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Chairman’s Dispatch Archive

Pageantry on the River Thames

Issue number: 34 – July 2012 (KA 34)

On 8th January 1806 the River Thames witnessed one of the most amazing spectacles in its long and fascinating history – the funeral river procession of Admiral Lord Nelson. The boat that carried his body had originally been built for Charles II in an age when river pageants were very much the fashion. It is now exhibited at the National Museum of the Royal Navy at Portsmouth and, in spite of being the oldest royal barge to survive, it is in excellent condition. The barge, or more correctly shallop, is 35 ft. long with a 6ft 1 in. beam. For Nelson’s funeral its bright red and green paintwork and gilded carvings at bow and stern were draped with black velvet and the coffin was covered by a large and ornate canopy with black ostrich plumes tremulous at each corner. The crew was suitably clothed in mourning and in a strong south westerly they rowed their precious charge from Greenwich to Whitehall. The procession was probably the largest ever to take place on the Thames, with 17 barges and 55 boats in the official procession, including the barges of the Lord Mayor of London and eight City Livery Companies. The Drapers’ barge led the other seven Livery Company barges since Nelson had been an honorary freeman of the Drapers’ Company. The Company records state that the crew were, “dressed in mourning scarfs, with the Company’s staffs covered with Black Crape and each of the Watermen had a black armband.”

William Watson at St Katherine’s Dock, wrote that “thousands of boats covered the water” filled with yet more spectators”. The rest of the throng were “clinging like Bees upon the rigging” of nearby ships and every window was crammed with people eager to get a view.

To read the full Chairman’s Dispatch please download the PDF here.

A list of all the past editions of the Kedge Anchor is available here.

The view from the bridge

Issue number: 54

The view from the bridge

Issue number: 53

Observations from the Chairman

Issue number: 52

Interpreting history and our naval heroes

Issue number: 50

Rejoice, Reflection and Remembrance

Issue number: 49

Toppling our heroes

Issue number: 48

Success to The 1805 Club!

Issue number: 47

For the benefit of Europe in general

Issue number: 46

Nelson, health and leadership

Issue number: 45

War and Peace

Issue number: 44

Emma Hamilton: England’s friend

Issue number: 43

The Royal Navy won the Battle of Waterloo

Issue number: 42

“The Old Admiral”

Issue number: 41

“Humanity after victory”

Issue number: 40

“We gave them their Valentines in style”

Issue number: 39

“Perseverance . . . will most probably meet its reward”

Issue number: 38

We have met the enemy and they are ours

Issue number: 37

Golden Ages of the Royal Navy

Issue number: 36

A time for wreaths

Issue number: 35

Pageantry on the River Thames

Issue number: 34

Of Wooden Walls

Issue number: 33

Lest we forget

Issue number: 32

Working together to achieve the task

Issue number: 31

Remember Nelson

Issue number: 30

Set up for a conjurer

Issue number: 29

Changing regime. Constant objectives

Issue number: 28

The hero of the Tyne

Issue number: 27

The Boast of Old Northumberland

Issue number: 26

From Victory to Daring

Issue number: 25

Farewell to Colin

Issue number: 24

A Birthday To Remember

Issue number: 23

From the Baltic to Burnham Thorpe

Issue number: 22

Nelson 250: A celebration founded on the hero’s optimistic spirit

Issue number: 21

“We must endeavour to follow his example . . .”

Issue number: 20

“None of my reputation has been diminished in the late Glorious Action”

Issue number: 19

Friendship, Humanity and Heroism

Issue number: 18

The Immortal Memory

Issue number: 17

Such glory and such graves to share

Issue number: 16

Beyond Trafalgar

Issue number: 15

The Full Nelson

Issue number: 14

Engage The Trafalgar Festival more closely!

Issue number: 13

The Celebration of Nelson

Issue number: 12

Trafalgar Bicentenary

Issue number: 11

“I have the honour and happiness to command . . .”

Issue number: 10

The 1805 and 2005

Issue number: 09

A personal statement from the Chairman

Issue number: 08

Wanted: Twenty Prizes!

Issue number: 07

The 1805 Club launches The Trafalgar Captains Memorial

Issue number: 06

Nelson returns to Wales and the Midlands

Issue number: 05

The Chairman’s Dispatch

Issue number: 04

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The 1805 Club is a charity registered in England and Wales: No. 1071871
President : Admiral Sir Jonathon Band GCB DL Chairman : G W (Bill) White

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