Origins of the term "crossing the bar"?!

[maffism]

Question 1 - What does "crossing the bar" mean in jackspeak? Does it mean dying?

Question 2 - What's the origin of the term?

Sorry if I've posted this in the wrong forum.

 

[dapperdunn]

1. It does.
2. http://shenandoahliterary.org/blog/2015/02/crossing-the-bar-by-alfred-lord-tennyson/

 

[maffism]

THANKS VERY MUCH dapperdunn.

 

[Wightsparker]

To add to Dapperdunn's post.

http://farringford.co.uk/tennyson

This link gives a bit more information, referring to Tennyson's home at Farringford near Freshwater on the Isle of Wight. It says the poem was written during a journey from the mainland to the Island.

I think he usually made the crossing from Lymington to Yarmouth, but whilst there are "bars" in other estuaries I'm not aware of a particular bar in the Lymington river.

However, the channel is pretty twisting, and anyone heading towards the Isle of Wight from Lymington in a small boat could well cross sandbanks at high water, which could have inspired Tennyson to write his poem.

 

[maffism]

To add to Dapperdunn's post.

http://farringford.co.uk/tennyson

This link gives a bit more information, referring to Tennyson's home at Farringford near Freshwater on the Isle of Wight. It says the poem was written during a journey from the mainland to the Island.

I think he usually made the crossing from Lymington to Yarmouth, but whilst there are "bars" in other estuaries I'm not aware of a particular bar in the Lymington river.

However, the channel is pretty twisting, and anyone heading towards the Isle of Wight from Lymington in a small boat could well cross sandbanks at high water, which could have inspired Tennyson to write his poem.

Thanks wightsparker. I forgot the fact that bar was also a nautical term.

 

[Wightsparker]

It was doubly significant for the late Oliver Reed when he got into a drinking contest with members of HMS Cumberland's ship's company in a Malta bar.......

 

[WreckerL]

The Doom Bar at the mouth of the Camel estuary is so famous they named a beer after it (and very nice it is too, on draught).

 

[Stirlin]

The Doom Bar at the mouth of the Camel estuary is so famous they named a beer after it (and very nice it is too, on draught).

Does not travel well Wrecks , the DB I have sampled down south is as you say pretty good , oop north it is bloody awful , suspect it may be brewed up here on license , different water and all that.

 

[dapperdunn]

Does not travel well Wrecks , the DB I have sampled down south is as you say pretty good , oop north it is bloody awful , suspect it may be brewed up here on license , different water and all that.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-33175395

 

[WreckerL]

Does not travel well Wrecks , the DB I have sampled down south is as you say pretty good , oop north it is bloody awful , suspect it may be brewed up here on license , different water and all that.

As it says on Dappers link, the bottled stuff is way inferior to the cask stuff, I would definitely put it down to the water.

Makes oi larf when the bottled stuff is brewed oop North and transported back down here for my local supermarkets when the real stuff is brewed 30 miles away.

Same as Ginsters pasties (spit) are made where I live, transported up to a distribution centre near Coventry, then brought all the back down again to be sold in the Tesco's next door to the factory, it would be cheaper just chucking them over the wall.
There again, no-one who lives in Cornwall eats Ginsters.

 

[dapperdunn]

As it says on Dappers link, the bottled stuff is way inferior to the cask stuff, I would definitely put it down to the water.

Makes oi larf when the bottled stuff is brewed oop North and transported back down here for my local supermarkets when the real stuff is brewed 30 miles away.

Same as Ginsters pasties (spit) are made where I live, transported up to a distribution centre near Coventry, then brought all the back down again to be sold in the Tesco's next door to the factory, it would be cheaper just chucking them over the wall.
There again, no-one who lives in Cornwall eats Ginsters.

I agree with you buddy, but I'd hardly class Burton upon Trent as 'oop North'!

 

[WreckerL]

I agree with you buddy, but I'd hardly class Burton upon Trent as 'oop North'!

'Tiz from down 'ere, it's in England across that there Tamar moi luvver

 

[Ballistic]

I don't think Doom Bar tastes as good as it did before the brewery was taken over a few years ago by (I think) a yank firm.
Just a bit too sweet for a bitter IMHO but I'll still drink it.

Incidentally, I don't notice any difference in draught Doom Bar between my local in the Guzz area and my other local in Lancashire

 

[WreckerL]

I don't think Doom Bar tastes as good as it did before the brewery was taken over a few years ago by (I think) a yank firm.
Just a bit too sweet for a bitter IMHO but I'll still drink it.

Incidentally, I don't notice any difference in draught Doom Bar between my local in the Guzz area and my other local in Lancashire

Draught is brewed in Cornwall, bottles in Burton.

 

[Ballistic]

Draught is brewed in Cornwall, bottles in Burton.

Yeah, I know.
Just making the point that I reckon the draught does travel OK, contrary to Stirlin's experience. Maybe it depends how it's kept on arrival...

 

[Stirlin]

Yeah, I know.
Just making the point that I reckon the draught does travel OK, contrary to Stirlin's experience. Maybe it depends how it's kept on arrival...

Must be me , will stick with this in future.
-

 

[Passed-over_Loggie]

When Coor's bought Sharpe's, Doom Bar beer crossed the bar shortly after. As Ballistic mentioned, it became cloyingly sweet; to much for my Northern peasant tastes.

 

[WreckerL]

When Coor's bought Sharpe's, Doom Bar beer crossed the bar shortly after. As Ballistic mentioned, it became cloyingly sweet; to much for my Northern peasant tastes.

I had to have a few in the pub last night, just for research purposes you understand, and you're right. The 5th pint was definitely sweeter than the first one

 

[Stirlin]

I had to have a few in the pub last night, just for research purposes you understand, and you're right. The 5th pint was definitely sweeter than the first one

Apply for a grant to do further research , of course you will need some staff to accompany you to the pub .
I am retired BTW so plenty of free time.

 

[WreckerL]

Apply for a grant to do further research , of course you will need some staff to accompany you to the pub .
I am retired BTW so plenty of free time.

Sold to the man in the hat, there's bound to be some Government Dept gullible enough to sponsor a five year research programme!