Nelson & His World

Noted this on the History Today site:

http://historytodaymagazine.blogspot.co ... r-his.html

It's obvious I'm not of the heroic mode then!

Actually, I was quite surprised by the findings that naval and army officers gained 41% of the vote. I imagined that would have been awarded to footballers, pop stars etc!

Napoleon and the Duke of Wellington also had Roman noses. No great leader should be without one! Maybe leadership as well as courage is indicated by a Roman nose. It's all tosh, though, isn't it?

Here is a link to numerous photographs of holders of the V.C. Spot the Roman noses - or any other common feature.


http://www.wfrmuseum.org.uk/vcwinners.htm

I'm a bit slow on the uptake here, but I think there is one fatal flaw in the analysis - Nelson did not have a Roman nose!

I have just visited the Nelson gallery at the Royal Naval Museum, and the section on 'what Nelson really looked like' used the life mask from 1800, plus various busts and portraits that were reckoned a good likeness in his day, and presented a wax figure of Nelson. Despite some portraits, it would appear that he had a large nose, which was a prominent feature, but it was straight, and not shaped like a Roman nose.

I'm disappointed - I hoped that with my Roman nose, I might share some of his (better) characteristics.

No reference to noses, large, straight or Roman, but some interesting comments on Nelson and Wellington in the link below.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/artic ... flaws.html

There's no mention that Wellington was also a short man - about 5 foot 2, I think. His uniform in Apsley House is tiny. No mention, either, of his extra-marital escapades - lots of those - because he didn't cause a scandal by leaving his wife.

Anna,

For an indication as to Nelson's nose, Roman or not, apparently (and appropriately) one has perhaps to look no further than Anna Tribe, Nelson's great, great, great, granddaughter. I seem to remember her admitting as much, when asked which feature physical she thought she had inherited from her illustrous ancestor!

And here they are! Roman, or not, the nose has travelled through time!

http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/operations- ... nveiled-on

Perhaps I was too hasty - maybe both those noses do qualify as Roman!