Nelson & His World

Discussion on the life and times of Admiral Lord Nelson
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 Post subject: SW's lost possessions
PostPosted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 7:25 pm 
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Location: England
A good friend sent me this letter about SW and Emma's Italian possessions (from Nicolas) which he thought might be of interest.

Quote:
Victory, off Toulon, September 18th, 1803.

My dear Lady Hamilton,

The furniture and linen which was left behind at Palermo
and Naples, when you came to England, is, I hope, by this
time, safe at Malta. I have desired Mr. Noble to unpack, dry
them, and send you a list of the contents, which you must
send to the Treasury, in order to obtain an order for their
being allowed to come direct to you, without passing through
the Custom-House. I believe the cases are eighteen in
number. I have requested the favour of Mr. Brown, Com-
mander of the Prevoyante Store-Ship, who will carry them
either to Portsmouth or the Nore, to whichever place he may
be ordered. If you will apply by letter to my friend, Mr.
Vansittart, of the Treasury, I am sure he will send an order
directly for their delivery. Only tell me, my dear Friend, in
what manner I can be useful to you in this Country, and,
believe me, I shall be truly proud in obeying your commands,
being for ever, your most obliged, faithful, and affectionate,

NELSON AND BRONTE.


Mr. Noble, the Neapolitan banker, had tried to sell off SW's carriage and furniture some time after the Nelson/Hamilton party had returned to England, so I'm assuming these eighteen cases had remained unsold.

I've also come across a clerk's copy of Nelson's FACTS document, which in late 1800 Emma used as part of a plea for Prime Minister William Pitt to help with SW's pension/compensation.

Quote:
Four years past Sir William Hamilton had permission to come to England to settle his private affairs, and would have come with all his effects if the embroiled state of Italy, and the arrival of the King's fleet in the Mediterranean, had not made him determine, whatever inconvenience he might suffer, to remain at his post.
In October, 1798, part of Sir William's valuable effects were sent home in the Colossus.
By the accident which happened to that ship he suffered a loss of several thousand pounds.
In December of the same year, except some pictures and vases which Lord Nelson had placed on board a transport, the whole of Sir William's effects at Naples were lost; for although much might have been saved had his thoughts been only turned towards his own property, yet self was absorbed in attending to the preservation of a whole Royal family, therefore not an atom of furniture was removed, excepting one couch, no, not even a bed.
It can readily be conceived what mounting of such a house (as every person who has travelled in this country, and all other nations, can testify) must have cost. On Sir William's arrival at Palermo, although the Queen did more than could be expected, it became necessary to arrange a new establishment consistent with his public character, and from the emigrated English of Naples and Tuscany, with many other persons of high rank in the world, together with the constant communication with the Navy, necessarily brought on a very heavy expense, for there was no house for those persons to resort to, but the British Minister's.
The settling this new establishment, together with the closing the accounts on his being superseded, cost, by bills drawn upon London, £13,213., between August 1799 and June 1800, besides all losses, which cannot be estimated less than £10,000. sterling


Bearing in mind that things kept turning up, I'd be grateful to hear if anyone knows what SW actually claimed compensation for, and whether he was ever successful?


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Jun 20, 2008 9:31 am 
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Joined: Mon Feb 18, 2008 7:11 pm
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Location: England
The Annual Register for 1802 shows the following:

Demands on the Civil List on the 5th of January 1802; but not included in Charges for 18O1:
SPECIAL SERVICE
Sir William Hamilton, Compensation tor Losses - 8,428 10 0
[followed by 5 others]

See http://www.google.co.uk/books?id=PHd6TyT7p9IC&pg=PA541

Does a Demand on the Civil List mean an approved payment?

The Annual Register is a good source for info on Government pensions etc.

_________________
Tony


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 Post subject: SW's compensation
PostPosted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 9:35 am 
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Location: England
Sorry not to come back to this to thank you earlier Tony.

I've tried to find out, without success so far, what a 'Demand on the Civil List' actually meant.

But you did help to direct me to a letter sent by Charles Greville to Emma Hamilton in the aftermath of Sir William's death (dated 7th June 1803.)

It refers to stocks of £7,000, and unless SW had hoarded his 1801 Christies Sale gains and/or the Pembroke estate had unexpectedly made a substantial profit (both of which I doubt), I can't see where else this could have come from other than a compensation payout from the Treasury.

I'm always happy to be corrected though, as this can be no more than a guess at this stage.

But many thanks again for your valuable pointer to the Annual Register.

Quote:
You had on Saturday my letter regretting the amount of your Bills, and the impossibility of all being paid, but that I would be able to pay you on account what would be required for you before you went. If, with this notice of my wish to accommodate you, you chose to go to another person, I only hope that you will not expect me to allow that you was obliged by me so to do. I will not continue the line of Correspondence in the tone of finding fault as you do with me. I will do all I can to conclude the bsiness for your Ease and Comfort, and I wish you to inform me to whom you have given directions to receive any Sums I may in the course of a few days pay to your account, either at Coutt's or Elsewhere, as you may direct; and if you will either direct me, or desire Mr. Booth, to prepare a proper receipt for any specified Sum you may want immediately, I will take care it is provided, and I expect to find Mr. Coutts will sell the stock of £7,000 (which will not be sufficient to pay the Bills), and I shall see to paying them without delay.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 6:52 pm 
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Joined: Sun Feb 17, 2008 11:06 am
Posts: 2830
Location: mid-Wales
Mira:

I wonder if there is anything in the National Archives about Sir William's pension? Civil List Pensions, were, I believe, granted by the monarch (presumably on official advice) and therefore there might be a record of request/payment etc in the Treasury records, or the departmental accounts of the Paymaster General. I had a quick look at the NA on line but couldn't find anything, though there was, interestingly, a record concerning Horatia Ward (T1/13681) dated 1881 - I expect that is about the pensions of £100 granted to her daughters.

Maddeningly, the Irish Civil List seems quite detailed, including lists of pensions from 1801.

I'm not being much help, am I?


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 12:21 pm 
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Joined: Sun Feb 17, 2008 6:30 pm
Posts: 284
Location: England
You certainly are Tycho.

Your PRO experience is invaluable for shining light on all sorts of possible avenues for research.

This site, and the input and enthusiasm of all the contributors, is a constant source of interest and helpful information.


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