1970: Welcome to SEALAND | Nationwide | Voice of the People

1970: Welcome to SEALAND | Nationwide | Voice of the People | BBC Archive

Рет қаралды 19,868

Жыл бұрын

Nationwide's Bob Wellings is winched up to meet the Bates, the first family of the Principality of Sealand.
Formerly HM Fort Roughs, Sealand is a concrete and iron platform in the North Sea about seven miles off the Suffolk coast. What has drawn the family to this remote place? How does living in such an unusual environment effect their day-to-day life? What are their plans for it?
Originally broadcast 19 March, 1970.
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Пікірлер: 70

@rachelcookie321 Жыл бұрын

50 years later and Sealand still stands.

@thecaveofthedead Жыл бұрын

He was surprisingly cogent. And he was certainly right that princes and dukes are merely the descendants of gangsters whose crimes have been forgotten.

@redseventyfiveprime5018 Жыл бұрын

I vaguely remember an article stating that European nobility mostly stems from local Roman administration and people who served them. So they weren't exactly gangsters. At least, not as a rule.

@thecaveofthedead Жыл бұрын

Stems from very likely. And how did they go from that to being owners of vast estates? By imposing protection rackets on ordinary farming people while recruiting the strongest of them to join their thugs ('knights') so that they could try conquering neighbouring gangs and take over their protection rackets over peasants. Their tactics were identical to urban street gangs except that the business they were trying to seize control of was agriculture. Their family structures, showing status through conspicuous wealth, casual violence towards ordinary people around them, and violent feuds were also identical - as were their bloody succession struggles.

@user-pw4eo4vz3n Жыл бұрын

😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😮😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😮😢😢😮😢

@philippecasteleyn9327 2 ай бұрын

@@thecaveofthedead Nevertheless, I would not refuse a title. I think I earned it.

@onlyme219 Жыл бұрын

He looks like what I'd think Brian Ferry's dad would look like

@darrenedwards8433 11 ай бұрын

He is only 49 in this video. More like Bryan Ferry's son!

@finnmanproductions9240 Жыл бұрын

How extraordinary. Done in the right way with the owners co-operation, it would make a good feature film. No need to invent any extra drama - it’s all there!

@onlyme219 Жыл бұрын

This is so British, I'm English and love this, that said I don't think the legs on the rig will last forever

@vanessahawarden9028 Жыл бұрын

@only me Fully agree…deeply English. I too had considered the longevity of the the legs; apparently they were hollow, but one assumes that they became solid lower down? More investigation into the construction/engineering side of things required here!

@kittywampusdrums4963 Жыл бұрын

The legs will last long enough lol. LONG STAND SEALAND! E MARE LIBERTAS!

@ArmUkraine 4 ай бұрын

The concrete is 1/3 of a metre thick so I think it should be safe

@TheExperimentalFreak Жыл бұрын

First question they ask Mrs Bates is if she has any trouble staying glamorous...

@AtheistOrphan Жыл бұрын

Well to be fair it was 1970.

@petergivenbless900 Жыл бұрын

I would have thought her appearance spoke for itself; she reminded me of Pussy Galore from 'Goldfinger'!

@prte100 Жыл бұрын

Today they could put some solar panels, wind turbines and hydroponic gardens there and would have to be good to go with their independency

@mrgw98 Жыл бұрын

They would also need either a rain collection system or some way to convert the salt water to drinking water though too. Besides that, you'd also be able to get satalite tv, phone, and/or satellite internet to give internet and the other two as well.

@prte100 Жыл бұрын

@@mrgw98 nothing what is impossible, they even needed to manage the water situation at the time as the video was recorded ;)

@mrgw98 Жыл бұрын

@@prte100 Agreed. Though I get the feeling they had to get water delivered from shore. The part where they said the wife misses having a kitchen sink makes me think they didn't have a way to make drinking water on Sealand at the time of filming. I only mentioned that as I was adding to your list of things that are possible now and might not have been back then but are needed to make it fully independent.

@fidelcatsro6948 Жыл бұрын

a small nuclear fission reactor would provide power for next 100yrs and there plenty of sea water for reverse osmosis and reactor cooling 🐱👍🏿

@betsyrocks Жыл бұрын

1:20 So, the son Michael is also known as Master Bates?

@markhouse256 Жыл бұрын

Hahah😂

@professormcclaine5738 Жыл бұрын

OK Captain Pugwash...

@davedogge2280 Жыл бұрын

He should have declared war on Great Britain, promptly surrendered and then seeked international aid for the humanitarian crisis in Sealand for supplies of brandy and prime ocean halibut.

@onlyme219 Жыл бұрын

Yeah :)

@kittywampusdrums4963 Жыл бұрын

Lmao why halibut? What not cod!?

@tachikomakusanagi3744 Жыл бұрын

Thats would make a fine plot for a Peter Sellers film :)

@Seminal_Ideas Жыл бұрын

They seemed like a very nice couple. I hope it worked out for them. Eccentricity and gumption in the truest British tradition. I had to laugh at the end when the gentlemen from HM customs and excise were on guard waiting. When one thinks of the hordes landing our shores now facilitated by "border security".

@smellypoopoopantsthefirst8300 Жыл бұрын

It very very did much work out for them: grandkids, a rich fuffiling life full of adventure with internet companies and fights with rebels attempting to seize the mainland, features in anime and popular culture, I'd say it was all worth it in the end (btw if you are interested there are multiple up to date books on sealand including one biography of roy's son, michael

@tonbridgeroy Жыл бұрын

Cor! Mrs Bates is a bit of alright! 2:25

@garryleeks4848 Жыл бұрын

Oi oi , she’s got a gun

@McSeahorse Жыл бұрын

Prince Bates. Master of all he surveys.

@ericclaptonsrobotpilot7276 Жыл бұрын

3:29 hell yeah dude.

@scarletharlot69 Жыл бұрын

Definitely to be added to the list of Mad Majors

@seancairns6933 Жыл бұрын

Lord cairns here. Iv seen this video before but always nice to see it elsewhere

@fidelcatsro6948 Жыл бұрын

they should be around 90yrs old today

@garryleeks4848 Жыл бұрын

Watch out mrs bates has still got her gun

@davedogge2280 Жыл бұрын

@@garryleeks4848 nope Joan Bates died in 2016 aged 86 and husband Paddy Roy died in 2012.

@fidelcatsro6948 Жыл бұрын

@@davedogge2280 thank you for the update 🐱👍🏿

@rebjorn79 Жыл бұрын

Very cool. I recommend everyone read the Wiki article.

@union310 Жыл бұрын

The SBS would have that in 3 minutes

@Muttleytech Жыл бұрын

I love tight sweaters!

@mikeenright8793 Жыл бұрын

Brilliant!!! You can touch my gun but it's got one up the spout .

@professormcclaine5738 Жыл бұрын

"I'll be careful don't worry, by the way the names Bond, James Bond" ....🎵

@karalouise18 Жыл бұрын

According to the official website, Ed Sheeran's a baron of it.

@hawsrulebegin7768 Жыл бұрын

I miss the days when mad folk appeared normal.

@vanessahawarden9028 Жыл бұрын

Just wondering about water supply

@buzzofftoxicblog791 Жыл бұрын

SEA LAND. 🌊 🦭 ⛵️ 🐚

@deldirk7123 Жыл бұрын

Seagulls do well at sea or on such structures

@AtheistOrphan Жыл бұрын

Walther p.38?

@thorstenthomas7808 Жыл бұрын

Yes.

@AtheistOrphan Жыл бұрын

@@thorstenthomas7808 - Thank you.

@vanessahawarden9028 Жыл бұрын

Naturally

@macjonte Жыл бұрын

What a time document. The only questions for the wife was how to stay beautiful and if she could handle a gun. Crazy times, I’m happy we’re past that.