Napoleonic Newsdesk

Trafalgar 200

by Paul Chamberlain

The National Maritime Museum has begun work on a series of projects to mark the 200th anniversary of Nelson’s victory at the Battle of Trafalgar, which will culminate in public events across the country in 2005. The museum has appointed a renowned Nelson expert to devise and co-ordinate the national and international public commemorations of the bicentenary in 2005. Recognised as one of the country’s leading experts on Nelson, Colin White joins the museum on a four-year secondment from the Royal Naval Museum, Portsmouth, where he was Deputy Director.

Colin White, Director Trafalgar 200, pictured with a new acquisition for the Museum’s Nelson exhibition: a letter written ten days after the Battle of Trafalgar by Ordinary Seaman Henry Blackburn who served on board HMS Polyphemus at Trafalgar. © National Maritime Museum, Greenwich.

Plans for 2005 will be announced during Colin White’s time at Greenwich (and published in the pages of First Empire), and will certainly include a network of regional public events taking place across the country and into Europe, with a possible large-scale public event scheduled for London in the summer.

The National Maritime Museum will enhance its current major Nelson gallery, which remains its most popular, displaying the museum’s fine collection of related exhibits.

Among the objects on display will be the bloodstained uniform worn by Nelson at Trafalgar, in which he died, and previously unseen letters written by Nelson, which give new insights into his life and career. The museum will also commission new studies into previously unexplored areas of Nelson’s life, including possible DNA and handwriting analysis, which will reveal new aspects of the man.

Additionally, Colin White will be researching Nelson’s letters for a proposed new Collected Edition that will include many hitherto unpublished letters, which he has discovered. Director of the National Maritime Museum, Roy Clare, said ‘The museum aims to create a legacy for future generations, with schools projects, maritime scholarships, youth sailing and adventures at sea being offered as inspirational ways for younger people to explore Britain’s maritime heritage.

Other possible events include concerts, television features and conferences devoted to the great British admiral who lost an arm in the service of his country and died a hero’s death at Trafalgar. We are delighted to have secured Colin White to assist us in engaging new audiences in this exciting story’.

Colin White has published widely on the subject of Nelson. His forthcoming book, The Nelson Encyclopaedia will be published by Chatham in the summer of 2002. This volume will offer new insights into Nelson’s life and career, many of which will be the results of new research commissioned in the lead up to the Trafalgar commemorations in 2005. Colin has also created an interactive Nelson website at www.admiralnelson.org

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