Mira wrote:
Are the National Museums - NMM and NMRN aware of the issue - and are they responding?
Another Twitterstorian, James Perriman, asked what the Government have to say about it?
Is it the case that everyone - including the Culture Secretary and our National Maritime/Naval Museums - are only now becoming aware of the proposed sale of these '2 flags' - a very few days before the deadline for objections passes?
The RNMN representative on Twitter retweeted my original message there. There is no sign yet that the others you mention are even aware of the situation. N.B. The proposed disposal could mean sale, or it could mean donation, but if approved it will allow sale.
One of my 'tweets' has now been retweeted by Dan Snow and consequently many others, which has helped views of this thread now to reach over 1,400 (although I think it had reached 1,000 before that). Thanks Jacqui for helping to spread the word on Twitter.
Devenish wrote:
However, if the flags cannot remain in Selling and they have to stay in Kent, then the Historic Dockyard at Chatham might offer a good solution - provided of course that they are on permanent display. Minotaur, as you know, was also built not so far away at Woolwich. I feel sure that the Dockyard already know of the flags, and have heard of the furore over their sale. Just a suggestion, should it come to that.
If the flags really cannot stay in Selling, then Chatham would be a good location. It has a particular resonance for me as at the time of Trafalgar the house of Charles Mansfield, Captain of the Minotaur, was at Rochester overlooking the Medway close to Chatham. Mansfield recruited several of the Minotaur's officers and about 35 crew from Kent. But I certainly wouldn't assume the Dockyard already know of the flags. They probably don't!
Devenish wrote:
Any possibility you might post your letter to the Times here?
The Times ask for exclusivity, so I had better not just yet. I think you can figure out the gist of it!