The Dutch Wind

Sometimes a Dutch wind blows in London. Not that I ever noticed, but this is one of the oddities I’ve learned from the incomparable Norman Murphy in his magnificent book ‘One Man’s London’.

Murphy doesn’t actually call it the Dutch wind, but ‘the wind of the Dutchman,’ and it’s not about a blowing wind, but a weather vane. Specifically, he refers to to the weather vane on top of the roof of Banqueting Hall. This is all that remains of the palace that once stood between modern-day Parliament and Trafalgar Square, and that burnt down at the end of the seventeenth century.

In 1688, the English parliament had enough of the antics of the then King James II. Initially, the fact that he was Catholic was seen as a temporary problem, because there was no heir to the throne. However, when James had a son in the summer of 1688, at the age of 51, the political leaders decided that their king had to be dealt with quickly.

That is why an official request was sent to the Netherlands in the summer of 1688. The ruler there, William III, promised to come and restore order. This must have caused some difficult discussions, because James II was his father-in-law. William was also a first cousin of the English king, through his mother Mary.

Anyway, James II knew what to expect. After all, the Dutch fleet was superior to that of the English at the time. His only hope was that the crossing from Holland depended on the right wind. Only if there was an easterly wind, would William and his army be able to make the journey to England.

The wind in the UK blows mainly from the west. Murphy describes how James spent each morning for three months looking out of his window at Whitehall Palace at the weather vane on Banqueting Hall. To his great satisfaction, the vane arrow didn’t move and he could go about his day as usual.

In early November the wind changed and William landed with his army on the English south coast. He quickly conquered the country in what the English call ‘The Glorious Revolution’. James II fled to Paris.

The weather vane still adorns Banqueting Hall. It has recently been given a new lick of gold paint, which makes it sparkle when the sun shines. The wind still blows mainly from the west, but sometimes there is an easterly wind. That is the Dutch wind. It is often a bit chilly. But now that I know where the name comes from, it gives me a warm feeling.