# 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:** 6
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2002, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-briton/133210/101 "2002-10-30T13:27:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Aro \* > \*\*Can anyone think of a single characteristic attributable to Diana which is (was) not applicable to the Queen Mother in her hey-day? \*\* I wouldn’t have wanted to shag the QM. ---
**Author:** ![Aro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@Aro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aro)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2002, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-briton/133210/102 "2002-10-30T13:30:23Z")
You might have, if you had met her 80 years ago. You never know…😉 ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2002, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-briton/133210/103 "2002-10-30T13:39:13Z")
Hey, what about Alfred the great? ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2002, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-briton/133210/104 "2002-10-30T13:39:36Z")
[I think I’ll pass, actually](http://www.queenmother.org/images/captions/newpage19.htm). 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Aro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@Aro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aro)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2002, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-briton/133210/105 "2002-10-30T13:40:57Z")
“Hey, what about Alfred the great?” Don’t think **Jjimm** would have wanted to shag him either. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2002, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-briton/133210/106 "2002-10-30T14:24:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Aro \* > \*\*I can feel the overwhelming power of your love for the Monarchy burning me from here, **Twisty** 😉 > > (How she was treated post mortem was hardly something within her control - Blame the press instead) \*\* I actually had alot of time for Diana. She used her position to promote good causes like the Landmine trust. I only mentioned the media because I think that they are responsible for her public image, rather than anything she did herself (positive or negative). ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2002, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-briton/133210/107 "2002-10-30T15:13:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Aro \* > \*\*“Hey, what about Alfred the great?” > > Don’t think **Jjimm** would have wanted to shag him either. 😉 \*\* Actually, I’ve already [blown his stone](http://www.follies.btinternet.co.uk/blowstone.html). ---
**Author:** ![Futile\_Gesture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Futile\_Gesture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futile_Gesture)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2002, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-briton/133210/108 "2002-11-01T17:18:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Aro \* > \*\*Can anyone think of a single characteristic attributable to Diana which is (was) not applicable to the Queen Mother in her hey-day? \*\* Say what you like about the QM, but you could hardly accuse her of being an attention seeking media-grubber. ---
**Author:** ![Aro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@Aro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aro)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2002, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-briton/133210/109 "2002-11-02T15:03:26Z")
**Futile** , just like to point out the meaning of my comparison: I was merely trying to state: why would Diana be considered in the top ten Britons (ever) when many others have done the same good work as she in representing charities and promoting good causes? ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2002, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-briton/133210/110 "2002-11-02T15:23:49Z")
Re. charity, I was under the impression that she did not leave any significant chairity bequests in her will, but others may be able to prove me wrong. Heck - I just had a terrible thought. What if Margaret Thatcher had just popped her clogs - wouild she suddenly be everyone’s favourite? ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2002, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-briton/133210/111 "2002-11-05T00:56:16Z")
Don’t blame me – I voted for **Isambard Kingdom Brunel**. Brunel was my choice even before I saw his program. Apart from having a cool name, the man built all kinds of things that people said couldn’t be built – the first tunnel under the Thames, the world’s largest bridge (at the time), the world’s largest ships (and then some), the fastest railway, the Crystal Palace towers (which they didn’t mention in the program), and on and on and on. People put too much emphasis on war heroes, methinks – in many ways it’s easier to defend a nation than to build one. As for Diana, well… I suspect it’s the same thing that gets Robbie Williams’ name on the Top Ten Musicians of the Millennium list – Josquin des Pres, Farinelli and Liszt just don’t get the same degree of press coverage these days. Maybe they need better agents? ---
**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:** [November 5, 2002, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-briton/133210/112 "2002-11-05T16:26:18Z")
She’s still topping the poll. I feel nauseous. My Azerbaijani phrasebook contains such handy everyday things as _sabahiniz kheyir_ - “Good morning”; _atash achmayin_ - “Don’t shoot”; _mili tamizlama_ - “ethnic cleansing”; \*manim pulyemot oghurlanib -“my machinegun has been stolen” and _burada piyadalara qarshi minalar vardi?_ - “are there any anti-personnel mines around here?” It still sounds like a better place to live than a country which considers Princess Di the pinnacle of its national aspirations… ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2002, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-briton/133210/113 "2002-11-06T08:25:25Z")
After last night’s programme about Nelson, Diana has slipped into second place behind Brunel. I’ll repeat that if you like. The point which struck me about Nelson (currently in 7th spot) was that his position in the _menage a trois_ with the Hamiltons would almost certainly have seen him drummed out of the service in this day and age. As such, he would never have fought at Copenhagen or Trafalgar. I was pleased to see so much time devoted to the Naples incident in which he was instrumental in allowing the torture and execution of many Republicans, who thought they were to be freed under treaty. Not Nelson’s finest hour, I think. ---
**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:** [November 6, 2002, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-briton/133210/114 "2002-11-06T10:56:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Nostradamus \* > \*\*… his position in the _menage a trois_ with the Hamiltons … \*\* I think it’s important to point out at this juncture that “the Hamiltons” refers to Sir William and Lady Emma, not Neil and Christine. (You don’t want to know about the image that passed before my mind’s eye on a careless reading of **Nostradamus** ’s post … ) ---
**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:** [November 6, 2002, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-briton/133210/115 "2002-11-06T11:13:14Z")
Good to see Brunell back to No.1. The Di scare may be over. I’m totally enjoying this series. Last nights prog. while being a little OTT every now and then was very good. I like the constant images of Nelson on billboards to mirror his lust for public fame and glamour. The program later on was very good. It looked at the economic value of Nelsons navy to GB. Very interesting indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2002, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-briton/133210/116 "2002-11-06T11:40:34Z")
I agree about the effectiveness of the billboards but I found the constant imposition of Nelson’s soundbytes somewhat annoying. My apologies regarding the confusion concerning the Hamiltons. It was careless, but not mischievously so. As if Neil and Christine would entertain the possibility of a threesome. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2002, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-briton/133210/117 "2002-11-06T11:42:14Z")
Was the Nelson show the one advertised by the young, Nigella-esque presenter? If it was, the adverts were a right turn-off; I was expecting some kind of simplistic, Guy Ritchie’d version of history designed for short attention spans. ---
**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:** [November 6, 2002, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-briton/133210/118 "2002-11-06T11:47:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Crusoe \* > Was the Nelson show the one advertised by the young, Nigella-esque presenter? That’s the one. Lucy Moore is very Nigella-esque which IMO is a GREAT thing. ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2002, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-briton/133210/119 "2002-11-06T11:50:25Z")
Definitely appealing, but I did wonder if the BBC were going for the bite-sized, style-over-substance approach - “hey, if we get a young, attractive female historian it’ll bring in the lads!”. (not that all documentaries should be presented by crusty old men) ---
**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:** [November 6, 2002, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-briton/133210/120 "2002-11-06T11:56:15Z")
You may have a point as the Brunell prog hosted by Clarkson was the best so far IMO and AFAICS is a big reason why he’s doing so well. Do anyone know who’s doing the Churchill episode? That will be the clincher IMO [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-briton/133210.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-briton/133210.md?page=7)