Hello from a History Researcher

Yes, the obligatory introductions section, but serves a good purpose - like a good, soft toilet paper - used only once but truly wonderful! "Here's to you and here's to me, may we never disagree - if perchance we ever do, here's to me and to hell with you!"
Post Reply
CSPHistorical
Greaser
Posts: 16
Joined: Fri Jun 03, 2016 4:26 pm
Contact:

Hello from a History Researcher

Post by CSPHistorical »

Hello, my name is David Fictum.
I am a researcher/historian that specializes in Colonial/Maritime/Pirate history of the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. Ever since I finished my graduate program from the Maritime Studies program at East Carolina University (in the state of North Carolina, USA), I've been writing and self publishing articles concerning the above specialization on my site "Colonies, Ships, and Pirates: Concerning History in the Atlantic World, 1680-1740" csphistorical.com . In January of this year, I published an article entitled "Salt Pork, Ship's Biscuit, and Burgoo: Sea Provisions for Common Sailors and Pirates, Part 1" https://csphistorical.com/2016/01/24/sa ... es-part-1/
The article became quite popular on my site, receiving many views as a result of google searches. I had a lot of material that I wanted to put into part 1 that I couldn't, and would probably have material that wouldn't fit into what I intended to be part 2. So I decided that it would be better to write everything into a book. Since a book would allow more room than the articles do on my site, I figured I should write either a chapter or very large subsection of a chapter (it's going to be many pages either way) on rum. My readers will probably expect significant coverage of rum.

Currently, I am trying to cover all my bases in regards to rum history. I've mined most every academic work I could get my hands on for period sources - and now I have a good collection of period accounts concerning rum and maritime alcohol. Now I am double checking and making sure that I have all the sources available and making sure I have a good understanding of period rum. One goal I have is to be able to express, in a way anyone could understand, how different rum 300+ years ago is from today's highly regulated and mainstream market rums. If you check the Scuttlebutt subforum, you will see a question I will be posting in there concerning period rum.

Anyway, Capn Jimbo invited me to this forum after I emailed him a few questions. He asked me to say a few things about myself in relation to rum. I have no experience with rum or spirits. I am a non-drinker. That also means I can't list off any likes or dislikes, and I don't have a collection to show. That is all probably shocking, considering that this is a forum of rum experts. But, I would love my first rum to be the period rum that I will ask about in the Scuttlebut subforum. To head off an obvious question that others will probably ask, I have nothing against drinking, just no alcohol ever interested me much...except period rum does now. I know I must seem like the equivalent of an albino the herd, especially considering that I spent a few years with maritime studies grad students who drank a lot (though it all worked out, when we all went to our favorite pub, I was always designated driver) and that I'm from Wisconsin.

As to what brought me the the Rum Project and Capn Jimbo, in the "Websites and Associates" section of Richard Foss' book "Rum: A Global History," Foss mentions this project.

Thank you to Capn Jimbo for the invitation, and I hope to learn a lot from this forum.
User avatar
Capn Jimbo
Rum Evangelisti and Compleat Idiot
Posts: 3550
Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2006 3:53 pm
Location: Paradise: Fort Lauderdale of course...
Contact:

Post by Capn Jimbo »

A big welcome.

Frankly I had no idea that the Project was mentioned in the mentioned book. You are in good company, as unlike any of the other faux-commercial sites, the members here were all hand selected for their true love of rum, their sincere interest but most important, for their dedication to purity and honesty in rum.

Up spirits!
mamajuana
Admiral
Posts: 231
Joined: Sun Nov 16, 2014 12:41 pm
Location: Buffalo

Post by mamajuana »

Here is a online link to the shout out in the book.

https://books.google.com/books?id=tRkjG ... ct&f=false
CSPHistorical
Greaser
Posts: 16
Joined: Fri Jun 03, 2016 4:26 pm
Contact:

Post by CSPHistorical »

[quote="mamajuana"]Here is a online link to the shout out in the book.

https://books.google.com/books?id=tRkjG ... ct&f=false[/quote]

Thanks for the suggestion. I already have that one, in fact it's how I found this group!
RobBosman87
Greaser
Posts: 13
Joined: Thu Apr 14, 2016 10:12 am
Location: Dublin, Ireland

Post by RobBosman87 »

Hi David, quite an interesting topic you picked to research.
And guess you are now the forums designated driver. :lol:
Cheers,

Rob
Post Reply