# Who is the Greatest Briton? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 21, 2002, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-briton/133210 "2002-10-21T11:38:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Aro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@Aro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aro)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2002, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-briton/133210/61 "2002-10-23T09:57:02Z")
For the unscrupulous out there: I have no idea what percentage of votes the web site will muster compared to the phone lines, but if you were so inclined, yon can vote as many times as you wish on line, 'cause the site doesn’t track IP addresses. That is, if you cared enough to do it. (I know this 'cause it let me vote three times just now. ;)) ---
**Author:** ![everton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@everton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/everton)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2002, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-briton/133210/62 "2002-10-23T10:22:05Z")
There’s an idiot on the BBC’s own message board\* who claims to have got Michael Crawford into the list by spending three days and nights voting for him repeatedly. No doubt that’s an exaggeration (and may be a hoax of a hoax), but it shows what we may be up against. Added to **yojimbo’s** and **Go alien’s** remarks and the fact that Diana is about third, it gives me a really bad feeling about this. \*What a pile of crap that is, btw. Hundreds of rant threads with only two or three replies each at most. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2002, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-briton/133210/63 "2002-10-23T10:23:45Z")
Peter Snow gave the leader last night as Churchill with Brunell 2nd. Di was 3rd or 4th I think. The Brunell show was very good. The list of his achievements at the beginning was very impressive indeed. Like the way the show showed the real man as well as his work. A great man? Yes but was he the greatest? I don’t think so. The phone lines will blow up after the Churchill show IMO. The _Fight them on the beaches_ speech alone is good for a couple of thousand votes alone. ---
**Author:** ![Aro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@Aro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aro)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2002, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-briton/133210/64 "2002-10-23T10:28:07Z")
Oh dear. Not good. BTW, I voted on-line for my 3 favourite (different) candidates, just to be fair. But that Michael Crawford fan really is idiotic. But I’m sure that will happen on the phones too, with people who are really passionate about their candidate. I mean, the people who like Diana, _really_ like Diana. Do you really care _that_ much about Darwin / Newton / Churchill winning? Probably not. ---
**Author:** ![Aro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@Aro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aro)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2002, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-briton/133210/65 "2002-10-23T10:37:42Z")
**yojimbo** , do you think [this song](http://www.yimpan.com/Songsite/Lyric/lyric2text.asp?sid=7695) would appease the Churchill fans? I think not. I don’t think war speeches are understood, or remembered, or even considered _important_ enough to today’s MTV audience to guarantee lots of votes. To quote Bullet-Tooth Tony in Snatch…_“Never underestimate the predictibility of stupidity…,”_ ---
**Author:** ![partly\_warmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@partly\_warmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/partly_warmer)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2002, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-briton/133210/66 "2002-10-23T10:44:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Eidolon909 \* > \*\*Nelson, his last words as he is struck down by a sniper’s bullet in the spine and having been told his fleet is victorious at Trafalgar: “Now I am satisfied. Thank God, I have done my duty.” \*\* He said it all right. Said it several times just to make sure nobody missed it. (“Nelson’s Ships: A History of the Vessels in Which He Served”) Sounds like a Churchill PR move, or . . . well I don’t mean to be offensive to Nelson . . . Gen. MacArthur. ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2002, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-briton/133210/67 "2002-10-23T10:51:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by manwithaplan \* > \*\* > Nelson had his own [erection](http://www.irelandposters.com/19th_century_photos.html) in Dublin (third pic from the top) to rival Wellington’s but he got a sudden bout of [impotence](http://www.fantasyjackpalance.com/fjp/photos/kf/history/0code/nelsons-pillar.html) in 1966. \*\* Poor old Admiral Nelson is no longer in the air, Toora loora loora looraloo, On the eighth day of March in Dublin City fair, Toora loora loora looraloo, From his stand of stones and mortar, he fell crashing through the quarter, Where once he stood so stiff and proud and rude, So let’s sing our celebration, it’s a service to the nation. So poor Admiral Nelson Tooraloo. [http://www.users.bigpond.com/kirwilli/songs/Nelson\_farewell.htm](http://www.users.bigpond.com/kirwilli/songs/Nelson_farewell.htm) ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2002, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-briton/133210/68 "2002-10-23T10:54:10Z")
I always thought Nelson’s last words were “ **Kiss my hardy** ”. Or did I mishear that…? ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2002, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-briton/133210/69 "2002-10-23T11:04:03Z")
He said that after the quick peck from Hardy. Churchill would not be my no.1 by any means I still think he’s very likely to win. **Aro** I don’t think many of the MTV people you speak of will be watching/voting to be honest. My no.1 would be Darwin or Newton but I’m not going to vote as I really think it’s none of my bussiness to be honest. I’m just enjoying the TV. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Wright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Steve\_Wright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_Wright)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2002, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-briton/133210/70 "2002-10-23T12:20:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Aro \* > \*\ ***yojimbo** , do you think [this song](http://www.yimpan.com/Songsite/Lyric/lyric2text.asp?sid=7695) would appease the Churchill fans? I think not. > > * * * It’s hardly fair to Churchill, is it? Even though he was a politician through World War Two and most of World War One (apart from a spell on the Western Front), he did see military service in India, and successfully escaped from a high-security POW camp during the Boer War. The man was sixty-five when WWII broke out, I suspect he did more good in Parliament than he would have done on the front lines… ---
**Author:** ![everton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@everton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/everton)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2002, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-briton/133210/71 "2002-10-23T12:35:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Aro \* > \*\*Oh dear. Not good. > > BTW, I voted on-line for my 3 favourite (different) candidates, just to be fair. > > But that Michael Crawford fan really is idiotic. But I’m sure that will happen on the phones too, with people who are really passionate about their candidate. > > I mean, the people who like Diana, _really_ like Diana. Do you really care _that_ much about Darwin / Newton / Churchill winning? Probably not. \*\* Snowy told us we can’t multi-vote by phone, but I take your point about motivation. Pretty scary. **jjimm** Wasn’t it “Kiss my hardy, but no tongues like last time”? ---
**Author:** ![everton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@everton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/everton)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2002, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-briton/133210/72 "2002-10-23T22:46:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Go alien \* > \*\*Watched the Brunel show last night, which was rather good. After the show, he shot up to second in the polls. I fear that Di will top the poll after her show. And if the Beeb put her show on towards the end of the run, I think she’ll win it. And the world’s opinion of the intellectual ability of the British public will reach a low point from which it may never recover. \*\* FWIW, the programmes tabled to appear so far are as follows: No.1 I.K. Brunel - Tuesday 22 October No.2 Charles Darwin - Friday 25 October No.3 Diana, Pr of Wal - Tuesday 29 October No.4 Oliver Cromwell - Friday 1 November ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2002, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-briton/133210/73 "2002-10-24T00:05:47Z")
Benny Hill! ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2002, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-briton/133210/74 "2002-10-24T08:17:26Z")
I’ve never understood the export success of Mr. Hill. There is nothing ‘humourous’ I can currently think of that is less funny. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Wright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Steve\_Wright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_Wright)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2002, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-briton/133210/75 "2002-10-24T10:23:21Z")
Apparently, the Diana programme will describe, amongst other things, her “triumphs over adversity”. I can hardly imagine what this means. She had to look in two different shops to find the right shade of nail polish, perhaps? ---
**Author:** ![EggNogg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/eb8c5e/32.png) [@EggNogg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EggNogg)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2002, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-briton/133210/76 "2002-10-24T10:54:41Z")
I cant believe Jimmy Cranky has never been montioned in this. egg ---
**Author:** ![I\_am\_Sparticus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@I\_am\_Sparticus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_am_Sparticus)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2002, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-briton/133210/77 "2002-10-25T05:56:03Z")
Holy moly you Brits are loons! Issac Newton? Sure he was one of the leading scientific geniuses of all time, but he was also a horse’s ass of unbounded proportions, matching his scientific genius with rudeness and arrogance and vindictiveness. To hell with calculas, gravity, optics, etc. etc. He was insufferable. Churchill was insufferable too, but limited his boorishness to Lady Astor, which kind of makes it an asset. Shakespeare (in my old age I’m beginning to join the Marlowe school) makes a good candidate. Elizabeth I. But where the hell is John Cleese on the list?! “This parrot is dead, deceased, gone to meet its maker!” His performances in Life of Brian, any one of which deserved a knighthood, and together a small barony. “Just one thin mint!” ---
**Author:** ![Go\_alien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9d8465/32.png) [@Go\_alien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Go_alien)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2002, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-briton/133210/78 "2002-10-25T22:10:56Z")
Just watched the Darwin show. Dreadful! Andrew Marr never actualy explained what the theory of evolution was, let alone describe how it has made such an impact. There was a lot of industrious tramping across the lava fields of the Galapagos and some vague waffle around drug resistant bacteria, but nothing actually explaining a) what evolution is and b) why Darwin’s theory of it is so important. Not good, especially since he is my choice, just. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2002, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-briton/133210/79 "2002-10-25T22:30:17Z")
Fascinating discussion, from here in the colonies. I’m surprised to see the disdain for the late Princess of Wales; I was under the impression she was universally beloved. And re: the poll about people who couldn’t name any world leaders, but had soap opera stars at their fingertips: I thought only Americans were that stupid. Restores my faith in my countrymen, in a perverse way. ---
**Author:** ![Go\_alien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9d8465/32.png) [@Go\_alien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Go_alien)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2002, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-briton/133210/80 "2002-10-25T22:36:05Z")
**jsc1953** , if really want to know what some of us think of Di the Goddess, ask **Steve Wright**. C’mon Steve, get of the fence, don’t euphemise, tell us what you really think of her! My wife hates reading your comments, I love 'em! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-briton/133210.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-briton/133210.md?page=5)