Night Gallery

HMS Somerset strengthens her links with London

The Royal Navy Type 23 Frigate HMS Somerset arrived in the Pool of London on Wednesday 15th March to berth alongside HMS Belfast for a four-day visit. Commissioned in 1996, this will be the first time HMS Somerset has visited the capital.
Although the frigate maintains strong ties with the Duchy of Cornwall and Somerset county, she is also affiliated with a Livery Company of the City of London, the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries, and her visit was intended to strengthen this link. Joining HMS Somerset on her passage up the Thames was the Master of the Apothecaries, Professor Brian Livesley. During the visit, members of the ship's company were welcomed to a special luncheon at Apothecaries Hall and to return their hospitality, HMS Somerset hosted the Society at a dinner onboard.
HMS Somerset also provided the venue for a luncheon hosted by the new First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Jonathon Band, who took up his post in February. While onboard Admiral Band took the opportunity to present long service medals to four members of the ship's company with a total of 75 years service between them.
Visiting HMS Somerset from much further afield was another affiliation, the Massachusetts-based historical group The Ship's Company of HMS Somerset 1778. This society recreates sailors from the last HMS Somerset to serve in the Royal Navy during the American War of Independence. They got to know their modern day counter-parts on HMS Somerset and caught up on their historical roots at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich

© Crown Copyright

Askers Road House near Dorchester in Dorset pictured at night with a smart car sweeping

Askers Road House near Dorchester in Dorset pictured at night with a smart car sweeping up the drive. Road houses gained in popularity during the inter-war years often offering drinking, dancing, music and sports facilities alongside food and accommodation. Askers was run by Road Houses Ltd, Askerswell Down, Dorchester, Dorset. See picture number 10059057 for the cover design of a promotional leaflet for Askers. Date: c.1930

© Mary Evans Picture Library

Burial of De Soto on the Mississippi

Spanish soldiers lower the wrapped body of Hernando De Soto into the Mississippi River. A soldier holds a torch as a priest reads from the Bible. His men did this in the dead of night, and weighted his corpse down with sand, as they were trying to conceal his death by fever from the Guachoya people, whom among other native peoples he had been trying to convince he was the son of the Sun, to varying success. Date: 1542

© Mary Evans Picture Library