#tompion

[ltwilliammowett]

Tompion found in a cannon from the Queen Anne’s Revenge, before 1718

In 1627, a tompion was defined as a wooden plug inserted into the muzzle of the cannon and sealed with tallow to protect the contents from rain and sea water so that the cannon could remain loaded when not in use. This has not changed much over the years. In 1677 they were only issued in two sizes, a large and a small, suggesting that they were not intended to fit with great accuracy. In the 1770s they were made in different sizes for each calibre of cannon.

[ltwilliammowett]

Tompion and a felt purse with a slow match, both recovered from the wreck of HMS Invincible (1758) in: Heart of Oak, by James P. McGuane

In times of war cannon were often kept loaded and shotted at all times. The tight- fitting wooden plug ( the tompion) sealed up the muzzle and kept out rain, spray and damp.

The felt purse contains a coil of slow match which could be cut to lenght as needed. It was usually a cotton twine impregnated with sulfur and resin. A section of slow match would be held at the end of a wooden rod, called a linstock, and lighted to provide a slow burning ember to ignite the charge on the great guns.

[lindahall]

Thomas Tompion – Scientist of the Day

Thomas Tompion, an English clock maker, was baptized July 25, 1639.  

read more...

[afleetalexandra]

'TOMPION WINS HOPEFUL STAKES

Saratoga Springs, NY - Tompion, a brown son of Tom Fool who has been knocking at the door in the big stakes recently, charged down the stretch Saturday and won the $114,475 Hopeful Stakes - the richest race ever staged at this old cavalry post opened in 1864.

With Willie Shoemaker in the saddle, Tompion finally won his first stakes with a late but brilliant drive. He overhauled the pace-setting Vital Force in the final sixteenth for a 1 1/4 length victory.'

-The Tuscaloosa News, August 30 1959

[afleetalexandra]

Tom Fool's son Tompion

Winner of the 1960 Travers Stakes, Santa Anita Derby, and Blue Grass Stakes

The favorite for the 1960 Kentucky Derby, Tompion finished 4th behind Venetian Way after losing his shoe.