All a bit fishy?

[Cetti]

In 1952 a Blue Whale was captured off Norway, and after preservation went on tour throughout Europe - it then came over to the UK, took on the name of Jonah the 'Barnsley Whale' (that's where it started its journey) and went from town to town for the next 20 years. Now this whale was 65 feet long and was hauled all over England on the back of a 100 foot lorry so surely something that size should have cropped up in conversation somewhere over the years, but not once have I ever heard a mention of 'The Barnsley Whale' - has anyone?

[templeman]

I remember the story concerning it but I didn't get to see the whale. Here is a link to some more information :-
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/hometruths/thewhaletal
e.shtml

[Cetti]

templeman and especially TW - Thank you so much for letting me know that this amazing show really did exist.

The author of "The Barnsley Whale" Steve Deput is doing the rounds of the local radio stations and I heard this extraordinary tale last week - not entirely sure whether it was a giant leg pull or not! The poor thing was injected regularly with formalin to preserve it, so the abiding memories most people have was the terrible stench. Apparently the road show came to an end when Jonah exploded and was dumped in a disuses mine shaft. This is the author's website TW for more memories. Thanks again.

http://www.bigwhaleonalorry.com/intro.asp

[andy hughes]

I also saw the exhibition. My abiding memory - apart from the sheer size of the animal, was putting my hand on the (I don't know the techincal term for it) parts of the whale's mouth that it uses to strain plankton out of sea water. I don't know what i expected it to feel like, but I was surprised to find it felt like horse hair.

[Cetti]

Thanks andy - It must have been quite scary to have seen this as a child, especially putting your hand in it's mouth. No wonder this memory has remained with you - some brave boy!

[Gef]

It all makes sense now. I have always had this memory of my (late) Dad taking me to see a gigantic whale on the back of a lorry in Middlesbrough, near the railway station, when I was a wee boy in the mid to late fifties. Thanks cetti.

[Cetti]

I'm really glad it's helped Gef. It does seem that a great many people kept silent through the years for fear of ridicule - hopefully this book will bring back a lot more happy memories for others.

[andy hughes]

Hi again Cetti. Thanks for your kind words, but I don't really deserve them - I was at least 12 when I saw the whale, it was taken around for quite a few years as I recall, and secondly, I didn't have to put my hand actually in ints mouth, the 'horsehair' material overhung its lower jaw, so i wasn't really brave at all!

[Cetti]

Hello andy - I've been doing a bit of research. Instead of teeth they have Baleen plates. These are hair-like appendages composed of material like human teeth. The tongue weighs 3 tonnes, the heart is the size of a VW and a Brontosaurus could fit into it's mouth!!!

One brave (12 year old) boy. LOL!!

[Cetti]

Gracious Arfur sounds dreadful, but at least the sightings are coming further south now. Thanks for that memory. I would dearly love to know if it came to the Bournemouth/Poole area.

[Cetti]

Glad you did TW - it's a wonder any of us turned out anywhere normal with the stuff we were fed as kids. Funny the things that we remember. Absolutely nothing to do with the Q but our French teacher was so bad at controlling the class that she left and became a Missionary in Africa. lol!!

[statis]

It seems there were many big whales touring the country. I have a photo of a huge lorry at Southsea in 54, that bears the legend 'Goliath'. Also reports of a sperm whale transported on sections on 3 lorries. Not to mention 'Eric' the finback whale that toured England in the 30s before being buried under Morecambe's roller coaster

[Cetti]

TW - You're nuts LOL!!!! That was really helpful :-D!!

[Cetti]

statis - I hope you see this as I've only just found it. A skeleton of a whale was on view at Blackgang Chine on the Isle of Wight in the Spring of 1954. A lot of money changed hands over the demise of these poor creatures. Fascinating - but rather sad.

[statis]

Ignorantblis, You shall see a whale on a lorry! Go to... www.bigwhaleonalorry.com Not as awesome as the real thing but the best you'll get these days!