Who is the real Legend of Davy Jones?(Not the one in Pirate Of The Caribbean)?

Question

I'm confuse about Davy Jones and his locker...And why he is so legendary?

Answer 1

Davy Jones' Locker is an idiom for the bottom of the sea — the resting place of drowned seamen. It is used as a euphemism for death at sea (e.g. to be "sent to Davy Jones' Locker")[1]; Davy Jones is a nickname (used primarily by sailors) for what would be the devil of the seas. The origins of the name are unclear, and many theories have been put forth, including incompetent sailors, a pub owner who kidnapped sailors, or that Davy Jones is another name for the devil - as in, "Devil Jonah."

The reputation has been widespread among sailors since its popularization and nautical traditions have been created around Davy Jones. He is also very popular in the broader culture.


Daniel Defoe mentions the phrase in his 1726 book "The Four Years Voyages of Capt. George Roberts": "Heaving the rest into David Jones's locker, i.e. the sea." It appears not to have yet taken on the later connotations of misfortune.

The earliest known reference to Davy Jones's negative connotation occurs in The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle by Tobias Smollett, published in 1751:

This same Davy Jones, according to sailors, is the fiend that presides over all the evil spirits of the deep, and is often seen in various shapes, perching among the rigging on the eve of hurricanes, ship-wrecks, and other disasters to which sea-faring life is exposed, warning the devoted wretch of death and woe.

He is described in the same story as having saucer eyes, three rows of teeth, horns, a tail, and blue smoke coming from his nostrils.

In 1824, Washington Irving mentions Jones's name in his "Adventures of the Black Fisherman.":

He came, said he, in a storm, and he went in a storm; he came in the night, and he went in the night; he came nobody knows whence, and he has gone nobody knows where. For aught I know he has gone to sea once more on his chest, and may land to bother some people on the other side of the world; though it is a thousand pities, added he, if he has gone to Davy Jones's locker.

The exact origin of "Davy Jones" is unclear, and many explanations have been proposed. David Jones was a pirate on the Indian Ocean in the 1630s, but most scholars agree that he was not famous enough to gain such lasting global fame. Sources have cited the British pub owner who is referenced in the 1594 song "Jones's Ale is Newe." He may be the same pub owner who supposedly threw drunken sailors into his ale locker and then dumped them onto any passing ship. He could also be Duffer Jones, a notoriously myopic sailor who often found himself overboard.

Others have suggested more supernatural meanings. Some believe the name came from Welsh sailors who would call upon Saint David for protection in times of mortal danger.[2] Some also think it is just another name for the devil. Some call him Deva, Davy or Taffy, the thief of the evil spirit. Some think Jonah became the "evil angel" of all sailors, as the biblical story of Jonah involved his shipmates realizing Jonah was an unlucky sailor and cast him overboard. Naturally, sailors of previous centuries would identify more with the beset-upon shipmates of Jonah than with the unfortunate man himself. It is therefore a possibility that "Davy Jones" grew from the root "Devil Jonah" - the devil of the seas. Upon death, a wicked sailor's body supposedly went to Davy Jones's locker (a chest, as lockers were back then), but a holy sailor's soul went to Fiddler's Green.


Davy may come from Duppy, a West Indian term for a malevolent ghost, or from Saint David, also known as Dewi, the patron saint of Wales, while Jones may have come from the prophet Jonah, whose story is considered bad luck for sailors. Some also believe that the name Davy could come from the word "Daeva" which is an evil spirit in Persian mythology that loves to cause harm and destruction.

Jones' reputation causes fear among sailors, and many refuse to discuss Davy Jones in any great detail. Not all traditions dealing with Davy Jones are fearful. In traditions associated with sailors crossing the Equatorial line, there was a "raucous and rowdy" initiation presided over by those who had crossed the line before, known as shellbacks, or Sons of Neptune. The eldest shellback was called King Neptune, and the next eldest was his assistant who was called Davy Jones.

Answer 2

Davy Jones Pirate

Answer 3

Davy Jones Locker

Answer 4

I heard the story as goes:
There once was an old fleet admiral from the Limey whose name was David something. Anyways, he took his fleet and became one of the greatest pirates ever to sail the sea. But his hordes were too large to carry on his ships even though his fleet was growing, and too many men to pay. He put his loot in the only place where it could be sound for all eternity. The ocean floor. He Changed his name to Davy Jones and went back out. Chests filled with millions in gold bullion sank forty fathoms deep. Over a hundred fine vessel, as well. As for the thousands of extra men, To the depths with them. It came to be known as Davy Jones'es Locker. Jones eventually was sunk and joined his hordes, and he himself was locked in his own locker by destiny. Whether or not you belive that is up to you. I dont know much about this other stuff

Answer 5

The legend of Davy Jones' Locker is hundreds of years old,sailors used the phrase Davy Jones Locker to refer to the bottom of the ocean.
the name likely came from Welsh sailors who would call upon St david,patron saint of Welsh sailors for protection.
When a sailor dies he goes to Davy Jones's locker if he's bad
but good one's soul go to "Fiddler's Green."

Answer 6

Davy Jones' Locker is an idiom for the bottom of the sea — the resting place of drowned seamen. It is used as a euphemism for death at sea (e.g. to be "sent to Davy Jones' Locker"); Davy Jones is a nickname (used primarily by sailors) for what would be the devil of the seas.

Origin
The earliest known reference to Davy Jones occurs in The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle by Tobias Smollett, published in 1751:

This same Davy Jones, according to the mythology of sailors, is the fiend that presides over all the evil spirits of the deep, and is often seen in various shapes, perching among the rigging on the eve of hurricanes, ship-wrecks, and other disasters to which sea-faring life is exposed, warning the devoted wretch of death and woe. [1]
He is described as having saucer eyes, three rows of teeth, horns, a tail, and blue smoke coming from his nostrils.

The term appears to have been common among sailors, as the name Davy Jones appears often in popular nautical literature.

As is common with slang, the exact origin of "Davy Jones" is hard to discover. These explanations have been proposed: [2] [3]

A pub owner named David Jones who used to incapacitate helpless drinkers in his ale locker, and send them off aboard ships.
Duffer Jones, a notoriously myopic sailor who often found himself overboard.
Davy comes from Duffy, a West Indian term for ghost, or from Saint David, also known as Dewi, the patron saint of Wales, while Jones comes from the prophet Jonah.
A euphemism for a "Devil Jonah"; Jonah being a term referring to any bad luck on the ocean.
David Jones, a pirate on the Indian Ocean in the 1630s. - Jan Rogoziński, The Wordsworth Dictionary of Pirates, Ware, Hertfordshire, 1997
Only the first theory explains the locker. The name may have originated in Wales, where David Jones is a common name.

there is another question similar to this one and i thought it might be helpful to you: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20060710141302AAYS9Db

and here's another thing that talks about davy jones: http://www.thewayofthepirates.com/pirate-life/davi-jones-locker.php
hope i could help! ;)