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Nelson’s Captains at Trafalgar remembered in major research project by The 1805 Club
Press release: Tuesday 9th August 2005
Lord Nelson may have been the hero at the Battle of Trafalgar, but a major research project carried out by The 1805 Club has rediscovered the “forgotten” heroes of the battle – the men who commanded the ships of the British fleet.
To mark this year’s 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar, the Club is rescuing these 38 men from virtual obscurity through The Trafalgar Captains’ Project.
The Club started the project two years ago instigating research into the whereabouts of the memorials and monuments to all the ships’ captains and their lieutenants, who in several cases took over command during the battle.
A team of voluntary researchers, mostly Club members, then identified and recorded the all their locations and their varying conditions of disrepair. The majority of the memorials are located at parish churches in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland; others are as far afield as Naples in Italy, Pylos in Greece and Valletta in Malta.
The research and recording of all the memorials are now featured in a book “The Trafalgar Captains” written by Colin White and the 1805 Club, and is published by Chatham Publishing.
With stunning photography of all the memorials by Matthew Prince, the book tells the remarkable story of a band of brave men from all walks of life, each of whom played a pivotal role in the battle; and some of whom went on to even greater things after their hour of triumph.
Three admirals, 29 captains and six lieutenants are honoured and remembered in the project. They range from Admiral Thomas Masterman Hardy, flag captain of HMS Victory to Lt John Lapenotière, captain of the fast schooner HMS Pickle who brought home the news of Nelson’s death at Trafalgar. The roll of honour also includes two Americans and one peer.
The research work revealed seven of the graves were in need of urgent restoration and the Club is now seeking sponsorship from people and organisations willing to assist at this stage of the Project.
Colin White says in the book: “The hope of all of us who have been involved in the Trafalgar Captains’ Memorial Project is that, as a result of our work, these gallant men will never been allowed to fall into obscurity again.”
“We hope that instead, the communities among whom they now rest will claim them, and honour them – and not just in 2005 but for many years to come.”
Peter Warwick, Chairman of the 1805 Club, said: “In this bicentenary year, everyone thinks of Nelson but his victory was only as good as his fellow captains and those who served him.”
“They were a remarkable group of men whose names have long since been forgotten . . . until now. The 1805 Club has identified the location of all their monuments and memorials, seven of which require conservation, which the Club will undertake.”
“The Trafalgar Captains, Their Lives and Memorials” by Colin White and The 1805 Club, published by Chatham Publishing, August 2005, £12.99.
The Trafalgar Captains’ Project
The captains and their memorials are at the following locations:
Henry William Bayntun, captain HMS Leviathan Buried: All Saints’ Church, Weston, Bath.
Edward Berry, captain HMS Agamemnon Buried: St Swithin’s Church, Walcot, Bath. Wall plaque in St Swithin’s Church.
The Hon Henry Blackwood, captain HMS Euryalus Buried: St John the Evangelist Church, Killyleagh, Co Down Wall memorial in east corner of Killyleagh Church Wall plaque in Westminster Abbey
Charles Bullen, captain HMS Britannia Buried: St Mary’s Church, South Stoneham, Southampton Wall plaque and painted hatchment: St James’s Church, Shirley, Southampton
The Hon Sir Thomas Bladen Capel, captain HMS Phoebe Buried: Kensal Green Cemetery, London
Edward Codrington, captain HMS Orion Buried: St Peter’s Church, Eaton Square, London Wall plaque: St Mary’s Church, Dodington Park, South Gloucestershire Memorial tablet: crypt of St Paul’s Cathedral, London Monument at Pylos in Greece
Cuthbert, Lord Collingwood, vice-admiral and second-in-command HMS Royal Sovereign Place of death: At sea in the Mediterranean Buried: St Paul’s Cathedral, London Memorial: south transept, St Paul’s Cathedral, London Plaque: Family home, Morpeth, Northumberland The Collingwood Monument: Tynemouth at mouth of River Tyne Bust and memorial: Newcastle-upon-Tyne Cathedral
John Conn, captain HMS Dreadnought Place of death: Off Bermuda Islands
John Cooke, captain HMS Bellerophon Buried: At sea, off Cape Trafalgar Wall plaque: St Andrew’s Church, Donhead St Andrew, Wiltshire Wall plaque: crypt, St Paul’s Cathedral, London
William Cumby, first lieutenant, HMS Bellerophon Buried: in Pembroke Dockyard graveyard, now Park Street, Pembroke Dock Wall plaque: St Michael’s Church, Heighington, Co Durham
Henry Digby, captain HMS Africa Buried: St Andrew’s Church, Minterne Magna, Dorset Brass plaque: On wall of south side of St Andrew’s Church, Minterne Magna
George Duff, captain HMS Mars Buried: At sea off Cape Trafalgar Monument: crypt of St Paul’s Cathedral, London
Thomas Dundas, captain HMS Naiad Buried: St Nicholas Church, Hurst, nr Reading, Berkshire
Philip Charles Durham, captain HMS Defiance Buried: Largo and Newburn Parish Church, Upper Largo, Fife
Thomas Francis Fremantle, captain HMS Neptune Buried: In the garden of Don Carlo Califano outside the gate of San Gennaro, Naples Monument: Upper Barracca Garden, Valletta, Malta
Richard Grindall, captain HMS Prince Buried: St Nicholas Church, Wickham, Hampshire
Thomas Masterman Hardy, captain HMS Victory Buried: The Mausoleum, Greenwich Bust: Chapel of the Royal Naval College, Greenwich
William Hargood, captain HMS Belleisle Buried: Bath Abbey, under nave Wall plaque: Bath Abbey
Eliab Harvey, captain HMS Temeraire Buried: St Andrew’s Church, Hempstead, nr Saffron Walden, Essex Hatchment and wall plaque: St Andrew’s Church, Hempstead
William Hennah, first lieutenant HMS Mars Buried: St Cuby Parish Church, Tregony, Cornwall
George Johnstone Hope, captain HMS Defence Buried: Westminster Abbey Wall monument: Westminster Abbey
Richard King, captain HMS Achilles Buried: All Saints’ Church, Eastchurch, Isle of Sheppey Wall monument: All Saints’ Church
Francis Laforey, captain HMS Spartiate Buried: St Nicholas Church, Brighton
Charles John Moore Mansfield, captain HMS Minotaur Buried: St Margaret’s Church, Rochester, Kent Wall monument: St Margaret’s Church
Robert Moorsom, captain HMS Revenge Buried: St Peter’s Church, Cosgrove, Northamptonshire Memorial plaque: St Peter’s Church
James Nicholl Morris, captain HMS Colossus Buried: All Saints’ Church, Marlow, Bucks Memorial tablet: All Saints’ Church
Horatio, Lord Nelson, commander British fleet Place of death: Trafalgar Buried: St Paul’s Cathedral, London Marble statue: south transept, St Paul’s Cathedral
William Carnegie, Earl of Northesk, third in command, HMS Britannia Buried: The crypt of St Paul’s Cathedral
Israel Pellew, captain HMS Conqueror Buried: Charles the Martyr Church, Plymouth
John Pilfold, acting captain HMS Ajax Buried: St George’s Church, Plymouth
William Prowse, captain HMS Sirius Buried: St Pancras New Church, Euston Road, London
Robert Redmill, captain HMS Polyphemus Buried: St Nicholas Church, Stevenage
Edward Rotheram, captain HMS Royal Sovereign Buried: St Mary Magdalene Church, Bildeston, Suffolk Marble plaque: On south wall of St Mary Magdalene Church
William Gordon Rutherfurd, captain HMS Swiftsure Buried: St Margaret’s Church, Westminster, London Wall marble tablet: St Margaret’s Church
John Stockham, acting captain HMS Thunderer Buried: St Sidwell’s Church, Exeter
Charles Tyler, captain HMS Tonnant Buried: St Nicholas Church, St Nicholas, Glamorgan Wall monument: St Nicholas Church
Robert Young, lieutenant commanding HMS Entreprenante Buried: St James’ Church, Exeter
