediterranean about then?  Grateful for any info
Maggott

[liverpool annie]

I'm not a naval person but it looks like after the Battle of Jutland she became part of the Mediterranean Fleet !

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Mediterranean_Fleet

Annie 

[ev]

hi maggot

try this

http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/warspite.htm

can you tell us anymore ? why 1910 & 1925

ev

[Maggott]

Hi Annie & many thanks (that was quick!).  looks as if the magic dates are 1919-24 which is just the right time-frame 
Maggott

[Maggott]

Hi ev & many thanks.  That's a marvellous site- nice to see the pix.  The story is this:  my Ma's family lived in Cyprus.  They went aboard Warspite & saw brown sugar for the first time (!).  My grandmother fell as she was going aboard & damaged her leg.
 Now this is just the sort of family story that most people have.  But this lot were absolute past-masters at telling half-truths.  I was half-expecting the Warspite episode to have happened after the family fragmented in a series of rows & - officially- never spoke to each other again.  But in fact not.  So I can tick one posible mystery off the list.
Best
Maggott

[ev]

maggot

it seems hms warspite was at the naval review at spithead in 1924 and
after that underwent modernisation
that would give a timescale something 1920 to 1923 for a visit to
cyprus
the navy often used their ships to "fly the flag" in the inter-war years
even after she ran aground on her way to the breakers people still
remember how big she was
if it was the warspite i don't thinkthey would have had to make up any stories 
so the story may well be true

ev

[Maggott]

Hi Ev
 Nailing the dates down to 1920/23 is great.  Yup, I'm willing to believe the visit to Warspite happpened but I was-am-  trying to decide is whether it was before or after my mother left home.  There was the story of the Big Row, but in fact they seem to have been in touch with each other afterwards - tho' swearing they weren't.   
Best  Maggott 

[ev]

hi maggott

the big row 

my OH big row was between his grandfather and grandfathers sister , on the occasion of his parents marriage in 1960
they never spoke to each other again 
no one knows what was said , the sister never married and lived till 2000
his grandfather lived to 1986
both of them were strong in their views
his great aunt was a lovely woman who smoked 40 a day but never drank
think lilly savage
OH  doesn't laugh at her because that is his great aunt in person and
then some
she loved children but OH says she did not have a clue about  them

ev

[Maggott]

Ev  -Sounds as if your lot were like mine- Bearing a Grudge was seen as a virtue.  I remember my mother banishing the Best Friend of Forty Years when she said the wrong thing
Maggott