Nelson & His World

Discussion on the life and times of Admiral Lord Nelson
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 Post subject: Nelson and the Hamiltons 1782 Tour
PostPosted: Fri Apr 21, 2017 4:03 pm 
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Help Please.

I'm listing all the overnight stops made by Nelson & the Hamiltons 21 July - 5 Sep 1782. I've got as far as the King's Head, Coventry, on Friday 3rd Sep. They then visited Althorpe before returning to Merton on Sunday 5th, via Towcester, Stony Stratford, Dunstable, St Albans, Watford and Brentford. Where did they overnight on that last leg? St Albans would seem likely but I can find no evidence.

Ray


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 Post subject: Re: Nelson and the Hamiltons 1782 Tour
PostPosted: Mon May 01, 2017 8:26 pm 
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Is 1782 a typo by any chance? Nelson and Emma didn't meet until 1793 and did not become close until after the battle of the Nile.

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 Post subject: Re: Nelson and the Hamiltons 1782 Tour
PostPosted: Tue May 02, 2017 7:53 pm 
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I assume we are talking 1802?

Phil


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 Post subject: Re: Nelson and the Hamiltons 1782 Tour
PostPosted: Tue May 02, 2017 8:30 pm 
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If we are talking 1802 then the accounts for the journey in Appendix C of Vol 2 of the Hamilton & Nelson papers are not very helpful. Every item of expenditure on hotel bills, (usually listed simply as 'bill at X'), ostlers, servants etc. is listed; but after paying the 'bill at Dunstable', of £2.14s.8d the only other payments between there and Merton are for horses to St Albans, to Watford, Brentford and Merton, plus drivers, ostlers, bootcleaners etc. Could they have travelled home with changes of horses but without an overnight stop?

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 Post subject: Re: Nelson and the Hamiltons 1782 Tour
PostPosted: Sat May 27, 2017 10:26 pm 
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Apologies for jumbling my dates, must be getting old, 1802 of course. Coventry to Merton by coach in those days seems scarcely possible. Would the bill for £2.14s.8d have paid for an overnight stay in Dunstable? If so, where did they stay?

Ray


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 Post subject: Re: Nelson and the Hamiltons 1782 Tour
PostPosted: Mon May 29, 2017 12:08 pm 
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A search of Dunstable History online brings up 3 main coaching/post inns for this period. The Saracen's Head, Red Lion and Sugar Loaf. From a picture, the Sugar Loaf is quite an impressive inn and it apparently attracted the likes of Queen Victoria, Lord Byron & Daniel Defoe in its time. Unfortunately however, Nelson is not mentioned. There is also no information on room rates etc but a rate of £2/3 sounds reasonable for the period.

I remember a previous post which discussed Nelson's final journey from Merton to Portsmouth which was of course a night journey. Using this as an example I would have thought that a daytime journey to Merton with several changes of horse would have been feasible.

I hope this information is helpful.

Phil


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 Post subject: Re: Nelson and the Hamiltons 1782 Tour
PostPosted: Mon May 29, 2017 9:26 pm 
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I would be interested to know if there was any information in the Coventry Mercury.

There was quite a bit of detail about the time in Birmingham so there is a possibility it was followed up with more info about the final few days of the tour - which of course included Coventry.

There may be nothing but if I was doing this research it would be one of the sources I would want to check out.

Unfortunately I don't think it is available online.


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 Post subject: Re: Nelson and the Hamiltons 1782 Tour
PostPosted: Mon May 29, 2017 11:23 pm 
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Ray:

a quick Google has revealed a Dunstable Time Line compiled by the Dunstable History Society. It doesn't mention Nelson's visit but it might be worth contacting them in the hope that someone might know more or be prepared to check contemporary local newspapers for any record of it. http://www.dunstablehistory.co.uk/timeline.htm The contact is rita.swift1@ntlworld.com

Edited to add that the 'bill at Dunstable' of £2.14s.8d is comparable to other hotel bills along their route - including their stay at the Castle in Llandovery where they still have the Nelson room and the bed in which Nelson slept - as indeed, have I, paying considerably more than a couple of quid!

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