Thank you to everyone who joined us on zoom last Thursday. Special thanks to our guest speaker Joanna Valentine from the National Museum of The Royal Navy. Jo briefly told us about the history of HMS Victory ‘The Peoples Ship’. Most of us remember HMS Victory for the Battle of Trafalgar and Vice Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson.
We learned that in 1922 The Society for Nautical Research started a public appeal in the United Kingdom to save the Victory as it was in an extremely poor condition since its launch in 1765. As a result of the Save The Victory Fund HMS Victory was moved into dry dock. During the Second World War HMS Victory was bombed causing damage. The Victory has been visited by many visitors including Beatrix Potter and Hugh Jackman during the filming of Les Miserables! Many artist have painted HMS Victory. Artist William Wyllie had a special interest in painting the Battle of Trafalgar.
Nelson’s column at Trafalgar Square was built in 1843 to commemorate Admiral Horatio Nelson’s death at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.
The 5.5m sandstone statue of Nelson stands on top of a 46m solid Dartmoor granite column. Nelson faces south looking towards the Admiralty, with the Mall on his right flank, where Nelson’s ships are represented on the top of each flagpole.
If you have any memories of HMS Victory that you would like to share please email them to community@nmrn.org.uk.
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