Nelson & His World

Now that Christmas is over and the New year begun for another year, 2012 has a number of 200th Anniversaries coming up.

These include the commencement of the war with America, of which I am sure we will be reading a lot more (hopefully also including accounts both in the Nelson Dispatch and Kedge Anchor); the Victory's last sea-going commission and the beginning of her (approximately) 110 years afloat in Portsmouth Dockyard, and the period of her long renovation (of which I am sure we will also be reading something.)

Ashore 200 years ago, Napoleon invaded and then retreated from, Russia; Charles Dickens was born in Portsmouth (a naval connection being that his father worked, I believe, as a clerk in the navy pay office both there, and at Chatham Dockyard); and, oh yes, the Prime Minister, Spencer Percival was assassinated.

I am sure there are a few others, but that should be enough to be going on with!

I'm sure many of these may well be overtaken by an event that took place on the 12th April 1912, that being the sinking of the RMS Titanic.

The Titanic struck an iceberg on the night of 14th April and sank in the early hours of the following morning. The date 14 April sticks in my mind because it's my birthday!

In the Peninsular war there was the siege and storming of Ciudad Rodrigo, Badajoz, Battle of Salamanca, Wellington's forces briefly enter Madrid and in London the assassination of the PM Spencer Perceval by John Bellingham.

Still with the Christmas cheer!Got my date wrong apologies!

Today is the two hundredth anniversary of the death of Sir Richard Hughes, 5th January 1812. He was buried at St Nicholas Church, Deptford. His grave no longer exists, a memorial to his father (of the same name) can be found inside the church, but no mention is made of Sir Richard Hughes. Unfortunately for Hughes he is invariably best remembered for Nelson’s unflattering opinion of him when Hughes was his superior officer in the West Indies in 1785.

Another character that died 1812 is Michael Greenwood, his story is quite well known to most that live close to Faversham, Kent. Greenwood was born in Faversham in 1732, at the age of sixteen he was seized by a press gang, and then spent the next twelve years in the royal navy. He was ship wrecked in 1758, and along with other survivors captured by Moors. They spent seventeen months enslaved before the British government paid a ransom for their release. Greenwood returned to Faversham where he spent the rest of his life. The house in which he lived with his family survives and is marked with a plaque. His grave can be found in the Churchyard of St Mary’, Faversham. For more information:
http://www.faversham.org/history/wall_plaques_-_people/Michael_Greenwood.aspx

As has already been mentioned on this thread Spencer Perceval was assassinated in 1812. Recently I visited the Church where he was buried. A fine memorial to him can be found inside St Luke’s Church, Charlton, Kent (Nr Greenwich.)

Apologies made a mistake inserting the link to Faversham webpage:
http://www.faversham.org/history/wall_plaques_-_people/michael_greenwood.aspx

Hopefully more successful this time!

I didn't know much about the assassination of Spencer Perceval so have just been reading a bit about it.

It struck me as amazing, even for the times, that John Bellingham, the assassin, was tried, found guilty, and executed in just 7 days!!

I think it bears some comparison with James Hadfield who had shot at George III in 1800. He was tried for high treason but deemed to be delusional, and acquitted. (Albeit he was detained in "Bedlam" until his death 40+ years later).

MB