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Nelson Society of Australia Inc.

Newsletter

April 2016

Program of Events

Wednesday 11th May 12pm “Colonel Despard” by David Agostini

South Perth Yacht Club, South Perth

Wednesday 13th July 12pm Talk at Rosie O’Grady’s, Fremantle by Richard Savage

on the 2nd series of Nelson’s ships.

Wednesday 14th Sep t 12pm Speaker and venue to be announced later

Sunday 16th Oct. 12pm Trafalgar Memorial Lunch at Victoria League Shenton Park

Friday 4th Nov. 7pm Pickle Night at Wings Room RAAFA Bull Creek

Monday 5th Dec. 7pm End of year event . Details to be announced later

Nelson, Painted by Simon De Kosta

Number 39

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I have pleasure in presenting my report on the Society’s

activities since our last AGM in March last year:

The ensuing twelve months have seen a significant change in

your Society’s activities but all was overshadowed by the death

of our Founder and Honorary Life President,

Graham Perkins, on Wednesday November

18th, at the grand age of 94. Graham not only

founded the Nelson Appreciation Society - as

it was originally styled - in March 2001, but

in addition to running it almost singlehanded

for the first couple of years, was a tireless

supporter of the Nelson Society of Australia

(Inc.) - as it was to become – right up to the

end, and his knowledge of all things Nelson

was only exceeded by his enthusiasm. As I

said in my short Valedictory in the last

newsletter, “…without Graham’s enthusiasm

and drive, the Nelson Society of Australia

would long since have ceased to exist...”

He was farewelled by a large congregation of family and friends,

including many Society members, at his funeral in Mandurah on

Friday 27th November. He will be sadly missed by us all, and

from a personal perspective, I will miss our frequent chats and

his wise counsel .

In May we had the first of our informal lunchtime meetings, on

this occasion at Rosie O’Grady’s in Fremantle, where Rob

O’Connor gave us a very interesting short talk on the court

martial and execution of Admiral Sir John Byng. In an

encouraging start to the new meeting format, Rob’s talk was

well attended with probably the largest gathering of members

and guests - as well as several members of the general public -

that we have seen in years.

Richard Savage followed up in July with the first in a series of

talks about Nelson’s ships, again at Rosie O’Grady’s and then in

September, we held a lunchtime meeting at the South of Perth

Yacht Club, courtesy of David Agostini, who is a member there

and who gave us some interesting insights into his family

connections with Nelson through the Sucklings.

Then in October, we again joined with the Victoria League to

commemorate the Battle of Trafalgar with a lunch at their

Shenton Park headquarters, on Sunday 18th October.

The end of October also witnessed the marriage of two of our

Committee members, Gillian Mead and Richard Savage, on a

lovely sunny Saturday afternoon in South Fremantle.

NSA AGM Chairman Mike Sargeant’s Report– Monday 21st March 2016

Our Pickle Night Supper was held on Friday 6th

November at the RAAFA Estate at Bull Creek and

although numbers seem to be slowly decreasing each

year, yet a good time was had by all who attended

what has now become our longest

running annual event, and our thanks

have to go to Bob Woollett and his

committee – Bob has been the

driving force behind every Pickle Night

since its inception in 2001.

We finished the year with an informal

Christmas get together at the home of

Betty & John Foster, where Betty

showed us their extensive collection of

memorabilia, including “Orion’s” Paying

-Off Pennant, and then started the New

Year with a small gathering at St

Michael’s Church in Mount Pleasant on

Sunday 10th Jan. to commemorate Nelson’s Funeral

and the burial of our Time Capsule, ten years ago.

We completed the year’s activities with our annual

picnic on Monday 8th February, which was as usual,

one of the hottest days of the summer, but

nonetheless enjoyable in the comparatively cool

evening breeze on Wireless Hill. During the year, the

winner of the Sword of Excellence for 2015 was

announced – he was Lieutenant Commander Aditi

Khanna RAN - although we have heard nothing

further about when the Sword is likely to be

presented, or indeed of the presentation to the 2014

winner, Lieutenant Nicholas Graney. Nevertheless it is

pleasing to note that Navy has now caught up with the

backlog; at least the announcement of each annual

award is now being made in the year in which

it occurs and I get the impression that the Sword of

Excellence is regaining some of the importance and

regard in which it was held by RAN in earlier years.

This is particularly gratifying in view of the fact that the

Sword of Excellence Award is probably the most

significant thing that the Nelson Society of Australia

has contributed in its fifteen years of existence.

All Committee members have re-nominated for office

in the coming year for which I am extremely grateful,

but there will be a rotation of some of the positions.

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Richard Savage, who has served on Committee for the last ten

years, six of them in what I consider to be the most important role

in the Society - that of Secretary – has decided to relinquish that

office, and I should like to acknowledge Richard’s contribution and

his enthusiasm and industry over the years. As Secretary, he has

been a tower of strength and, incidentally, has been performing a

similar function for the Australia Britain Society for a number of

years as well. He is now retiring to the backbenches so to speak,

as will his new bride, Gillian, who is stepping down as Minutes’

Secretary but both will remain active Committee members.

At the AGM Graham Chapman was

presented with a Nelson Medallion

by Mike Sargeant as a thank you

for his being a standard bearer at so

many of the Nelson Society’s formal

functions over the years.

He was also given a certificate of

recognition for his good work.

Lunch following the AGM

“The Russians seem to be more interested in taking ports in the Mediterranean

than destroying Bonaparte in Egypt”

Nelson December 1798

The securing of Mediterranean ports had been a goal of Russian leaders for centuries, and Nelson recognised that ongoing

reality to his theatre of operations. His brief observations in his report to St Vincent was another piece of evidence proving that his

grasp of strategic issues went beyond his immediate duties.

Comment by Joseph F Callo from his book ‘Nelson Speaks’

My grateful thanks to them both and my thanks also to David

Agostini who has nominated for the position of Secretary.

We owe a great debt of gratitude to all Committee members

for their devotion to Society affairs, because without them

we wouldn’t have a Society, I mentioned earlier, when

paying tribute to out late Founder, that Graham was largely

responsible for the longevity the Nelson Society of

Australia, but I think Richard should also share some of that

responsibility. In closing, I must also give my thanks to our

Patron, David Orr, who despite declining health continues to

support your Society. Mike Sargeant

At the AGM

Nothing much has changed in 200 years

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This cannon ball from HMS ‘Victory’ originally belonged to the Ship’s surgeon, Dr Beatty, and was then passed down through the

family. The mahogany part of the pedestal comes from the Spanish prize and the oak section from the mainmast of the ‘Victory’ .

The silver plaque conveying this information was made from a Spanish dollar.

Another find on The Antique Road Show

This bust-length depiction of Emma Hamilton as Joan of Arc may well be all that remains of Romney’s original whole-length painting of this subject (dimensions unknown) that was begun by Romney in 1791 and never finished. The picture remained in the artist’s possession and was included in his posthumous studio sale in 1807. The work is first mentioned in a letter in the summer of 1791 from Romney to his friend and biographer William Hayley (1745-1820) in which the artist discusses his plans to paint two Joan of Arc subjects, one depicting her with a torch in her hand. Why Romney’s original canvas might have been cut down is unknown but it seems possible that it could have been altered by a dealer, probably sometime in the 19th century, who wanted to make the picture more easily marketable. In the early 20th century, Ward and Roberts described the present painting as unfinished and as depicting Joan in blue and yellow drapery, with her right arm raised over her head; they concluded that it was probably all that remained of Romney’s original. Though clearly not in the same state as it was when Ward and Roberts described it, Alex Kidson points out that this is likely due to the work having undergone different courses of repainting and reworking in its complex history. What remains undisputedly by Romney’s hand is the very fine head, which still displays the artist’s original paint handling. As Kidson points out, “Certainly Emma’s head itself, with its striking expression of heroic idealism, accords with Hayley’s description of it as ‘one of the finest, that he ever painted from the features of his

favourite model.”

Portrait of Emma Hamilton as Joan of Arc

by George Romney.

It sold in January 2016 for $93,750.00 US

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In this unfinished head-and-shoulders portrait of Nelson in profile, he is in Vice–

Admiral’s undress uniform, 1795-1812, and wears the riband of the Order of the

Bath. Done from life, the original sketch is claimed to be one of the portraits that

Nelson thought a close likeness. He is shown with weather-beaten skin, grey hair

fashioned in a queue and he stares fixedly ahead with his sound (grey) left eye. The

loosely sketched background suggests clouds. His initial portrait was probably

made for Lady Hamilton a few days before he sailed for Denmark. This version is

thought to have been made for Nelson’s sister Susannah. The Dutch painter Simon

de Koster was born at Middleburg. He studied at the Academy there and afterwards

became a pupil of Thomas Gael. In 1788 he came to London and became a portrait

painter, remaining there until his death. A posthumous copy of this portrait was

made by the painter John Whichelo, who also produced the last authentic portrait

of Nelson. George Cruikshank was among the artists who engraved this portrait,

and a collection of silhouettes in the British Museum is also based on it and related

drawings, It was also used as the basis for an engraving used for the medallions and brooches manufactured after Trafal-

gar. The painting was acquired from the collection of Frances Girdlestone, the great-great niece of Susannah, Nelson’s

eldest sister. An oil copy of it was also made for Frances in 1935.

This long bust-length portrait of Nelson in Vice-Admiral's undress uniform, painted between 1795-1812, shows him

wearing a hat and has previously mistakenly been stated to relate to Keymer's por-

trait at Great Yarmouth, for which Nelson sat at the Wrestlers Inn between 6 and 11

March 1801, when in the 'St George' as second-in-command to Sir Hyde Parker, before

their departure for the Baltic and the ensuing Battle of Copenhagen. However, that

portrait (now in the Nelson Museum, Great Yarmouth) shows Nelson hatless and in

full dress but facing to the front. Keymer gave this portrait, after Trafalgar, to the

Society of Friends, a private Yarmouth club of which he was a member. It was then

put in the elaborate frame which still holds it and hung in the room used by the club in

a Yarmouth inn. It was subsequently put in a panelled room (called the Nelson Room)

in the old Star Hotel after the club followed the landlord there, but from about 1907 it

was moved to Yarmouth Town Hall. (The panelling of the room itself was sold to

America in about 1913 and remained unused until 1966 when it was acquired and

re-erected in the Metropolitan Museum, New York). The present painting is noted in

the NMM 'Preliminary Catalogue' of 1961 as a study for a more finished version, then

in the collection of Captain D.H.C. Cooper RN at Windlesham. Despite the fact that it shows Nelson as Vice-Admiral (which

he became on1st January 1801) it is possibly based on a sketch Keymer may have done when he saw Nelson on his return

to England at Yarmouth in late 1800, since there is reason to believe from the Society of Friends minute books that he was

briefly in their company at the Wrestlers Inn on 6-8 November while he and the Hamiltons were staying there. Nelson also

left with Keymer one of the versions of the Guzzardi portrait that he brought home in order to make a copy. This was then

very rapidly engraved by John Young and published on 8 December 1800.

It is well recorded that Keymer was not happy with Guzzardi's portrait and, in the following March, while the fleet was

preparing to leave for the Baltic, persuaded Nelson to sit for the one that remains at. Although it is in fact of similar quality

to the Guzzardi and Keymer’s study is at least less stilted and more natural. For some reason not yet clarified, neither it,

nor the finished version already mentioned, is included in Richard Walker's generally comprehensive catalogue of 'Nelson

Portraits'. In 1798 Nelson had been badly wounded at the Battle of the Nile and, when Keymer saw him both in 1800 and

early 1801, was still in relatively poor health and with his marriage in ruins. There was always a conflict for him

between his successes in battle and heady taste of victory on the one side, and sickness and problems in his private life

on the other. He complained frequently of pains and illness, having been severely wounded three times. In the Keymer

portrait a curl of grey hair has been carefully placed close to his sightless right eye.

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Admiral Nelson recreating with his Brave

Tars after the Glorious Battle of the Nile

“The Gallant Nelson bringing home two

uncommon fierce French Crocodiles from

the Nile as a present to the King”

Printed Oct.1798

‘Brave Nelson’s Last Lash or a Present

for the Don’s’ Published Dec 1805

1.“Danny Jack what a Gig what a true British whim

Let the Fiddles strike up on the Main

What Seaman would care for an Eye or a limb

To fight or the Battle again.

(Chorus) Put the Bumpers about and be gay ,

To hear how our Doxies will smile,

Here’s to Nelson for ever Huzza

And King George on the Banks of the Nile.

2. See there tricoloured rage how they’re doft ,

To show that were Lords of the Sea .

While the standard of England is flying aloft

Come my Lads let us cheer it with Three.”

“Why D...n me Jack if this isn’t the ship we had a

brush with once before. It’s recorded the largest in

the world. I hope that we shall get her home that

Poll may see her! (“Santissimo Trinidada”)

“Now my brave Fellows we may make sure of

twenty of them, and here is an Old acquaintance

of ours, that I wish to pay my respects to in

particular, you will Lash us together as fast as

possible. And then Give her a hearty and warmest

Salute as you have ever been famed for.”

“Come along you Hypocritical Dogs. I dare say

you’re Dam’d sorry now for what you have

done. no. no. I shall bring yo to my Master.

Aye, Aye, what Horatio has got un at last. Why

there be the Old Cock Deviler. I thought as how

he would not go so far for Nothing

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This is the bullet which killed Admiral Horatio Nelson at the Battle of

Trafalgar, in 1805. Although Nelson died, the Royal Navy won the

Battle, devastating the French and Spanish fleets.

This ended Napoleon’s hopes of invading Britain and, 10 years later,

a British Army completed the final defeat of France at the Battle of

Waterloo. The item now forms part of the Royal Collection at

Windsor Castle.

A handwritten memo sent by Admiral Lord Nelson, on the eve of the Battle of

Trafalgar, shows that the naval hero had more on his mind than defeating

the enemy. Rather than worrying about battle plans, the 47-year-old naval

tactician was thinking about onions, and how the Pursers of his Fleet were

profiteering by using up free Government supplies of them and keeping the

money for food for themselves. On October 10, 1805, Lord Nelson fired off a

detailed bureaucratic missive, telling the purser of every ship of his Fleet not

to cheat the system.

***********************************

“Victory” off Cadiz Oct. 10 1805

Memorandum

Having frequently known that onions have been purchased on account of

Government when in Port where the purser could and ought to purchase all

vegetables to be put into the Ship’s Company Soup and the onions so

purchased by Government decruiting the health of the Ship’s Company

have been used for the benefit of the Purser by putting those vegetables into

the soup which the Purser should be obliged to purchase when to be

procured. It is therefore my positive direction that the Pursers are obliged to

purchase vegetables for the ship’s soup when it is possible to purchase

them, and that the Government Onions are not used for the Soup if the

Purser has the power of obtaining onions and other vegetables as he is

bound to do.

And it is my further direction that whenever fresh provisions can be procured

on reasonable terms that it is purchased, but that the onions for the

Account of Government are not purchased without my Order. Ships absent for any length of time from me are at liberty to

purchase the gratuitous onions of Government for decruiting the health of the ship’s companies who may be long fed on salt

Provisions.

Nelson Bronte

Bizarre Memo sent by Admiral Nelson on Eve of Trafalgar Reveals his concern after Fleet’s Pursers were found to be cooking the books over onions .

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The Nelson Society of Australia Inc

Patron: Commodore David J Orr. RAN (Ret’d )

COMMITTEE 2016-2017 Chairman: Mike Sargeant

Vice Chairman: Bob Woollett Secretary David Agostini Treasurer/Membership Secretary John Lyall Members: Gwen Phillips John Caskey Richard Savage Gillian Mead Betty foster

OTHER POSITIONS Newsletter: Betty Foster, (editor), Bob Woollett,

(assistant editor) Rob O'Connor, (photos)

Nelson Dispatch Distribution: Gwen Phillips

An annual Trafalgar Day parade is held in London by the Sea Cadet Corps

to commemorate the anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar and the death of Admiral Lord Nelson

on October 21, 1805