1 of 7 June 2024 The 1805 Dispatches #24.03 THE 1805 DISPATCHES THE VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE From The Chairman, Capt. John Rodgaard USN (Ret) Fellow 1805 Club members, I just returned from the Club’s AGM in London this past Saturday, 25 May, to a front garden dominated by dozens of blooming pink hydrangeas. That just goes to show you what seven days can bring, and that brings me to report on what transpired with the AGM. I, for one, thought this year’s AGM was one of the best. One reason for its success had to do with how well it was organized. Many thanks to Club Secretary Stephen Howarth, and the staff at The Army & Navy Club (The Rag). All who attended conveyed their approval of the venue, and the quality of the service provided by The Rag. As a result, we will be holding next year’s AGM at there on Saturday, 17 May 2025. Please mark your calendar/diary. Also, what was so gratifying to me and my fellow trustees was the vote of confidence by the membership (those attending and those who provided their proxy), for the trustees’ continued stewardship of The 1805 Club’s operation and its vision for the future. I say this because the AGM was a bit complicated. It was actually two AGMs: one for the Unincorporated Charity (the old) and another for the new Charitable Incorporated Organization (CIO), established at last year’s AGM. The reason for holding an AGM for the Unincorporated Charity was to retain it solely in order to keep open the charity’s bank account. This was necessary because many of our members had submitted their subscriptions in 2023 through 2024 into the old bank account. The Club will continue to maintain this account through 2024 until members migrate their renewals to the CIO’s bank account by using the Stripe payment-processing system. The membership voted to elect Mark Billings, Stephen Howarth, Nicholas Ridge and myself as the sole councillors to the Unincorporated Charity with responsibility for managing the transfer of the charity’s bank account to the CIO and for the dissolution of the charity as a whole in 2025. As for the second AGM, it was the first of the CIO charity. In my chairman’s report for 2023, I informed the membership that the Club conducted its operations as a CIO. The Club continued with several projects: the design, fabrication and installation of the Cornwallis Plaque was completed; the conservation of the St John’s Figtree Church parish register is on track to be completed by October 2024, and the Nelson uniform display case was contracted, with an estimated completion by the summer of 2024. The uniform and tricorn hat were successfully transported to the US, and they were on display at the annual US Naval Academy’s McMullen Naval History Symposium in September 2023. The McMullen was noteworthy, as it was the first time that the Club sponsored not just one but two panels of three persons each. The Club’s webmaster, Jo Birtwhistle, provided an update on the status of the Club’s website. She manages the involvement of a commercial IT company (AMA) with such efforts as upgrading the several databases and digitizing the Club’s publications. Regarding those publications, editors Judy Pearson and Peter Turner informed the members about their respective publications and the prospects they foresee for 2024. As programme manager of The Trafalgar Way, Kathy Brown provided an update on the project. She reported on two successful fundraising events; one supporting a folk band that performed at venues along the Trafalgar Way and the second was a ‘virtual challenge’ of a run/walk along the Trafalgar Way route. During the year, Kathy spoke to various groups about The Trafalgar Way and was successful in selling the official story map of the Trafalgar Way at these in-person events and online. What an exciting couple of weeks I have just had, as a result of which this TD is late. Unavoidable, but done with regret. You do not need me to tell you what has been happening, but I will. We have here (not in chronological order, but in editorlogical order) brief reports on first, the visit to Anglesey Abbey – go to page 2, followed by the AGMs and the Glorious First of June, both on page 4. But it does not stop there, as we have an AB&OS cartoon on page 5, together with Stephen Tregidgo’s invitation to Buckingham Palace. On page 6 we have a fire engine and some contributed funnies and most importantly the Events Diary on page 7. To paraphrase Stephen Howarth at the AGM Auction, “If you have half as much fun with The 1805 Club as I do, then I have twice as much fun as you do.” And that is how it feels, so thanks to the Club! EDITORIAL Newsletter of The 1805 Club The stained glass window in the Church of St Andrew, Langar, Nottinghamshire Photo: Ed.
2 of 7 June 2024 The 1805 Dispatches #24.03 Speaking of fundraisers, the Flagship Fundraising Project was ‘officially’ launched at the AGM. Consisting of two components, one is a spontaneous or campaign-led open donation programme directed to members and nonmembers, in which donations will support current and planned projects. The second component is the enhanced membership giving programme. This programme consists of three levels of recognition based on former Royal Navy squadron flags — Blue, White and Red ensigns. In addition to a member’s annual membership subscription, a member can select to donate additional funds at any one of the levels. In the Treasurer’s Report, Nicholas Ridge outlined the main features of the CIO charity accounts. As of 31 December 2023, £119,989.00 in reserves were transferred from the Unincorporated Charity. The balance transferred was the result of event fund-raising as well the increase in membership subscriptions for 2024 to £45.00. This allowed for a modest increase in support costs toward IT support to the Club’s website; payment for the Cornwallis commemorative stone and the luncheon; the deposit made toward the fabrication of the Nelson uniform display case, and to cover the increased cost in publishing and mailing The Club’s Trafalgar Chronicle and the Kedge Anchor publications, together with the one-off Cornwallis Memorial Decade book. You may ask, what will the increase in the subscription rate to £60.00 for 2025, and the enhanced membership giving, support? In my Chairman’s Way Ahead, I highlighted five areas of effort for the coming year. First, we intend improve the academic and research database tools found on the Club’s website. We plan to add new databases and to update existing ones. They will be organized into a ‘virtual museum’. The funds will also go toward the completion of three major conservation projects: the production of two hardbound facsimiles of the St. John Figtree Church Parish Register, which will be presented to the parish and to the Nevis Historical and Cultural Society, and two other projects, namely the fabrication and the dedication of the George Forbes and Richard Masters memorial plaques. In 2025 The Club will continue its sponsorship of two three-person panels of scholars at the US Naval Academy’s McMullen Naval History Symposium, and of its annual ‘Special Award for Personal Endeavour on Overcoming Adversity’ to an outstanding student at the Admiral Lord Nelson School in Portsmouth. In partnership with The National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, the Club is actively planning the pilot for an exciting new triennial international conference, featuring highlights of new and recent worldwide maritime historical research into our period, 1714-1837. During the Members’ Forum, I was asked about the increase in the membership subscription to £60.00 in 2025. Specifically, will this increase be followed by other increases in subsequent years? I answered by pledging the rate will remain the same for the next three years – through 2027. Again, I thank the membership for their vote of confidence in The 1805 Club’s leadership and the direction in which we wish to take the Club Yours aye, EDITORIAL NOTE It is with great pleasure that I can report that we will soon be able to stop using John’s chosen epithet ‘PegLeg’, as he is now down to one walking stick and will soon not need even one. On Tuesday 28 May, members and friends of The 1805 Club enjoyed a visit to Anglesey Abbey in Cambridgeshire, with a fascinating private viewing of three magnificent solid silver and silver-gilt vases commissioned by Lloyd's Patriotic Fund in 1803-1809 to honour outstanding Royal Navy officers. We were also shown equally splendid wine coolers, and a mystery piece skilfully made but with no known purpose! This viewing, with expert commentary from National Trust consultant Jane Ewart (pictured), was a considerable privilege. The vases are of such value and rarity that they are usually held in the Abbey’s strongroom. A full report will appear in the next issue of our twice-yearly magazine, The Kedge Anchor. PRIVATE VIEWING OF THREE LLOYD’S PATRIOTIC FUND VASES AT ANGLESEY ABBEY As Guests of the National Trust
3 of 7 June 2024 The 1805 Dispatches #24.03 IMPORTANT JOB ANNOUNCEMENTS Founded in 1990, The 1805 Club is an international charitable organisation that commemorates and educates about the history and heritage of the age of sail, during the Georgian era (1714-1837), and the influence this period has played on the maritime world up through the present day. It is registered to the Charity Commission for England and Wales as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), number 1201272. The Club’s activities encompass: events, publications, projects, research and education about naval history and the lessons to be learnt from it in today’s world. The Club owns a number of valuable databases relating to ships, mariners and monuments of the era and has ambitions to create a single, authoritative virtual museum to house and display its numerous and growing collection of online exhibits – articles; talks; original digital material, including its databases. Through the museum, people across the globe will be able to explore and learn about the topic, and academics will be provided with valuable source material. There will be commercial benefits too, which will support further maintenance of the Club’s resources and provide funding for new projects and research. RECRUITMENT OF CLERK TO THE TRUSTEES OF THE 1805 CLUB Following the Club’s recent transition to a CIO and in the context of its plans for development, the trustees have recruited an Honorary Clerk: Jude Wilson, who retired from RN and RNR Communications and subsequently became a solicitor, with an interest in the charity itself and its objectives. The complications of charity work and the legal implications behind doing our work correctly will ensure that Jude gets no time to be bored with her new appointment. Welcome aboard and good luck, Jude! RECRUITMENT OF A COMMITTEE OF MEMBERS TO DETERMINE CLUB POLICY ON MARKETING, FUNDRAISING AND ADVERTISING As a CIO, the Club must demonstrate to the Charity Commissioners that its members are contributing to the Club’s charitable projects, and are not simply enjoying the benefits of being a member. This means that fundraising must be even more seriously addressed than hitherto. We therefore invite members with experience of marketing, fundraising, and/or advertising (and some spare time, as well as the wish to actively help!) to put their names forward for possible inclusion in a voluntary committee with the power to reorganise such Club activities. This invitation is open to all members, because under our new Constitution, members and Chairs of such committees do not have to be Trustees of the Club. For further information please contact Kathy Brown via email – kathy.1805club@gmail.com The 1805 Club is a club, the clue is in the name. But what all of us must remember is that the Club is a charity, originally created to find memorials to past naval personnel of the long Georgian period and to try our best to ensure that they be properly remembered. To further this end we also encourage and support research into naval history and find ways to improve its education. None of this is cheap if it is to be done well, and ‘done well’ is the only way to do things. In common with all other charities, we can only fully carry out our promises if we can raise enough funds to do so. In future publications you will see a reminder that there are ways to make a donation, whenever you might find a bit of surplus cash, together with ways to purchase merchandise and secondhand books that have been kindly donated to the Club for the very purpose of fundraising. Give at our website: http://1805club.org/ or use these links: http://bit.ly/1805ClubFlagshipFund or http://thetrafalgarway.org/
4 of 7 June 2024 The 1805 Dispatches #24.03 AGMs 2024 As a Club member who was not seeking to be a Trustee, Mme Natacha Abriat accepted our invitation to stand for the essential post of chair of the AGMs, in charge of their non-voting elements. We were very pleased that with members’ support she became ‘Madame la Présidente’. This followed the Club’s longstanding policy of approximately alternating male/ female and British/non-British AGM chairs, emphasising our internationalism, non-nationalism, and nontriumphalism. Being French, Natacha’s presence gave strength to our wish for genuine égalité and fraternité whenever possible (even if pronouncing the word ‘unincorporated’ was something of a challenge). Here are some informal pictures. CELEBRATION OF THE BATTLE OF THE GLORIOUS FIRST OF JUNE On 1 June, twenty members and friends of The 1805 Club attended the annual commemoration of ‘the Glorious First of June’, marking the 230th anniversary of the BritishFrench naval battle led on the British side by Admiral Lord Howe. The event’s venue, Langar Hall, was the admiral’s family home, and his body is buried in the immediately adjacent church. The present Earl and Countess Howe were in attendance and the guest of honour was Victoria Pickering MDS HAC, Lord Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire, officially representing HM King Charles III. In the collegiate spirit that we wish to foster, attendees included one SNR member who is not (yet) an 1805 Club member. We know that other SNRs would have attended, given longer notice. (NOTE: Our Trafalgar Night Dinner will be on 19 October 2024!) A full GFJ report will appear in the next issue of our twiceyearly magazine, The Kedge Anchor.
5 of 7 June 2024 The 1805 Dispatches #24.03 THE TREGIDGOs RECOGNISED FOR CORNWALLIS WORK SHIP’S WORD WHEEL Take a ten-minute break and find as many words as possible, using the letters in the wheel. Each must use the hub letter and at least 3 others, used only once. No plurals (if only made by adding an ‘s’ or ‘es’), no foreign words not in common usage in English, nor proper nouns. There is at least one nine-letter word to be found. 20 = Average; 30 = Good; 40 = Amazing! Answers on last page Remember that there is a whole treasure trove here https://www.facebook.com/ The1805Club/ Here is a reminder from your Editor that among its many other virtues, The 1805 Dispatches newsletter exists in order to give Club members an opportunity to tell everyone else their news. We are a Club of people with interest in eighteenth-century naval history, but we are more than that, as experienced by anyone who has been able to attend any of our events. With such like-minded people real friendships can often develop. Look now at the Events Diary on page 6, to avoid missing a chance to meet up. Please tell us about the things you enjoy, particularly if they involve the Club or similar activities. Your Editor has heard the rumour that some Club members, who were unable to attend the 2023 Trafalgar Night Dinner, wished they had been able to see the unpublished AB&OS cartoon that was given as a framed print to our host, the Commander of HMS NELSON WARDROOM. Accepting an opportunity for a bit of self-promotion (which he generally seeks to hide under a veil of modesty) he is happy to show it off here. As a Club we are delighted that, in recognition of all the work he did for us during the Cornwallis Memorial Decade, culminating in the installation of the Cornwallis memorial in HM Naval Base, Portsmouth, our prominent member Stephen Tregidgo and his wife Jan were invited to attend the King’s Garden Party at Buckingham Palace on 21 May 2024. AB&OS
6 of 7 June 2024 The 1805 Dispatches #24.03 Member Andy Field, who lives in Suffolk, UK, recently made an interesting discovery, as he describes thus: “I was having a wander around the Food Museum in Stowmarket today and spotted this former Ixworth fire engine, dating from 1845 an decorated with Nelson’s (and The 1805 Club’s) crest. I thought members may be interested in this unusual ‘naval’ curiosity. Ixworth, near Bury St Edmund’s, is a good 40 miles from the coast, so it suggests something about the enduring fame and popularity of Nelson that the people of the village decided to have the crest on their fire engine. The museum thinks it may have been called “Lord Nelson”. It has the words “Trafalgar” across it and “England Expects ...” underneath.” From the Food Museum website Ed. found this: This was made in 1845 and used from that year by Ixworth Fire Brigade. To operate it the sidebars were extended and manned by teams of eight or ten men a side. The suction pipe can be fitted with a strainer. It has shafts for one, two or more horses and a draw-bar for manual propulsion. On the front appears a shield with the inscription 'TRAFALGAR' and figures of sailors, etc, and a scroll bearing the words: "ENGLAND EXPECTS EVERY MAN TO DO HIS DUTY". It was probably named the Lord Nelson. An oval plate bears the Royal Patent and the manufacturer's name - Merryweather, Long Acre, London. On the side are painted the words IXWORTH FIRE BRIGADE. The main hose box forms a seat for the men and has a bar as a backrest or hand-hold. On the centre piece of each of the hubs, which are brass, is engraved MERRYWEATHER LONDON, and the date, 1845. (https://foodmuseum.org.uk/ehive/55451/) NELSON, THE FIRE ENGINE You all know how difficult it is to resist the blandishments of Stephen Howarth, who has sent Ed. a couple of cartoons with the suggestion that they be used in this TD. I only agreed because they are fun! The old Punch cartoon has been offered as a recruitment poster for The 1805 Club, though I am not sure that it is entirely appropriate, so will not be suggested to the Trustees. The other cartoon is from the American cartoon series PICKLES, by Brian Crane. starring Earl, Opal, and their grandson Nelson. A bit of fun — and also quite thought-provoking! How much of winning or losing was a matter of sheer confidence? The attitude before battle could be vital. Admiral: “AND WHAT MADE YOU WISH TO BECOME A SAILOR, MY BOY?” Navy Candidate (in perfect good faith): “BECAUSE HE’S GOT A WIFE IN EVERY PORT, SIR!” F H Townsend, May 22nd, 1907
7 of 7 June 2024 The 1805 Dispatches #24.03 THE 1805 CLUB Founded in 1990, the Club: ・Promotes research into and education about the Royal Navy, merchant maritime service and other state navies of the same era; and ・Promotes and engages in the preservation of monuments and memorials relating to the Royal Navy and seafaring people of the later sailing-navy era; and ・Organises relevant cultural, historical and social events. The Club is charity No. 1201272, registered in England and Wales. Individuals desiring further information may contact: Stephen Howarth, Hon. Club Secretary, The 1805 Club Nottingham, UK Email: secretary@1805club.org Telephone: 07973 717618 For a membership application form please contact: Dr Sue Carr, Hon. Membership Secretary, The 1805 Club London, UK Email: membership.secretary@1805club.org Or: Harold E (Pete) Stark, Hon US Secretary, The 1805 Club Annapolis, MD, USA Email: the.americas.membership.secretary@1805club.org Telephone: 410-269-9760 (mobile) Or: Mark Billings, Hon Canadian Secretary, The 1805 Club Montreal, Quebec, Canada Email: canadian.membership.secretary@1805club.org Telephone: 1-514-296-1641 Peter Turner, Hon. Editor of The Kedge Anchor and The 1805 Dispatches Aldeburgh, Suffolk, UK Email: ka.editor@1805club.org Telephone: 07903 251008 The Newsletter for Anyone Interested in The 1805 Club PURPOSE. The purpose of this newsletter is to support and advance the Club’s objectives. The newsletter provides anyone who is interested with brief items of news about the Club and its activities, in the hope that the it can help the Club attract wider interest in naval history and new members. Much of the content will be a précis of articles that will appear in The Kedge Anchor, the six-monthly Club magazine. EDITORIAL POLICY. The Editor has full editorial responsibility for the newsletter. Views expressed in the newsletter are those of individual authors, unless claimed by the Editor. Articles which appear do not express the official position of The 1805 Club on any subject unless specifically noted as such. Content of contributions to the newsletter may be edited for grammar, space allocation, or to better serve the purpose of the newsletter. Contributors wishing to be alerted to editorial decisions should notify the Editor at the time that their contribution is submitted. Otherwise the submission will be published within the scope of the editorial policy. ISSUE AND COPY DATES The proposed issue dates for The 1805 Dispatches are: February, April, June, August, October and December. Anyone wishing to contribute an article or news item to the Editor for inclusion in the newsletter should do so by the middle of the month preceding the issue in which it is to be inserted. Any articles that are not time-specific can be submitted at any time, with a note advising the Editor of that fact. All copy is welcome, but not all copy may be used! Ooutrigger, groutier, goutier, ruggier, trigger, goiter, goitre, gorier, outrig, rigger, rigour, rigout, rioter, gigot, gigue, griot, guiro, rerig, rigor, rorie, tiger, tigre, trier, trigo, uteri, eigg, etui, giro, girt, gite, gori, grig, grit, riot, rite, roti, tier, tire, tiro, tori, trie, trig, trio SHIP’S WORD WHEEL ANSWERS Cruising – Originally usually meant an individual vessel sent out without local supervision, to search for information or enemy vessels to engage. This was popular among both officers and crew, because the prospect of Prize Money was better. It came ashore to mean enjoying a journey in a relaxed manner, sometimes more lately involving travelling slowly in a cruise liner ship or a ‘cool’ car. NAVAL TERMS THAT HAVE ‘COME ASHORE’ EVENT DATE EVENT TITLE EVENT DESCRIPTION CLUB LEAD 29 Jun 24 Tour of Nelson exhibit items, Mariners Museum, Newport News, Virginia Tour of those items not currently on display at the Mariners Museum, dealing with Lord Nelson Pete Stark 27 Jul 24 Battle of the Nile Commemoration Luncheon at Il Porto restaurant in Alexandria Virginia to commemorate the Battle of the Nile Pete Stark 13-20 Aug 24 International Association of Caribbean Archaeology 30th Congress, Nevis BWI Congress John Rodgaard and Judy Pearson 19 Oct 2024 Trafalgar Night Dinner Trafalgar Night Dinner at HMS Nelson Wardroom, Portsmouth Stephen Howarth 2025 Return of St. John’s Figtree Parish Register, Nevis Ceremony jointly held by The Nevis Historical and Cultural Society and The 1805 Club Richard Lupinacci Stephen Howarth John Rodgaard Pete Stark 2025 Presentation of Nelson’s Captain’s uniform Ceremony jointly held by The Nevis Historical and Cultural Society and The 1805 Club Benedict Ryan John Rodgaard Pete Stark 2025 Visit to Haslar RN Hospital and Buckler’s Hard Club visit to these fascinating historical sites Stephen Howarth EVENTS DIARY This is a schedule of some forthcoming 1805 Club events, so please put the dates in your own diaries.
www.1805club.orgRkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTYyMzU=