Nelson & His World

Well the information is from a news letter of a local heritage society,that might end up as a book,
I should be teaming up with them later this year.
Don't know if a billy boy was also a hoy,I will look into it.One of the billy boys that transported the cannons might still exist!

Dissapointing piece of information,that I have just dug up about the biggest Walker site, which was at the holmes.
This was a large estate,with a farm, houses,3 blast furnaces, and cannon test firing ranges.

The picture below, shows part, of one of the blast furnaces,used for cannon casting,that some idiot demolished back in 2002.
It would have made a great museum.


Drawing of the site from about 1770,showing where the blast furnace was.The building in the photograph can be seen to the left of the arrow,under the B of blast furnace.

Hello
I've just come across this site, brilliant, thought I'd join!

I'm doing a masters degree in maritime archaeology and my dissertation is on gun proofing 1795-1812 +/- so I was very interested to her what you all have been saying about Walker & Co. By 1812 there where only three external contractors to the board of ordnance for heavy guns, Carron, Walker and sturgess (although strugess doent really count as they only provided 6 guns and all failled at proof).

A good source of information is "The Minutes Relating to Messrs Walker & Co Rotherham" by John,A.H 1951, its difficult to track down a copy and be prepared, they usually wont let you take it home.

also:

Extracts from minutes Samuel Walker & Co Rotherham 1788-1893 DRB/2514 Hull Archives 7/8
I've not managed to see these so cant comment on content.

I hope this is useful.

I'm looking forward to hearing more about the Bill Boy's

Good luck