HMS Friday

HMS Friday

HMS Friday is an urban legend concerning a disastrous attempt by the Royal Navy to dispel the superstition against sailing on a Friday. While widely circulated the story is in fact untrue, and there was never a ship named HMS "Friday".

The details of the story vary, but it usually follows this form:

:"Sometime in the 19th century ago, the Royal Navy attempted to finally dispel the old superstition among sailors that beginning a voyage on a Friday was certain to bring bad luck. To demonstrate the falseness of this belief, they decided to commission a ship named HMS "Friday". Her keel was laid on a Friday, she was launched on a Friday, and she set sail on her maiden voyage on a Friday, under the command of a Captain James Friday. She was never seen or heard from again."

This story, in numerous variations, is frequently recounted, often as fact. [cite web|url=http://geekswithblogs.net/mtreadwell/archive/2004/04/16/3995.aspx|title=Nautical Folklore: Superstition of Friday|accessdate=2008-09-29] Citation
last = Lennox
first = Doug
author-link =
title = Now You Know: The Book of Answers
page = 110
publisher = Dundurn Press Ltd.
year = 2003
volume =
edition =
url = http://books.google.com/books?id=ea_2cNCGmfIC&pg=PA109-IA1&dq=hms+friday&lr=&sig=ACfU3U3UEmB0W8Lg_oLHMCZyKwp70wb8Bg
isbn = 1-55002-461-2] [cite web|url=http://urbanlegends.about.com/cs/historical/a/friday_the_13th_3.htm|title=Why Friday the 13th Is Unlucky|publisher=about.com|accessdate=2008-09-29] [cite web|url=http://www.infoplease.com/spot/friday13th.html|title=Friday the 13th|publisher=Infoplease|accessdate=2008-09-29] Citation
last = Vigor
first = John
author-link =
title = The Practical Encyclopedia of Boating
place =
publisher = McGraw-Hill Professional
year = 2004
volume =
edition =
url = http://books.google.com/books?id=VLg6Lx5yRP0C&pg=RA1-PA258&lpg=RA1-PA258&dq=hms+friday&source=web&ots=jwjvPat_7k&sig=W9HUiMZmAVxOaOaW_HcRZOmOdAc&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result
isbn = 0-07-137885-5]

In fact, there has never been any Royal Navy ship of that name. [cite web|url=http://www.royalnavalmuseum.org/new_whatsnew.htm|title=RNM News, 13th July 2007: No truth in ‘HMS Friday’ story|publisher=Royal Naval Museum|accessdate=2008-09-29] [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/hampshire/6896203.stm|title=Naval Friday 13th myth unfounded|publisher=BBC News Online|accessdate=2008-09-29] It is unclear where the story originated; however, it seems to have gained in popularity after its recounting by comedian Dave Allen on his BBC television show “Dave Allen at Large”, first broadcast in the 1970’s. [cite web|url=http://trancefixed.wordpress.com/2006/08/12/myth-of-the-day-01/|title=Myth of the Day 01 - HMS Friday|publisher=Trancefixed|accessdate=2008-09-29]

References


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