British Royal Navy officer Richard Grindall’s combined knife and fork made of steel and ivory, European, c. 1795-1820. Grindall lost use of his right arm after being wounded in 1795 while fighting the French and afterwards used this combined knife and fork to eat. [2832×4256]
by chubachus
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“Sir Richard Grindall (1751-1820) was a captain and later a Vice-Admiral in the British Royal Navy. He began his career sailing with Captain Cook on Cook’s second voyage (1772-75). Grindall lost his right arm in action in 1795 during fighting in the French Revolutionary War. He used this combined knife and fork to eat.
The loss of his arm did not stop Grindall serving in the navy – he later fought at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 under Lord Nelson. Curiously, Nelson also had a combined knife and fork tool named after him. The so-called Nelson knife was used by generations of one armed ex-servicemen and is still available today.”
Source: Wellcome Collection.
That’s a pie fork, just learned they exist recently. And it’s made for exactly the reason he was using it. The *very idea* of using two hands to eat a pie, I never-
Interesting pre-spork cutlery. But this Knork looks best suited for use in the right hand. Who am I to say though?
“you want to know how I get these scars?”
Roald Dahl’s father also did this.