Nelson & His World

I had a Google alert about Firmins, the company that makes all the fancy work for uniforms, accoutrements for ceremonials etc.

http://www.firmin.co.uk/

The Google alert said that the firm, one of the oldest in the country, made 'badges for Nelson's crew at Trafalgar' . Is this is just another error by a journalist working to a deadline and confusing these with Trafalgar medals awarded afterwards? But those were made by Matthew Boulton, weren't they?

Here's the link to the Google alert:

http://www.birminghammail.net/news/top- ... -28350195/

Anna,

Interesting alert, but from that it's difficult to say what is meant. A thought that crossed my mind was, did Nelson's actual barge crew wear badges?

I'm not sure whether any research has been done in this area, but it is well known that captains of various ships had barge crews with uniforms. These of course were meant to impress and I believe some of them were quite noteworthy. If that were the case with ordinary ship's captains, then surely Admirals would have had similar. Of course this might be another complete red herring!

Perhaps you should contact them?

Tracing your company back to 1665 - now that's what I call a heavyweight bit of research!!

Despite them being a Birmingham business and often associated with Nelson I don't know all that much about the early days of Firmins. Mainly, I guess, because they were still trading in London in that era.

But having said that my understanding always was that it wasn't badges or medals - but the uniform buttons - that Firmin & Sons made for the navy in Nelson's time.

MB

Here is another Birmingham Mail article - this one from the time of the Trafalgar bi-centenary.

This time they got the button bit right - but also had the whole crew of HMS Victory wearing them!!

Click here

MB