San Diego Sarah on 9 Apr 2016  •  Link

✹ alanB. on 11 Apr 2006 • Link • Flag
This visit to The Royal Oak tavern is the first mention of what is now one of the most popular public house names in Britain. Sam has yet to write down Charles II's account of his time in the Boscobel Oak so is this tavern named after the Royal Oak ship, or in tribute to the King's derring-do?

✹ Australian Susan on 12 Apr 2006 • Link • Flag
The first Royal Oak ship was launched in 1664, so the pub name predates this, but as the account of Charles II in the oak tree had not yet been written, is this an instance of oral history being used in the pub name? Searching for details of this, I cannot find any mention of WHEN the name came into use, just its derivation. As far as I know, Charles is the only monarch to have an association with an oak tree. (Incidently, the Crown still pays a pension to direct descendents of the Penderel family who assisted Charles at the time of the oak tree episode - and you can still see the hiding place in Boscobell house where he hid). See The Escape of Charles II after the Battle of Worcester by Ollard (Sandwich's biographer). So, this name coming up now seems rather a puzzle.
By the way, the first Royal Oak ship was very shortlived - the Dutch sank her in 1667.

✹ Pedro on 22 Apr 2006 • Link • Flag
“but as the account of Charles in the oak tree had not yet been written”
The legend of the Royal Oak already appears to be common knowledge, as can be seen from the annotation for Leaden Hall Street. At the coronation of Charles II, the first triumphal arch erected in Leadenhall Street, near Lime Street, for the king to pass under on his way from the Tower to Westminster, is described in Ogilby’s contemporary account of the ceremony as having in its center a figure of Charles, royally attired, behind whom, ‘on a large table, is deciphered the Royal Oak bearing crowns and sceptres instead of acorns; amongst the leaves, in a label.

✹ Solomon Key on 7 Oct 2006 • Link • Flag
Australian Susan: "By the way, the first Royal Oak ship was very short-lived - the Dutch sank her in 1667."
Wrong. The Royal Oak sunk by the Dutch was of the Royal Navy. The Royal Oak referenced by Pepys was of the East India Company and a merchant ship, sunk off the Scilly Isles in 1665:
Name of Vessel: Royal Oak
Tons: 400
Number of Voyages: 1
Period of Service (Seasons): 1663
Year Lost: 1665
Location: Isles of Scilly
See Catalogue of East India Company Ships' Journals and Logs 1600-1834
National Archives: GB/NNAF/O94727
Record Reference: HCA 14/53