Nelson & His World

This post might belong elsewhere, but I read somewhere that occasionally ships of the line were 'allowed ' to be used for masonic rituals ( ie.temples - think black and white squares on the canvas floor covering!) and that Agamemnon was one of them. I will try and remember where I read this!)
Given that HN was reputed to be be a freemasonwas this why Agamemnon was his 'favourite ship? I find the masonic connection very interesting, especially since it ws rumoured that HN's very close friend and mentor, Alexander Davidson was reputed to have 'put up' HN for admission to the Freemasons while HN was in Quebec.( A masonic site in Yukon, Cananda, states that HN was a freemason)
Further to this, St V was also thought to be a mason, as was Sir William Hamilton ( Naples being one of the major a strongholds of Freemasonry at the time of the Emma/Sir W/ and HN debacle ) , so could Freemasonry have been be the link that ensured the closeness of the friendshipbetween HN, St V, Davidson and Hamilton? What do others think?-t

Tay,

Not so sure about the black and white floor covering, since I believe this was the general floor covering issued to most ships at that period for the officers stern cabins.

I would have thought too that, when Nelson referred to Agamemnon as being his favourite ship, he meant it from the point of view of her sailing qualities, her crew and perhaps the fact that she was his first command after being five years on the beach.

I don't think we should neccessarily look for any freemasonry links in the above.

Kester