Nelson & His World

Hi Jacqui,
Thanks for the information, the map is exactly what I have been looking for!
Your observations certainly shed new light on the subject, Burford Bridge now seems plausible after all. Reaching Portsmouth as quickly as possible appears to have been Nelson's sole objective. Its logical to assume he would have taken the shortest route possible. Which, as we now know, through your superb findings, would have been on the Brighton road as far as Guildford.
As far as I know there is no definite record of the initial stages of route taken by Nelson, on the night in question. I have looked through all my Nelson biographies and related material. Any mention of the journey either mentions Guildford or Liphook. Frustratingly that could apply to either possible route!

I feel sure there must be a reliable record of the entire route somewhere?

Richard

Indeed Jacqui, thanks for your post – or at least, I think so! Perhaps it has confused it even more, or has it? Your post may have made things clearer, and even rendered them (in the words of a well-known tv programme) – plausible!

Richard, like you I looked up the episode in my books, but only found one passage with additional information, in Carola Oman's 'Nelson' (usually a reliable source). Here, she says that a boy watched '... a post-chaise summoned from the 'King's Head' dash up to the front door, and the master embark.' So, it looks as though I was wrong in assuming his Lordship, used his own carriage. I don't know where the 'King's Head' mentioned might have been situated, perhaps in Merton itself, but it sounds as though it was quite usual to run and fetch a chaise to your door, a bit like we might call a taxi today.

Oman mentions both Guildford and Liphook. With reference to the first she says: 'A prayer which he entered in his private diary, later that night, while horses were being changed, probably at Guildford, was copied by Doctor Scott.' There then follows the prayer already mentioned. Then at the beginning of the chapter on Trafalgar: 'He drank tea, by candlelight, at the 'Anchor', Liphook, and arrived at the familiar 'George', Portsmouth, at 6 am on the morning of September 14th.'

Jacqui, even though your information may seem to have put Burford Bridge back in the running, I still am still not convinced. If the story is true, why still treat it as a myth – or to put it another way, if it is true, why have not more Nelsonian historians picked up on it? Most however appear to stick rigidly to the London-Portsmouth road scenario. Perhaps they just don't think it important enough to mention, due to the nature of the journey?

See link on page 4 of Merton Historical Society.

Heading: Trafalgar

http://www.mertonhistoricalsociety.org. ... nelson.pdf

Appear,

Thanks for that. I have just found out that the King's Head was indeed in Merton High Street. It's still there, although I don't think it's the same building as Nelson knew!

Thanks everyone for all the fascinating contributions!
Gut feeling still leads me to believe that a direct route along the London - Portsmouth road the more probable. Although, following Jacqui's post it really is too close to call. I am very surprised that the route of the journey was not more accurately recorded. Or maybe, as Kester points out it was, but, the nature of events surrounding the journey meant trivial matters such as the route taken by Nelson, to join Victory at Portsmouth were overshadowed.
Perhaps a clue may yet surface which finally answers the question. Or maybe this is just a case of letting sleeping dogs lie!

Burford Bridge does have an undeniable Nelson Link, whether it forms part of the story of his last overland journey to Portsmouth remains open to debate. For the moment, I'm at a loss of where next to look for fresh clues!

Richard,

This has indeed been an interesting discussion, but I'm not sure we can significantly add much more at the moment. I feel sure that there must additional information somewhere out there, but until such time as someone unearths it, or it comes to light, I imagine we'll just have to let it be.

However, I did wonder whether any local newspapers of the time might hold a clue?

Kester,
I completely agree, in fact I had followed the same line of thought concerning newspaper reports. On my next visit to the National Archives, I will attempt to access the British Library newspaper collection. I have checked the B.L catalogue and Surrey newspapers from the relevant period are listed. I recall using the link from the National Archives to search editions of 'The Gloucester Journal'.
I was randomly running keyword searches on google books, one return was interesting, unbelievably so! It would only allow a snippet view, but if anyone did have access to a book titled, 'A Book Of Battles' by George Philip Baker, perhaps they could check it?

The following passage appears on page 174:
'His Lordship had travelled all night-taking a short sleep at Burford Bridge, near Box Hill, where the River Mole crosses the road'

It would be interesting to know whether a source note appears. I think it stretches the imagination a little too far, considering the journey was completed in seven and a half hours!

Richard.

Richard,
Well, well... interesting.

Looks like you might have a good day at the National Archives. Good luck. I'm sure you will keep us informed, as to your findings!

The various interesting comments on this subject has prompted me to check my available Nelson Dispatch's (sadly I don't have a full set to consult).

However in volume 8, Part 1 pages 16/17, I found there is a short article entitled "Did Nelson stop at the Burford Bridge Hotel?" I'm afraid it doesn't produce an answer either way, but I think some of the information is interesting. Below are the relevant comments made in the piece;

"A little local controversy has broken out in Surrey. F David Crump, writing to the editor of a local newspaper is quite certain that Nelson did not visit the Burford Bridge Hotel near Dorking on his way to join VICTORY in 1805. He claims that the hotel was "...a tiny, thoroughly dilapidated place" at the time and that local tradition is wrong.

Three responses were printed the following week." (Two only relating to the Hotel as follows:) "Nelson Society member Jan Elias of Dorking reveals that the hotel's name changed from time to time, and quotes from Christopher Hibbert's book (Nelson - a Personal History) that "...they, the Hamiltons and Parker spent a week or so at the Fox and Hounds between Dorking and Walton on the Hill". A Hare and Hounds public house was known to exist locally, and Mr Elias raises the possibility of this being the correct place, but misnamed by tradition. Terence O'Kelly's letter confirms that the Burford Bridge and Hare and Hounds were one and the same, and quotes an 1823 source, 'John Timbs - A Pictorial Promenade round Dorking':
"This inn was formerly an obscure public house, and owes much of its present celebrity to the conviviality of some of the first citizens of the metropolis. Their liberality has, however, been amply deserved by excellent accommodation provided by the present proprietor and his family, who have possessed the concern from its first establishment. It has, during that time, been the favourite resort of the bon vivant, and there are few to be met with, in the convivial circles of our metropolis, who have not passed many mirthful hours here.
Here the gallant Nelson, in company with Sir William and Lady Hamilton, enjoyed several days of calm retirement a short time before he quitted England to take command of that glorious expedition which raised him to immortality"

Source: The Dorking advertiser 26 September and 2 October 2002. With thanks to Jan Elias of Dorking"

So, even though this book is dated only 18 years after Trafalgar, it already appears to confuse his last journey with his earlier visit/s made with Sir William & Emma. Perhaps this is one of the sources of the tradition/myth about this possible stopover.

Unfortunately, this article doesn't appear to have produced any further speculation or articles in the rest of the Dispatch volume.

Phil

Phil,

Thanks, I'll have to dig out that copy of the Dispatch which, not surprisingly, I didn't remember! Again, interesting background but not, I think we can agree, the clinching evidence.

The mystery deepens...

Many thanks for the information Phil!
The numerous references to Burford Bridge, would ordinarily have me questioning my own inclination toward favouring the alternative route. The problem for me is that alll references seem confused with Nelson's earlier visit to the hotel. Nothing that I have read comes anywhere near resolving the issue one way or the other.

I have to admit too being a little confused by F. David Crump claiming the hotel was '...a tiny, thoroughly dilapidated place' at the time. I would have thought that Nelson's party would have been quite selective over accommadation. Its hard to imagine it would have fell into such a state of disrepair in the intervening four years?

An interesting case indeed!

Richard.

The newspaper article reproduced above by Mark Barrett is incorrect about the play Nelson's
Enchantress. It indicates that the play ended
with Nelson and Emma bidding fairwell at Burford's Bridge.

Recently I actually obtained the entire play. Act III of the play, in which Emma and Nelson say
goodbye to each other, is at Merton. Act IV is in London as Emma awaits to
hear the results of the battle. She has a dream in which she sees Nelson's
death.

I will post more on this in the near future.

Jesse

Sugden has it that the chaise was ordered from the Kings Head for ten pm, and departed Merton thirty minutes later.

The previous evening was also one of note!
According to Clayton and Craig (Trafalgar, p70) the dinner guests included Lord Minto and James Perry, editor of the Morning Chronicle who was also a neighbour. Initially there was no recognition, but in conversation it emerged that Minto had previously prosecuted Perry for libel, which led to the editor being sentenced to three months imprisonment in Newgate.
Perry had published a series of “Epigrammatica Bacchanalia” after the Prime Minister appeared drunk at the Commons on the day war was declared, one of which read:
“In what odd ways we taste misfortunes cup
While France throws down the gauntlet, Pitt throws up.”

It must have been an interesting table!