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
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