War of the Worlds in Real Time

[Andrew J Harvey]

The 1897 War of the Worlds in Real Time
Posted throughout June at http://wotw.name, https://haguepublishing.com/WotW/, and on twitter at https://twitter.com/1897WotW

Day 1 - Tuesday (1 June 1897)

Today, we meet the first of the characters through whose eyes and words we will experience the Martian invasion including:

• Antoinette Louise Clark (Toni to her friends) a young medical student – one of the first of her era – who is heavily influenced by Grace Harwood Stewart, one of the first female doctors, and Millicent Fawcett, a noted suffragist
• Harry Harbord Morant (aka 'Breaker' Morant), the maverick South Australia soldier who, as a result of his actions during the war, earned the personal enmity of Field Marshal Wolseley (Photograph shown)
• and of course Herbert George Wells, the socialist and author who did so much to shape our understanding of the war.

We close the day with Wells observing Mars in the company of Oglivy the astronomer.

#alternatehistory #althistory #scifi #TheWarOfTheWorlds #hgwells

#alternatehistory #althistory #scifi #TheWarOfTheWorlds #hgwells

 

[Andrew J Harvey]

The 1897 War of the Worlds in Real Time
Posted throughout June at http://wotw.name https://haguepublishing.com/WotW/ and on twitter at https://twitter.com/1897WotW

Day 2 - Wednesday (2 June 1897

Following the observation of lights from Mars people begin to ponder the possibility that Martians are signalling Earth.
In London, Toni, caught up in her studies, her enthusiasm for the suffragists, and the joys of divided skirts, only has time to contemplate the idea of life on Mars at the end of the day.

The joys of 'divided skirts' - Brown Wool Cycling Costume with Divided Skirt, c. 1896-1898 American Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection, Metropolitan Museum of Art

 

[Andrew J Harvey]

03-Jun 00:01 1897 – Thursday

Action at last: the Martians have landed in Woking and as Oglivy examines the first capsule the British Government begins to react, despatching a number of units to the landing sites.

News of the events at Woking has also begun to penetrate Toni’s world of medicine, activism, and clothing-with-pockets. She’s also begun a friendship with Elizabeth Cadbury, a well known suffragist and philanthropist.

We meet Lt. Roger Carver for the first time. Carver commands the Royal Marines Light Infantry detachment on HMS Thunder Child which on this day is on station just off the Thames Estuary.

Towards the end of the day we witness the appearance of the 1st Martian, quickly followed by deployment of the heat-ray.

'Something Alive'
Original Artwork by Jade Zivanovic for Hague Publishing © 2023

 

[David Flin]

We meet Lt. Roger Carver for the first time. Carver is 3rd officer on HMS Thunder Child which on this day is on station just off the Thames Estuary.

Um.

Third Officer?

On a RN ship?

The Merchant Navy has Third Officers and the like. The RN of the period, not so much.

In Napoleonic eras, one would have the Captain, and then the First to Nth Lieutenants (n depending on the size of the ship), along with specialists (Surgeon, etc).

Once we get into the era of steam and iron ships, then we have the Captain, the First Lt (also called Number One, Jimmy, or Baby Daddy), and the other officer are titled after the job they do: Gunnery officer, Navigating Officer, Engineering Officer, etc.

Third Officer is simply not - and never has been - a term the RN has used.

 

[Andrew J Harvey]

Um.

Third Officer?

On a RN ship?

The Merchant Navy has Third Officers and the like. The RN of the period, not so much.

In Napoleonic eras, one would have the Captain, and then the First to Nth Lieutenants (n depending on the size of the ship), along with specialists (Surgeon, etc).

Once we get into the era of steam and iron ships, then we have the Captain, the First Lt (also called Number One, Jimmy, or Baby Daddy), and the other officer are titled after the job they do: Gunnery officer, Navigating Officer, Engineering Officer, etc.

Third Officer is simply not - and never has been - a term the RN has used.

Apologies, David. I honestly thought we'd fixed Carver's title after you pointed out our error the first time. Turns out not. You are quite right Carver was not 3rd officer. Instead he was a Royal Marine Lieutenant. Fingers crossed I've managed to squash the bugs going forward.

 

[Andrew J Harvey]

Welcome to Friday 4 June 1897
'The War of the Worlds - In Real Time'

Posted throughout June at http://wotw.name https://haguepublishing.com/WotW/ and on twitter at https://twitter.com/1897WotW

#alternatehistory #althistory #scifi #TheWarOfTheWorlds #hgwells

With the landing of a 2nd Martian craft the army now attempts to surround the Woking pit.

In London medicine continues to be at the forefront of Toni’s mind, fuelled by the talk she attends by Marie and Pierre Curie. But, she had seen a strange light in the sky on the way home the preceding evening and as a result she now finds herself thinking of the idea of life on Mars. And because she’s friends with the brother of the renowned HG Wells, curiosity begins to stir.

Recalled to their barracks Morant and Vogan have decided to go AWOL to attend the Curie’s talk on Saturday in Oxford.

Photograph: Marie and Pierre Curie who were giving a number of lectures in Oxford and London when the Martians invaded.
Source: Wikimedia Commons , a free content repository hosted by the Wikimedia Foundation .

 

[David Flin]

Apologies, David. I honestly thought we'd fixed Carver's title after you pointed out our error the first time. Turns out not. You are quite right Carver was not 3rd officer. Instead he was a Royal Marine Lieutenant. Fingers crossed I've managed to squash the bugs going forward.

No worries. I know how hard it can be to catch every reference.

 

[Andrew J Harvey]

'The War of the Worlds - In Real Time'
Posted throughout June at http://wotw.name https://haguepublishing.com/WotW/ and on twitter at https://twitter.com/1897WotW

Today Saturday 5 June 1897 'The War Begins'
#alternatehistory #althistory #scifi #TheWarOfTheWorlds #hgwells

After the Martians use their heat-ray on the crowd watching them, and 40 civilians die in the resulting panic, London slowly awakes to the possible danger on its doorstep.

Toni reads the news headlines, and is horrified to learn that Martians have really landed on Earth. As an educated woman she is reassured by the differing gravity between Earth and Mars. But the first hints of concern creep into her diary.

With disruptions now affecting the railways Morant and Vogan leave for Oxford by stagecoach to hear the Curies’ talk, even as the artillery encircling the first 2 cylinders are destroyed by the Martian’s heat ray.

Illustration of the Woking Mosque destroyed by the Martians. Source: Building News and Engineering Journal -2 August 1889.jpg Drawing by the mosque’s architect, William Isaac Chambers, 1889, died 1924

 

[Andrew J Harvey]

The War of the Worlds - In Real Time'
Posted throughout June at http://wotw.name https://haguepublishing.com/WotW/ and on twitter at https://twitter.com/1897WotW


Today, with evacuations beginning the London newspapers begin to take notice, and the Army moves to capture the Martians.

Stuck in Oxford, Morant and Vogan decide to cadge a ride back to London on a troop train, and volunteer to take the Curies with them.

As the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies encourages their members to organise – just in case – Toni finds herself placed in a team with Elizabeth Cadbury, and also Grace Harwood Stewart – who will later become the first woman to become a medical doctor in England. They’re to be based at Queen Anne’s Mansions, where Elizabeth Cadbury owns an apartment (the Mansions are the first true high-rise in London)

Wells has taken his wife to Leatherhead, where his cousins live. And we meet Lieutenant JR Dullanty, Coldstream Guards, 4th Company (Special Operations), even as the 1st tripod emerges.

#alternatehistory #althistory #scifi #TheWarOfTheWorlds #hgwells

Photograph: Queen Anne's Mansions 1905, Public Domain, Wikipedia

 

[Andrew J Harvey]

The War of the Worlds - In Real Time'
Posted throughout June at http://wotw.name https://haguepublishing.com/WotW/ and on twitter at https://twitter.com/1897WotW

Today Monday 7 June 1897 'The Longest Day'
#alternatehistory #althistory #scifi #TheWarOfTheWorlds #hgwells
Today we explore what will later become known as ‘The Longest Day’ as the Martians, having destroyed those units which had attempted to surround them, begin their move on London. It is today, that 4 Company (Special Operations), Coldstream Guards is deployed, and the first naval engagement of the war occurs.

For Toni, her concerns for @hgwellsbro escalate as refugees begin to appear in London. Her fears for her personal safety begin to conflict with what she sees as her responsibility to help her fellow human beings.

The Curies, unable to return France, are forced to stay with Morant.

And the Martian’s release the black-smoke for the first time with devastating effect.

Photograph: Refugees arriving in London (Original 1914 - Belgian refugees Wikimedia Commons)