The Adventures of William Hall, VC
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- Опубликовано: 9 фев 2025
- One extraordinary illustration of the breadth and diversity of the British empire is the fact that the first Black man to be awarded the Victoria Cross was a Canadian child of former American slaves fighting in India. The History Guy recalls a story of adventure in the Age of Empire. The adventures and life of William Hall is history that deserves to be remembered.
This is original content based on research by The History Guy. Images in the Public Domain are carefully selected and provide illustration. As very few images of the actual event are available in the Public Domain, images of similar objects and events are used for illustration.
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All events are portrayed in historical context and for educational purposes. No images or content are primarily intended to shock and disgust. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Non censuram.
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Script by THG
#history #thehistoryguy #victoriacross
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Thank you for bringing the story of my fellow Nova Scotian to light. It would interest you to know Sir, that the 4th Arctic Offshore Patrol ship, currently being built here in Nova Scotia for the RCN is to be named HMCS William Hall.
🇨🇦
I didn't know that.
It is fitting and appropriate.
The Nova Scotians' treatment of their black community was, sadly, less than lovely.
Read the history of Africville .... not pretty.
Hoping for a better future.
That's awesome!
@@Ellesmere888 I was going to mention this. As a white Canadian, I find it sad that blacks and natives have been, and still are to some extent, treated with negative racial bias. Maybe someday when one person looks at another, they will see a person, not the color of their skin.
@@ArchFundy : Amen.
William Halls story is a story worthy of telling. I am a proud Scottish Canadian. My family is from Nova Scotia via Massachusetts (United Empire Loyalists) and Scotland.. My family has always been proud of Williams story. He is a legend in Nova Scotia. If the film industry had any kind of sense they would make a film of his life. He was a unique man with a storied past. You have done him a great justice by telling his story. I believe his story is inspiring regardless of race or skin colour. Again thank you
You will probably wait in vain for a film of his life. On one hand, he was black, which is a big plus today, BUT, he got his VC by fighting on the wrong side in a British imperialist battle, at least that would be the takeaway of the SJW cancel culture. Those are the people who make films. Look how quickly Sir John A MacDonald went from revered Canadian hero to despicable genocidal racist.
@@clark9992 Cry more.
@@iatsd No, no, you first. I insist.
The "BLM" crowd would burn down the theatre and ask the Biden govt to pay for the rebuilding.
@@joezephyr Better than being randomly shot by right wing extremist gun nutters.
I am really glad that Mr Hall's Victoria Cross does not form part of a rich man's collection as many but is on display in Canada where it belongs. in Halifax's Maritime Museum of the Atlantic
couldn't agree more.
Kerry Stokes is an Australian businessman who has bought at least two VC Medals, one for $1million. He promptly donates them to the Australian War Memorial.
If you're referring to Lord Ashcroft, almost his entire private collection, comprising more than 10% of all VCs ever awarded, is on public display at the Imperial War Museum, in a gallery which Ashcroft himself financed. Rich people who own VCs tend not to hide them away selfishly, but to protect and cherish them while making them accessible to the public.
I am a Nova Scotian Bluenose ... and grew up on the story of "Billy Hall" ... my cousin on my mother's side, Chipman John Kerr, won the Victoria Cross himself, had met Hall in his youth, and saw William Hall as his personal hero ... Nova Scotians as a whole, take great pride in this man ... !!
Your presentations echo those of my 12th grade teacher. He would say: "Don't worry about dates and places...they just set the framework. Concentrate on the causes and results of people's thoughts and actions...that's the real meat of history!". You've demonstrated that a hundred fold...Thanks!
I will remember that!
took me till college to figure that out.
...same with my former history-teacher, Mr.Wolf...(R.i.P.)
...the only history-teacher i know who appologized when we had to memorize a number or two...!
You had a true teacher then how fortunate for you. Too many fail to understand that teaching isn’t about regurgitation of things but that they should make whatever they are teaching come to life in the students’ minds.
If my history teacher were that good in high school, I wouldn't have dropped history class.
I hate having to remember dates though I am good with place names. I absolutely love learning 'the meat' of history on my own though
That was terrific! I specialised in British Empire for my degree but I never came across William Hall. A first-class production!
I worked at a public library in Arkansas and ran across a young lady getting a degree in Southern history and had never heard of Whites leaving the South for Brazil after the Civil War and making their home there.
I currently live about half an hour from where Frederick William Hall lived, hes a strong sense of Nova Scotian pride for those who remember. Now more people shall!
Canada 🇨🇦
Yá der boi havin a time up in here. Wheelies. Hortons original. Burning down the fort.
Duke of Cornwall : "Hey there's a chap over there, wearing a VC. Good day sir and how are you today?"
William Hall : "Now about this pension......."
In fairness...no other medal in the Empire/Commonwealth entails a pension. Also, it is for identifying for the press to print negative comments about a VC recipient and even were one condemned to death, they would be allowed to wear it upon the gallows.
Keep in minds that, while perhaps not enough for a family to live off of, 10 pounds per year was certainly not a trivial amount 120 years ago. The median wage in the UK was around 40 pounds per year at that time.
@@88porpoise He got L10 for the VC and L40 for his regular pension so, L50 a year. Plus he owned his own farm, so compared to the typical English working man he was sitting pretty.
Good point, but how much would L10 (or the L40) buy in Canada at that time ?
How do you make historical comparison of money ? Purchasing power or average wages ?
@@jakedee4117 Most things that entered into the everyday life of the lower classes were cheaper in Canada, especially things like food, fuel, housing. Imported goods were somewhat higher. Travellers noticed that the poor and working class were significantly better off in the US and Canada.
I hated history in school, because it was just some exhausted teacher droning dates in a monotone...until an incredible substitute teacher from Stanford University showed up and, because it was the 60s, she was on fire about black history. She made the entire class get up during a lecture on slave shipping and made us squeeze into the same space slaves would occupy for 20 minutes to get an idea of how cramped and terrifying it would have been. We were laughing and jostling for a few minutes and then it became really uncomfortable, then unbearable. Two guys started shoving, one girl started crying. She told us to go back to our seats, didn't say anything, just let us sit and think about it. That was a minute that changed my entire life. I could not get enough history after that, spent hours reading, looking into the past, searching out 1st person memoirs...
One person who brought to life for just a moment what it meant to be a person of that color, in that time and place. I wish I knew who she was so I could tell her that she influenced me more than any other person in my life...
I loved history as a kid, but hated how the school taught it. From school, I can remember only one thing, from the beginning of 9th grade history. "First throw tin into a hopper, then make bronze by adding copper." Other than that I remember nothing from school, but I remember quite a bit from reading and listening to the older people and WWII vets.
I was lucky to have a passionate history teacher who lived and breathed the subject. He taught us that history is not about kings and queens, battles and treaties, or even about great events. It's about humanity. It's about *people*.
I was just the opposite... I couldn't get enough of history when I was in grade school. When I was 9, my parents and I vacationed in the area of Kingston Ontario and I can remember going on a tour of Fort Henry there. That did it for me. I loved that trip and was an ardent history student after that. @christine paris - I think that substitute teacher did you a favor in teaching you about black history and doing that exercise of being forced into cramped spaces. That was a good teacher.
I had the opposite, my history teacher was a sadistic bastard. I did not enjoy reading about history until my 30s.
The right teachers bring history to life. My favorite teachers were always the history teachers because they actually cared about what they were teaching (and I was lucky to have them).
I'm 65 and love learning history!!
As a canadian soldier i have always been in awe of Halls work
Well I'm a black Brit and October is Black History month in UK and I've never heard of this chap. Thank you.
Never even realized the UK has a Black History month ... there must be some FASCINATING stuff discussed. Thanks for drawing my attention to this!
If you ever get the chance to go to Trafalgar Square in London and look at the base of Nelson’s Column on the mural depicting his death in the background you will see a black man. The Victorian obviously recognised the number of coloured people serving on their ships. Nelson also realised the significance of having good sailors and didn’t go for the press-gang type of sailor.
Nova Scotia Proud! 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 Ben Jackson was another interesting Nova Scotia from around the same area as William Hall!
The VC is the only medal that ANY rank of commonwealth soldier, airmen, or naval personnel must salute. Even if it's the Chief of defense for the Canadian Military and the person wearing the VC is as low as a pte. He must salute. As it's the highest order or medal of you will.
Not many people live to receive their VC. usually you did to receive that honour.
It is said that is the same of the Medal of Honor, but in actuality it is just a courtesy.
@@tygrkhat4087 I'm an ex RCAF member. It is not CFAO or in the QRO But it is what you'd say an "unwritten rule" get caught and ANY rank not saluting....your career will be over. That's how I learnt it.
Ex CPO1 here. This is an unwritten rule set deep in tradition for all 3 environments within the Canadian Forces.
Died
Thank you History Guy.. What an uplifting and brilliant story..I am in Rayong, Thailand and am saying "Thank you" to William Hall.
Growing up in Halifax Nova Scotia I learned of William Hall VC in school. As a Sea Cadet we had his picture on our quarter deck next to the Queen and Admiral Nelson our corps namesake. The next time I came across William Hall was at the Royal Military College of Canada, all the Canadian Victoria Cross recipients pictures with history lined the main hallway. We had to present one of the recipients stories to our classmates. I choose William Hall. I loved your presentation of him.
WOW! Just blows me away what some people did back in those days. I have hardly ever ventured beyond the midwest,, and yet as a very young man he had been all over the world. Funny how life takes each of us down different paths. Thanks for a great episode!
Louis L'Amour was one of the last of this generation of young men who just traveled the world ... because .... These days we depend on a few "travel writers" and get our world travel vicariously through the internet.
Come to think of it, I guess things haven't changed so much (thinking of Marco Polo here...)
I don’t believe Hollywood could come up with a more fascinating story.
Now that's a fact.
Denzel.....your next movie awaits!
Nope. They will do their best to screw it up though.
Hollywood would include a white savior trope.
@@thejudgmentalcat Haha yeah let's follow the life of the guy that recommended him for the vc instead and call it "more Glory."
That is some research and has had me glued to the screen, what an epic journey this man had. Thank you for enlightening me.
Your unflinching telling of this mans extraordinary life is refreshing in today's need to explain and soften history for those of a fragil intellect.
William Hall now has a Royal Canadian Navy arctic patrol ship named after him. RIP
Thank you for featuring William Hall. He was an amazingly brave and ambitious man worth remembering.
Bravo William Hall!
Bravo HG for unearthing this amazing story!
The Canadian navy's Gun Run competition has the William Hall VC trophy as its prize.
Good morning from Washington DC thank you for archiving forgotten history
One of those 24 is buried about 100 yards away from me as I type this.
Good morning everyone from Ft Worth TX
Sa town
William Sanders
Good afternoon (12:10pm) from Cumbria NW England
Have a nice day.
Its raining heavily today
good evening from Aust.
@@somethingelse4878 Raining here in North Texas too. 52° Fahrenheit. Landed in London once at Heathrow for brief fuel stop. Sailed through the English Channel in 1995 on USS Whidbey Island LSD 41enroute to the Fjords of Norway.
@tripp harris My father kept his airplanes at old Blue Mound airport in the 60s through early 80s. I live in Watauga.
Perfect story for the times.... poverty,race or ethnicity should not be an excuse for not having any ambitions to better ourselves..... thank you for remaining relevant.
Another great story worthy of a movie. Almost unbelievable bravery and fortitude , a true hero.
And perhaps misplaced loyalty
Great to see a bunch of people from Nova Scotia commenting on this mini-documentary.
Thanks, History Guy, for sharing your historical knowledge. I always learn some interesting new bit of information from your videos.
Outstanding story, which needs to be remembered. Thanks!
Thanks for the fantastic presentation. I also appreciate your objective and brief analysis of the Sepoy Mutiny.
I hope that you can do a piece on this topic.
Thanks again for bringing out of obscurity REAL noteworthy vignettes of exceptional people doing what is called for.
William Hall lived an epic life. Thank you for posting.
what an incredible story. Thank You History Guy for enlightening and entertaining learning sessions
You never fail to stimulate me! What a fascinating story! William Hall's life, as you told it, gave me an opportunity to do something I love to do: travel the world! I do not have to physically go somewhere to go somewhere! Reading or listening to a story can and does take me to the four corners of the world! Thank you!
Bravo!!
I wonder how many other 17 yos watch this great channel
Not as many as should watch it.
Not many they're to busy trying to figure out where to set or stand to pee
Probably not enough.
Forward it to your friends and enemies.
FYI there is a memorial cairn right next to the church that is shown in the drawing of Hantsport. Also the Royal Canadian Legion in Hantsport is named Lucknow. I thank you for presenting this important piece of history and look forward to more.
Coffee and the history guy, life is good.
Another interesting & enjoyable drive to work.
Reminds me of your piece about the Maroons.
Good morning from Newcastle UK
I live next to Preston Cemetery down in North Shields. One of the 24 VC recipients on that day is buried there.
@@alexcrawford6162 Good afternoon from South Shields. At least three viewers from Geordieland, it just shows the international appeal of the History Guy.
The relief of Lucknow and the story around William Hall would make a great movie.
No. Hollywood would re-write the story to fit their political narrative.
@@howtubeable they would make him white.
Yes, an uplifting story of one man who rises above disadvantage, earns the praise and respect of royalty, and lives out his retirement in comfort and dignity. A life that spans a fascinating era in North American (and world) history. It would require a brave (and rich) filmmaker to include naval and land warfare with Mexicans, British, Russians, Chinese and Indians, in multiple periods and locations. Oh, and the hero wins his medal for blasting holes in a mosque in order to rescue a bunch of privileged imperialists. If there's some serious love interest, good music, a superhero AND aliens, that movie might just succeed!
Thanks for doing this in October...and not waiting until Feb 2021...
Wait ... a sea story with no pirates?
What manner of scuttlebutt is this??
...
Another unknown, yet excellently presented, bit of history, THG.
Maybe they were land pirates? The Indian subcontinent did have the Thuggee ...
What an extraordinary and inspiring man! This is one of my favorite episodes! Thank you to the history guy for what you are doing to preserve history and educate the masses, it is so very important! I am so grateful that you chose to share your passion with us! Each and every episode is just as entertaining and enlightening as the last!!
Another great story from one of history's greatest storytellers. Thanks
Thank you History Guy! Your channel is much appreciated!
First!
I love your channel by the way. I am pretty certain ive been through your entire library. Keep up the good work!
Oh yes, good morning from Oklahoma!
Thank you for being a fan!
Excellent history about William Hall. What a hero and sailor, serving in both the British and U.S. Navy. Only the History Guy could find these fascinating pieces of history. Excellent job history guy.
You could do a video of each person getting an Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship named for them. Lt Robert Hampton Gray VC has the rare honour of a monument in Japan.
Bravo! Another episode of incredible research. Do not know how you and Ms.H.G. get it all done but glad that you do!!
What a born sailor! He was amazing!! I'm sure that growing up in Nova Scotia would have helped form his love of the sea, however, it is clear from his history that he probably would have ended up happily aboard ship regardless. Beautiful!!!!
Only one thing rankles. This man should have, at least, captained his own ship. If his abilities are even moderately well recorded, he probably should have been an Admiral.
Interestingly enough there had been precedent for Black officers in the Royal Navy…would have been great if he could have gotten Royal Commission and become an officer!
My head spun around many times just trying to follow along. William Hall is a Giant among men.
Thank you for another awesome video on a subject not well known but needs to be remembered about this honorable Man
What a fascinating time that must have been!
Good morning thanks from southern Illinois
A great tribute to one crazy man that just wanted to succeed. He deserves to be remembered. Thank you sir for sharing something that is lacking in this world, knowledge.
just an amazing snippet of history, never heard this story before, but sure I will remember it. Thank you
Glad you enjoyed it
Wow this was a fantastic video! I had never heard about this story and it makes me proud to be Canadian hearing the amazing story of William Hall.
Thanks so much for this one. Hearing stories about my Country that I know nothing about is always terrific.
This video was uploaded a year ago, but I work at the museum close to William Hall's birthplace in Hantsport, Nova Scotia. We hold many sources regarding him, as well as replicas of his medals! Feel free to respond if you want me to send you any pictures or scans!
He sounds like one tough cookie! and a handsome one at that! He exemplifies what what made the British empire great, and highlights some of the reasons it fell, a fascinating story that asks more questions than it answers, but that's the way we like our stories here! I'll bet he could tell a few himself!
Thanks for that, Always my favourite way to drink my morning coffee, a little inspiration for the day ahead!
I met a black man in1989 that was part American Indian. He served in WW1 and WW2 the story's he shared. Frank was an amazing gentleman and my pleasure to have known him.
Absolutely fascinating. Thank you.
Watching your channel has made me history smarter. I wish I had known some of this before like 50 years before. Never mind, I’ve learned it now, and I’m just as happy as I would’ve been 50 years ago! I would really love to meet you! I can almost guarantee, I would bend your ear for at least three hours.
Another wonderful episode.
Here is another Story Worth Retelling, that of Sargent William Harvey Carney.
Fascinating information told with an amazing delivery.
Once again another great story from history that needs to be remembered.
Canadians keep showing up all over history , often in unexpected places. Thanks Brian 80
An amazing life. I had an opportunity to meet many of today’s Nova Scotians from Hall’s roots. Fine folks. Proud Canadians.
Thank you for another glimpse into forgotten history.
I so enjoy my amazement at what great people can do in one lifetime. Thank you
The British Navy was the world's first equal opportunity employer. They'd shanghai anyone....!
A compelling tale. Very intriguing. Thank you.
Good afternoon from Amsterdan. The Netherlands.
Proost!🍁🍻
Was supposed to have visited Amsterdam in early 1995 on USS Whidbey Island LSD 41
@@williamsanders5066 Served with the Dutch Royal Military Police (Koninklijke Marechaussee) and went on Shore Patrol with US MP when a naval unit visited our harbours. US sailors could drink, but the Scandinavians were the limit!
Beautiful national anthem.
Enlightening as usual. Thank you.
Thank you for another great story of human history. Always enjoyable.
Thank you for this. I have yet to see or hear this story told as well here in Canada. His VC has a blue ribbon instead of the crimson ribbon most associated with the VC. It was because he was in the RN when he was awarded it. As a Black Navy Vet, he's been a bit of a hero to me all these years. Love your other videos as well, can't wait to see more. Cheers!! :D
As a British Army veteran, I never knew about this story. Thank you very much. I have much respect for Canadians as well as black people (excuse the expression). RIP William Hall.
Fascinating, it should be made into a movie or movies. Just as a great story as the defense of Rork's Drift
That is a hell of a story. I'm impressed by both the subject as well as the presentation. Good form sir.
Thank you so much for your content!! Better than any history class I have ever had
As being a Nova Scotian, I hold William Hall as a hero and an exceptional Canadian.
WOW what a remarkable warrior. We need to know more about such wonderful examples of honor, and loyalty.
Good morning from Boston, Massachusetts
Good morning. Almost went to school there. Still regret that I didn't.
Great story, as so often completely new to me. Thanks, keep it up.
Great content as always.
William Neilson Hall, VC was my maternal great grandmother, Georgina (Williams) Tomlinson's 1st cousin. Their mothers, Lucinda "Lucy" (Johnson) Hall and Charlotte (Johnson) Williams respectively were sisters.
My paternal uncle (through marriage) Vernol Ethelwood Braithwaite Sr was the President of the Royal Canadian Legion William Hall , VC Branch 57 in Halifax, Nova Scotia for many years.
VC winners are invariably humble, believing their heroic action was simply part and parcel of fulfilling their expected duty. Well done.
I've noticed a rich history of African American Canadian ppl in NS and although today is very small but still have done internet research on it, and I find it interesting and something to be proud of
Definitely this is history that should be remembered.
As always a well researched, well told interesting story from world history, thanks HG.
Good Morning THG from the Rockies 💙 Excellent!!!
I am so glad I found your channel
Amazing life story. Please do more episodes like this.
More of this please
I'm a proud Nova Scotian and you have honored his memory and Legacy. Thank you so much.
Another great doco. Thanks THG.
Perhaps you could look at Sidney Kidman. A great Australian pastoralist who acquired as much land to cover the equivalent of 2/3rds of NSW and opened up much of the Australian interior. An amazing man.
WOW a very oppertunistic man. Something that couldn't happen today. Very interesting thanks again.