Those other Horatio Nelsons

Mira · **Posted:** Mon Jan 26, 2009 6:43 pm

Mark

Amazing! This is a little off topic, but have you or others spotted a little book of last year eponymously titled 'Potty, F*rtwell & Knob'?

The content is, how shall I put it, a little crude in places, but illustrates the capacity of the British to bless (burden) their children with the most incredible names.

Try Amazon and type in the book's name for reader reviews.

The most persistent offenders appear to have lived in the 18th and 19th centuries and hail from the north (especially Lancashire.)

That might be a reflection on where and how the authors researched their material, but the book is certainly an eye-popping source of endless mirth.

A fantastic book to share in company.

tycho · **Posted:** Mon Jan 26, 2009 7:27 pm

Mira: one for the Christmas stocking! (We have a tradition in our family of including at least one daft/funny book in the Christmas stockings - for grown-ups, too.)

Mark: the vast number of Horatio Nelsons seems surprising, but really, it's another indication of how deeply Nelson was embedded in the national consciousness, and especially at a time when there was no embarrassment or apology about revelling in imperial greatness. Even today, he is there, not so prominently, but a presence, nonetheless. I was sorting out some old newspaper clippings this afternoon, and came across an article from the Times that began, 'Consumer choice, like motherhood and Horatio Nelson, is a very good thing......'

On another tack, Flora Fraser notes, in her biography of Emma Hamilton, that Emma went to the Foundling Hospital to celebrate the Battle of Copenhagen. One girl was named 'Emma Hamilton' (this is what probably gave rise to the canard that Horatia's twin was banished to the Foundling Hospital) and a boy was named 'Baltic Nelson'!

Tony · **Posted:** Mon Jan 26, 2009 7:35 pm

I fear I may have posted this before, but one offender (as regards incredible names, rather than being rude!) was the Master's Mate on the Minotaur at Trafalgar. He was so affected by Trafalgar that as well as naming (or renaming) the family house 'Trafalgar House', many years later he christened a daughter 'Victoria Minotaur'. And yes, Queen Victoria was on the throne by then.

tycho · **Posted:** Mon Jan 26, 2009 7:38 pm

And I mentioned on another thread my schoolfriend named Venetia, after HMS Venetia, a ship on which her father had served. This was a second choice because the vicar refused to name her after dad's first choice, 'Warspite'.!

Mira · **Posted:** Mon Jan 26, 2009 9:44 pm

Ship's names and battles may be another rich seam in nomaclature. Some are included below in this handful of Nelsonian names from the PF&K book mentioned earlier:

Thomas Hill Joseph Napoleon Horatio Bonaparte Swindlehurst Nelson
(Born Preston, Lancashire, 1839).

Jane Trafalgar Grapes
(Born Newport, Isle of Wight, 1805)
One of the children of John and Hannah Grapes, who were all given middle names that related to the Napoleonic Wars, including William Nile Grapes (1815), Charlotte Waterloo Grapes (1815) and Charlotte Wellington Grapes (1811).

Nelson Monument
(Born Mitford, Norfolk, 1872)

Quite a few Emmas, inluding Emma Royds (Born Bury, Lancashire, 1854), but nothing to link directly to Emma Lady H. Frances was a popular name too.

Re: the Foundling Hospital. I have the transcript of a very old book relating its history, and a third child from the batch sponsored by the Hamilton party in 1801 includes a William Hamilton. The book makes the point that many of the children were named after officials at the hospital and famous people of the time. The practice was stopped when too many former foundlings later came forward to (misguidedly or criminally) claim their birthright.

And a smattering of other famous names form the PF&K book include Mary Celeste, William Conqueror, Norman Conquest, Barbara Seville and Boadicea Basher.

Mark Barrett · **Joined:** Wed Dec 17, 2008 10:40 pm **Posts:** 1088

Mira

Thanks for this latest info - I really do find it all a real hoot!!

I wasn't aware of the book before - so it's fascinating to know of the Nelson-related content.

I shall have to open a new file for all the paperwork related to this topic so I have it for posterity.

My friend has found another character named after Nelson - which I don't ever recall coming across before. I just want to look into the background a bit and will report back a.s.a.p.

MB

tycho · **Posted:** Tue Jan 27, 2009 9:09 pm

Quite by chance I discovered that Lord Kitchener, of the famous World War 1 recruiting poster, was named Horatio Herbert Kitchener. His father was Henry Horatio, and he was born in 1805, so a Nelsonian connection is more than likely.

Mark Barrett · **Joined:** Wed Dec 17, 2008 10:40 pm **Posts:** 1088

Here is quite an interesting one.

During the Victorian era there was a well-known entertainer, actor and theatrical manager named Nelson Lee.

According to his obituary he was born on 8th January 1806 and on that very day his father, a Lieutenant Colonel, was on duty at Lord Nelson's funeral.

Hence the naming of his son.

Lee has an entry in the Dictionary of National Biography which is a bit vague about the date of his birth - and does not mention the Lord Nelson association.

But I am inclined to believe the obituary - you have to don't you!!

MB

Mark Barrett · **Joined:** Wed Dec 17, 2008 10:40 pm **Posts:** 1088

This character turned up this morning in a Google search.

Quote:

4. Shelton-McMurphey-Johnson House

Built on the south side of Skinner Butte at 303 Willamette St. in 1888, the house was known from the start as “the castle on the hill.” By Lane County standards, it was grand. An actual architect, W.D. Pugh, and a prolific builder, Lord Nelson Roney, created the Queen Anne-style mansion for Dr. T.W. Shelton and his wife, Adah.

I did a bit of digging and found the following:

Quote:

Lord Nelson Roney

He signed his work like any artist, except his work was bridges — covered bridges. “Nels” Roney (1853-1944; named after a British naval hero) came to Eugene in 1876 and went to work for A.S. Miller on the covered bridge over the Willamette River, in today’s Ferry Street Bridge location. When the great flood of 1881 hit Lane County, it took out more bridges than the local contractors could replace, so Roney started his own bridge-building operations. It was the beginning of a career that would span forty years, during which time he built almost a hundred bridges, most of them covered.
Bridge builders at the time often posted their names above the entrance, and most of the covered bridges in Lane County bore the words, “L.N. Roney, Builder.” But he only got half credit for the Eugene bridge over the Willamette. Another great flood, in 1890, took out the north span of the bridge originally built by Miller. The southern span — with Miller’s name on it — held fast. Roney won the contract to replace the northern span, and signed his name there.
He didn’t confine his work to bridges. From 1886 to 1905, Roney built nearly every important building in Eugene, including the Lane County courthouse, the First National Bank building, and, at the foot of Skinner Butte, a mansion for Dr. Shelton (known today as the Shelton-McMurphey-Johnson House).
Roney was suited to his work in more ways than one. He enjoyed the out-doors, and upon completing a bridge in some remote area, he might head into the woods, hunting and fishing his way back to Eugene.
His wife, Orilla, would sometimes come out to camp with him at a site, then visit a nearby hot spring and return by stage to meet her husband back home.

tycho · **Posted:** Sat Feb 14, 2009 2:07 pm

I hope I will be forgiven a non-human Nelson namesake?

Don't read this link if you don't like dogs.

It's a story with a happy ending of a cruelly-treated one-eyed, ex-fighting dog, called 'Nelson' by the rescue centre that saved him. His new owner decided that 'this dog, despite his beaten-up looks has presence and commands respect. He was too special to be called plain 'Nelson' so he was re-christened 'Admiral Nelson'.

http://www.sbtfun.com/Stories_Nelson.html

Tony · **Posted:** Thu Feb 19, 2009 9:48 am

Have we had Rear Admiral Nelson Bossman Soroh, Chief of Naval Staff in Nigeria in the 70s? It's a bit of a cheat because he was named "Obieze" by his father, and picked the name "Nelson" for himself, but it's the name he became known by. See here: http://www.gamji.com/nowa/nowa114.htm

tycho · **Posted:** Thu Mar 26, 2009 6:05 pm

Today's 'Daily Telegraph' carries the obituary (a sure sign that youth is drifting away when you read the obituaries) of a Frenchman who served in the Royal Navy during WW2 under an assumed, English-sounding name. 'Other French sailors who followed him did the same, one apparently selecting the moniker Horatio Nelson. Like his namesake, the modern Nelson also died in a battle at sea.'

Mira · **Posted:** Fri Mar 27, 2009 1:56 am

Another Horatio Nelson:

"Samuel William Fores married twice and had numerous children (either fourteen or seventeen), some with curious patriotic names; following Trafalgar a son was christened Horatio Nelson and in 1814 another was called Arthur Blucher in honour of the conquerors of Napoleon. His first wife, Elizabeth (b. 1458/9), died in 1797. His second wife , Jane (1772/3 – 1840), actively looked after the shop and was apparently popular with the customers (who included such notables as the duke of Queensberry, Sir Francis Burdett, Nelson, and the exiled duke of Orléans, Louis Philippe). In addition to his publishing and printing work , Fores also published Fore’s New Guide for Foreigners (c. 1790) and wrote a treatise entitled Man-Midwifery Dissected under the pseudonym John Blunt in 1793. Fores died on 3 February 1838, and was buried in the family vault on the Jermyn Street side of St James’, Piccadilly."

There's a nice story of Nelson popping into Fores' shop on Piccadilly, to settle his bills (the ones he knew about) during his 25 days leave before Trafalgar. Spotting Mrs. Fores' advanced condition, Nelson offers to be Godfather, recommends the name Horatio if a boy, and leaves a present for the coming child.

Unfortunately, Nelson was unable to keep his promise to stand Godfather, but the Fores kept their part of the bargain.

Some samples of Fores work here: http://www.nmm.ac.uk/collections/search ... rtBy=maker

Mark Barrett · **Joined:** Wed Dec 17, 2008 10:40 pm **Posts:** 1088

Well I never!!

Yesterday I had cause to go to the Parish Church in Moseley - a suburb to the south of Birmingham.

I was trying to find a grave for some non-naval research I am doing.

I couldn't find the one I was looking for but in the course of browsing round the graveyard I came across the gravestone pictured below.

It is of course one of the Horatio Nelson Grimleys referred to in my posts above.

I know I would never have tried to trace this grave so finding it by chance had a special poignancy!

tycho · **Posted:** Thu Jul 02, 2009 12:51 pm

Serendipity again! Great picture, Mark!

I've just discovered that Nelson's sister, Catherine, wife of George Matcham, had two more sons after Nelson died: Charles Horatio Nelson Matcham, born 1806, and Nelson Matcham, born 1811.

Nelson & His World

Those other Horatio Nelsons

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