Our world has always been shaped by the bravest among us - those with a clear vision of the future and the resolve to pursue it, whatever the odds
Admiral Lord Nelson, guardian of our shores and defender of our seaborne trade, was one of those people. A man who risked everything to protect Britain’s interests and its people, and who helped to set the course for their advancement.
Although his legacy has changed with the years, it is his best qualities – determination, courage, friendship, love, honour, resilience and sacrifice – that we celebrate at Lloyd’s today and honour in the Lloyd’s Nelson Collection.
Nelson Collection
Full length standing portrait of Nelson, painted by Lemuel Francis Abbot (1760 - 1803) and engraved by William Barnard. Painted in 1797/98 following Nelson's attack on Santa Cruz de Tenerife, which can be seen burning in the background, and subsequently altered to show Nelson's Sicilian Order of St Ferdinand, the Turkish Order of the Crescent and the gold medal awarded by the King following the Nile victory.
A Nelson mourning ring: a plain gold band inscribed “Palmam Quimeruit Ferat”, with a black enamel plaque surrounded by a white enamel border containing a Viscount’s Coronet surmounting the initial N and a Ducal Coronet surmounting the initial B, underneath both of which is inscribed ”Trafalgar”, the interior rim engraved “Lost to his Country 21st October 1805 aged 47”.
Charles Henry Fehr (British, 1867 – 1940). Portrait bust of Lord Nelson in formal naval attire. Signed on the plinth. Dark brown patinated bronze sculpture.
A cheque signed by Nelson for £300, drawn on Page & Creed[Nelson’sBankers], in Vienna on 20th September 1800. From 21st March 1800 until the end of the year Nelson signed himself as here, Bronte Nelson of the Nile. This cheque was issued when Nelson was making his triumphant overland journey with the Hamilton’s back to England after the battle of the Nile.
Representing the quality of resilience. The Battle of Trafalgar was almost over by the time the “slow and ungainly” HMS Prince had even arrived. Eventually the 98-gun warship, captained by Richard Grindall, did engage the Spanish flagship Principe de Asturias and Achille. As Achille was engulfed in flames, Grindall ordered his men to cease fring and begin the rescue of enemy sailors. Ferocious storms raged in the week that followed, but Grindall and his crew aboard did not seek safe harbour, instead providing replacement stores to more damaged ships, towing those that needed assistance and saving the lives of hundreds of British, French and Spanish seamen. For his endurance and “meritorious services contributing to the signal victory”, Lloyd’s Patriotic Fund awarded this Trafalgar Patriotic Sword to Captain Grindell.
A document signed by Captain William Locker, certifying the good conduct of Lieutenant Horatio Nelson on board HMS Lowestoffe from 1777 to 1778, written on board HMS Lowestoffe and Port Royal Harbour, Jamaica on 1st July 1778. This was Nelson’s first period of service as a lieutenant. As the certificate states ”Collingwood succeeded him in this post. Captain Locker was Nelson’s maternal uncle”. This is among the earliest references to Nelson that is known.
Snuffbox for Lady Hamilton. Representing the quality of love. Nelson answered a call from Naples in 1798 to repel a French invasion. After a hard-fought victory in the Battle of The Nile, a wounded Nelson returned to Naples. There he met Lady Hamilton and the two began a highly-public love affair that effectively ended Nelson’s marriage to Lady Frances Nelson and resulted in the birth of a daughter, Horatia. Engraved with stylised flower heads and foliage, the snuffbox lid bears the inscription: “To Lady Emma Hamilton in Memory of the Glorious first of June 1798, from Horatio Nelson, Love Conquers Might”. Snuffbox presented by FW Clark, 1944.
A gold mounted oak toothpick box, possibly made shortly after Trafalgar, of rounded rectangular form, the 22 lugged hinged top carved in ivory against a blue / grey ground with ships of the line facing each other, presumably representing the Battle of Trafalgar, mounted with a glass top with gold shell corners, the reverse inscribed on a gold plaque: “This box is formed from a splinter of the Victory, commanded by Lord Viscount Nelson in the ever memorable engagement off Trafalgar, 21st October 1805, in which he fell! But not untill his superior skill and most intrepid courage had completely overcome the combined fleets of France and Spain”. Reputedly owned by Lady Hamilton. Presented by H E Fulford in 1939.
A Grant of Arms to Nelson, signed and sealed by Sir Isaac Heard, Garter King of Arms, creating him Baron Nelson of the Nile, issued on 20th December 1798, illuminated with his Arms with Chelengk, with duty stamp, pendant seal, in original moulded giltwood edge and later silk mounted and glazed frame. Nelson received the grant on 21st March 1800 and that day issued a memorandum to the fleet under his command stating that “By my Patent of Creation, I find that my Family name of Nelson has been lengthened by the words, ‘of the Nile’. Therefore, in future my signature will be, ‘Bronte Nelson of the Nile’.”
An autograph letter signed by Nelson to Captain Blackwood of HMS Euryalus, relying on his frigates to watch the enemy – “we cannot miss getting hold of them and I will give them such a Shaking as they never yet experienced, at least I will lay down my life in the attempt”, written from HMS Victory on 10th October 1805. This is one of the best-known and most dramatic of all Nelson’s letters.
An autograph letter signed by Nelson to Captain Blackwood of HMS Euryalus, relying on his frigates to watch the enemy – “we cannot miss getting hold of them and I will give them such a Shaking as they never yet experienced, at least I will lay down my life in the attempt”, written from HMS Victory on 10th October 1805. This is one of the best-known and most dramatic of all Nelson’s letters.
An autograph letter signed by Nelson to John Julius Angerstein, about the subscription fund for those killed or wounded in defence of the country from invasion, written from Merton on 25th October 1801. Nelson arrived at his new home for the first time in the early hours of 23rd October 1801 – so this letter is one of the very first he wrote from his beloved Merton.
An autograph letter signed by Nelson to John Julius Angerstein, promising to call on him ”as I am sure to be in London before any person is out of bed”, written from Merton on 29th January 1802.
An autograph letter signed by Nelson to John Julius Angerstein, promising to call on him ”as I am sure to be in London before any person is out of bed”, written from Merton on 29th January 1802.
Logbook of HMS Euryalus. Representing the quality of courage. Light winds blew on the hazy morning when Nelson, aboard the flagship HMS Victory, led the Royal Navy fleet into battle for the last time. Just as the British closed in on the enemy on 21 October 1805, Nelson instructed his signal officer to send what would be his final message to his fleet: “England expects that every man will do his duty”. Too small to play a major role in the fighting, HMS Euryalus and its crew watched the battle unfold from a distance. Nelson’s famous signal was recorded by HMS Euryalus’s Master Frederick Ruckert in the ship’s logbook, the most important record of the Battle of Trafalgar. Presented by ES Lamplough, 1928.
Nelson’s combined Knife and Fork. Representing the quality of resilience. Although Nelson lost an arm at the Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, his performance as an admiral remained undiminished. To mark his resilience and help him at mealtimes, Countess Spencer gave him a solid gold fork with a steel knife edge set into its side. The combined knife and fork is engraved with the initial N topped by a baron’s coronet, and bears the mark of its maker, GA. After passing down through the main line of the Nelson family, the fork was purchased in 1962 with a bequest by GJ Egerton.
A gold, pearl and amethyst brooch of oval form, comprising an outer band of pearls enclosing an urn shape in amethyst and pearl, inscribed on the back “Presented by Lord Nelson to Lady Hamilton”, containing a lock of hair behind glass on the reverse. Presented to Lloyd’s by G D Drayson in 1953.
A gold, diamond and enamel oval memorial brooch in the form of a garland, with two bands of diamonds flanking a black enamel band with gold lettering “Nelson.Oct.21.1805.Trafalgar”. The centre of the brooch contains a lock of hair under an oval glass dome, and on the back is engraved “Helen Gorman, from Post Captain Jonas Rose, given him by Admiral Lord Nelson at the moment he received his fatal wound in the Battle of Trafalgar 21st October 1805”.
A pair of George III silver gilt wine coolers, based on the Flaxman Patriotic Fund vase design, but with handles formed as intertwining serpents around a warrior maskhead, possibly Achilles, the vase covers replaced by collars cast and bolted on with vine leaves and grapes, complete with detachable liners, inscribed “From the Patriotic Fund at Lloyd’s to Sir Samuel Hood KB, commanding a squadron of his Majesty’s Ships at War in the attack of a fleet of the enemy off Rochfort on the 25th of September 1806 when four large Frigates were captured, and Sir Samuel Hood lost his right arm. As recorded in the London Gazette of 4th October 1806”, London 1806, mark of DS BS for
A pair of George II silver candlesticks in the Rococo style, with detachable shaped square drip pans and knopped stems, on shaped stepped square bases, engraved on the drip pans and bases with a script N beneath an Earl’s coronet, London 1743, mark of JC for John Café.
A pair of George III silver oblong tea caddies with slightly domed half reeded flat hinged lids, both with detachable cast flowerhead and berry finials, engraved on the lid with the initial N surmounted by a Viscount’s Coronet and the initial B surmounted by a Ducal Coronet, the bodies engraved on one side with Nelson’s Coat of Arms and on the other with his Crests separated by his Viscount and Ducal Coronets, London 1801, mark of DP for Daniel Pontifex. Presented to Lloyd's by SJ Aubrey 1938.
