The 1805 Dispatches #25.05 October 2025 1 of 8 THE 1805 DISPATCHES Newsletter of The 1805 Club EDITORIAL THE VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE From The Chairman, Capt. John Rodgaard USN (Ret) This is the time of year that I most enjoy, relevant to The 1805 Club. The primary reason is that I have just finished putting the autumn Kedge Anchor ‘to bed’ – i.e. it is now with the printers, and out of my hands – and the secondary reason is that writing this is one of the finishing touches to TD. In both the spring and autumn, an edition of TD has to be done at the same time as KA, which requires a touch of life-juggling. But, if I didn’t enjoy it, I wouldn’t do it. The tertiary reason is that TND is getting close. And this time this year I have the added pleasure of having acquired a lovely new home that I’m settling into very quickly. Greetings from Autumn in Virginia. I can definitely feel the pending change in the season after spending three days in Annapolis, Maryland recently. In Annapolis I joined a dozen Club members and over 400 attendees at the United States Naval Academy’s bi-annual McMullen Naval History Symposium. This was the sixth time The 1805 Club has sponsored papers on a range of subjects centering on the Georgian sailing era. This year the Club sponsored two panels. We are indebted again to Professor Evan Wilson of the US Navy’s War College for organising the two panels. Pete Stark’s article on the Club’s participation in the McMullen can be seen in this edition. I for one, am looking forward to the next McMullen in 2027. But, before that, I am looking forward to our own New Series Conferences Inaugural Event at the Princess Royal Gallery in HM Naval Base, Portsmouth, the day before this year’s Trafalgar Night Dinner. The Club had previously established a good international reputation for organising and promoting a series of successful naval historical conferences, during the chairmanship of the late Peter Warwick. Because of the sad demise of Peter, and then Covid, the conferences fell into abeyance. But now we are back in business. We have an exciting line-up, as you will have seen from the invitation to attend sent out on 15 September. I do not want to leave anyone out, so here are all the names of the speakers, in alphabetical order: Natacha Abriat; Michael Barritt; David Gibbins; Nick Hewitt; Andrew Lambert; Brian Lavery; Seth Lejacq and N A M Rodger. If you are not familiar with any of them, read the invitation. The focus of this first conference is ‘Naval matters of the Georgian era (1714-1837) and their influence since then’, and, with these speakers, it promises to be fascinating. All members will be very welcome to accept the invitation, even if you are unable to attend the TND next day. Another event that I unfortunately missed, through being here, over the ‘pond’, will have happened on 27 September. The Commemoration of Private Richard Masters, RM, at St Tudy, Cornwall, UK. See the report on page 2. I would just like to say a big thank you to Stephen Howarth, who has done a sterling job organising the conference and this ceremony in St Tudy. Of course, this year we celebrate not only our Club’s 35th, but also the 250th anniversary of the US Navy, the 220th of Trafalgar and the 350th of the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the historic home of British astronomy, Greenwich meantime, and the Prime Meridian of the world. I will be in Philadelphia attending some of the momentous commemoration ceremonies of the US Navy. I know several US members of the Club will be there as well, and I am confident that all Club members will join us in this celebration. Wishing you all my very best. Yours aye, Detail from Brig PILGRIM Leaving Santa Barbara By John Stobart
The 1805 Dispatches #25.05 October 2025 2 of 8 A plaque commemorating the life of a Cornishman who died at the Battle of Trafalgar 220 years ago has been unveiled in a musical service. Pte Richard Masters of the Royal Marines, from St Tudy, was only 21 when he was killed in action in October 1805 and buried at sea. Organisers said more than 100 people attended the service at St Tudy Church including dignitaries from around Cornwall, the Padstow Sea Cadets and members of the Plymouth Maritime Corps of Drums. Angela Aylward, of the St Tudy Historical Society, said: "He represents all the young men who went to battle for whatever reason and never came home." Ms Aylward, who instigated the honour, said it was a way of "bringing him home". "It's very rare, if not unique, for a man from the ranks and from a lowly background to be honoured in this way," she said. "His body would have been buried at sea in the heat of battle and, as they say, he would have had no grave but the sea, so that's why I was thinking the history group could do a memorial to him." Pte Masters was the son of a labourer and had been a member of the Cornish Militia before he was enlisted in the Royal Marines in Plymouth in May 1805. He saw action on his ship, HMS Thunderer, in the Battle of Cape Finisterre in July 1805, before he was killed at Trafalgar. The 1805 club, which helps preserve graves associated with Georgian era navies, partnered with the historical society to create the memorial. Honorary secretary Stephen Howarth said the plaque's location on the eastern wall of the church was fitting. "The strange thing is that there was a space on the wall where our plaque has gone, and which is grouped by amazing good luck near four family graves of the Masters family," he said. "It's as if that space had been waiting for us to fill it. "Something I found very touching indeed was that this event, which has actually been two years in the making, has resulted in a beautiful plaque which will be there for centuries." SEE ALSO PAGE 3 PRIVATE RICHARD MASTERS This story, by Erin Black, is taken directly from BBC News South West. All the images are by Jude Wilson, Clerk to the Trustees of The 1805 Club. Text from the website for RM Stonehouse: “Stonehouse Barracks is home to the headquarters of 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines and 30 Commando Information Exploitation Group, as well as a number of lodger units. RM Stonehouse acts as the nerve centre of 3 Commando Brigade, providing the command, control, and support infrastructure necessary for the brigade's operations, training, and overall readiness. It plays a crucial role in the organisation, coordination, and leadership of Royal Marines in order to fulfil their mission requirements.” But, RM Stonehouse is under threat of closure. The 1805 Club and the St Tudy Historical Society were invited to a private tour of the barracks, partly as a ‘thank you’ for Pte Richard Masters having been honoured with the memorial plaque at St Tudy church. we were first entertained by both RSM Gary (Charlie) … and Commodore ,,,, who gave us talks on Stonehouse and Richard Masters, respectively, followed by lunch and then a tour of the barracks, including an even more exclusive visit to The Globe – the disused theatre on the barracks, that cannot be used as funds are not available to carry out essential repairs. Sad. The visit was enjoyed by all, and was felt to be a privilege. A personal observation: As I drove into Plymouth, from over the Tamar Bridge, I soon encountered a gate into HMNB Devonport. I then looked at my car Satnav, and it told me there was still two and a half miles to my destination in the base! It brought home to me the size. RM STONEHOUSE
The 1805 Dispatches #25.05 October 2025 3 of 8 "Here follows a message from Bishop Hugh Nelson, Bishop to the Armed Forces: "The young man we commemorate today, RICHARD MASTERS, was a Cornishman born in 1784, and brought up to a farming life in the parish of St Tudy. "As a young man in the time of the wars with France, he joined first the local militia and then the Royal Marines. And it was as a Marine, fighting at the battle of Trafalgar in 1805, that he met his untimely death. "The fleet in which he served at Trafalgar in 1805 was famously led by Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson. By a double coincidence, I share the Admiral's surname, and I have the honour to be Bishop to the Armed Services. "For these reasons, I regret that I cannot be with you today as we give public commemoration, for the first time, to this brave young Cornishman. "However, at its heart, this will be a village event. For that good reason I am very happy to have the Dedication and Blessing done by Reverend Robin Thwaites, your Rector. Thank you, Robin! "But today's commemoration is also an event with much wider resonance. "In a sea battle such as Trafalgar, inevitably the greater number of victims were ordinary sailors and other junior individuals, yet they are in general the least remembered. In commemorating Private Masters, we shall also be thinking of the many other Cornishmen who gave their lives. "I should add that it is extremely rare -- possibly unique -- for a Private in the Royal Marines to be commemorated personally and in his home parish. Today's event may be small but it is truly historic." BISHOP’S MESSAGE Editorial circumstances resulted in this getting a whole page to itself. It was decided that this is not inappropriate, not because the message is profound, but simply because it is special.
The 1805 Dispatches #25.05 October 2025 4 of 8 Members of The 1805 Club attended the 2025 McMullen Naval History Symposium, which took place at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis MD, on 1819 September. Per the Symposium website, “this world-renowned biennial event highlights the latest research on naval and maritime history from academics and practitioners all over the globe. Held since 1973, the symposium has been described as the ‘largest regular meeting of naval historians in the world’ and as the U.S. Navy's ‘single most important interaction with an academic historical audience’." A dozen or more club members were present, with some participating as speakers. Aside from the general keynote addresses, the symposium is composed of panels of veteran and upcoming historians presenting their latest research on a wide range of topics. Since 2015 The 1805 Club has been a panel sponsor. This year the club, as it did last year, sponsored two panels. Club member Evan Wilson of the Naval War College was instrumental in bringing together the participants, whom the club recognized with certificates of appreciation. Panel 1 was entitled “The Unknown Sailor: New Perspectives on Life in the Royal Navy during its ‘Golden Age.’” Chaired by Sam Cavell, Southeastern Louisiana University, the topics included: • “John Strachan and the 18th Century Royal Navy as a Family Business,” presented by CDR Ryan E. Mewett, U.S. Naval Academy. • “An Accidental Volunteer: John Menzies’ Experience in the Royal Navy, 1793-1794,” presented by Evan Wilson, Naval War College. • “The Extraordinary Voyages of Dr. Benjamin Lara, Royal Navy Surgeon, 1801-1806,” Cori Convertito, Key West Art and Historical Society. This panel discussed people whom even a student of naval history is unlikely to have encountered, but who have had fascinating if largely unknown naval careers. Panel 2 was entitled “From the Sea: British Expeditionary and Combined Operations, 1775-1815.” This panel was chaired by Evan Wilson. The presentation topics were: • “The Roots and Implications of the British Hudson River Strategy in the American Revolution.” Presented by DeVere Crooks, Naval War College. • “Success in Spite of Every Difficulty: Combined Operations in Egypt, 1801,” presented by Sam Cavell, Southeastern Louisiana University. • “’A most profitable expedition…blended with much cruelty’: The Extent and Effects of British Operations from the Sea in the War of 1812,” presented by Kevin McCranie, Naval War College. This panel identified lessons from earlier conflicts that became building blocks to successful future combined operations. The 1805 Club panels were extremely well attended, demonstrating that the areas of club focus are interesting and relevant to those attending, including midshipmen from the Academy. Panel 1 discussing the unknown naval persons was ‘standing room only’; Panel 2 discussing the expeditionary and combined operations was also a full house. In addition to the panels, The 1805 Club also hosted an information table in the registration hall. Our display included copies of the Trafalgar Chronicle from the last few years, as well as copies of the Kedge Anchor. We were easy to find due to our imposing extendable banner. A highlight of our table was member John Williams’ sailing navy wargame display. Many thanks to John for setting this up for us, as it attracted significant attention. We also took the opportunity to encourage attendance at the Club’s Trafalgar Night dinner in Portsmouth, UK, as well as at that of the British Officers Club in Fairfax VA. As always, we all did our best to promote membership in the club. Member Shirin Camenisch provided excellent promotional display pages stating the club’s purpose and programs, as well as a QR code that would take a potential member directly to the membership sign up form. Thank you, Shirin! The 1805 Club has established a significant McMullen Symposium presence over the years. This no doubt will continue, as we strive to present the best of ongoing research and scholarship regarding the Georgian naval era to an ever-growing international audience. Panel 1 (left to right): Cori Convertito, John Rodgaard, Sam Cavell, Evan Wilson, Ryan E. Mewett Panel 2 (left to right): Sam Cavell, DeVere Crooks, Evan Wilson, Kevin McCranie, John Rodgaard McMullen Seapower Address: Author Nathaniel Philbrick THE MCMULLEN SYMPOSIUM
The 1805 Dispatches #25.05 October 2025 5 of 8 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. 15 = Average; 20 = Good; 30 = V Good; 30+ = Amazing! Answers on last page Remember that there is a whole treasure trove here https://www.facebook.com/ The1805Club/ RECRUITMENT OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS 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. As a CIO the Club has an urgent need for two important honorary positions to be filled. One is for Treasurer and the other is for someone to determine Club policy on marketing, fundraising and advertising. The Treasurer role is predominantly one of advising the Club on essential accountancy and tax matters, and he/she is supported by a very capable assistant. 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 these matters (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 on the Treasurer position, please contact Nicholas Ridge via email: treasurer@1805club.org for the marketing position 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 finding 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 main website: http://1805club.org/ or use these links: For the Flagship Fund go to http://bit.ly/ 1805ClubFlagshipFund or for The Trafalgar Way go to http://thetrafalgarway.org/ For our shop, try https://www.1805club.org/shop, or click on one of the images opposite . . . Nelson Portrait At His Desk on Victory £100 Used Books £10 each Past copies of Trafalgar Chronicle £15 each The Trafalgar Way Official Storymap £19.99 Club Ties £35 each Nelson Portrait No.2 £100 (Both portraits by Jessica Turgoose) SOLD OUT
The 1805 Dispatches #25.05 October 2025 6 of 8 NELSON AND MADRON St Maddern’s (an obscure Celtic Saint) Church at Madron is the Mother Church of Penzance, in Cornwall, every year, on the Sunday nearest to 21st October, a Service is held to remember Nelson. This year’s service will be on 19th October. Captain Andrew Welch RN Rtd will be representing the 1805 Club. Why does Madron hold this service? As Club members will know, Lieutenant Lapenotière, the Commanding Officer of HMS Pickle, was detached from the Fleet after Trafalgar by Admiral Collingwood. His task was to deliver Collingwood’s report on the battle and Nelson’s death to the Admiralty and King George III, as soon as possible. Lt Lapenotière started his ride to London, along what is now The Trafalgar Way, at about midday on Monday 4th November. It is likely that the news reached Penzance at about the same time because a Penzance fishing vessel had exchanged the news with HMS Pickle in Mount’s Bay. As soon as the fishing vessel returned to Penzance, the skipper rushed to the Assembly Rooms, where, it is said, the Mayor and many of the great and good of the town were lunching and from the minstrels’ gallery, the Mayor gave them the news of both Nelson’s death and his great victory. Immediately, it was decided to hold a memorial service in the Parish Church. This is believed to have been the first ever service held to mourn the death of Britain’s great naval hero and to celebrate his great victory. The banner that was made for this service is still preserved in Madron Church (right). In 1946, the Reverend Michael Hocking, Madron’s vicar and a former Royal Navy chaplain, had the idea of instigating an annual Trafalgar Day commemoration. At the service held on the 27th October 1946, so many wished to attend that it had to be relayed outside, while recordings were made by the BBC (see image below). The tradition continues to this day, with civic dignitaries and naval personnel past and present still marching through the village. Image top right shows the Minstrels’ Gallery with Nelson to one side, Napoleon to the other & Nelson’s Death Mask above. Image bottom right shows the board outside the present-day Union Hotel – Penzance Assembly Rooms in 1805.
The 1805 Dispatches #25.05 October 2025 7 of 8 EVENTS DIARY EVENT DATE EVENT TITLE EVENT DESCRIPTION CLUB LEAD 15 Oct 2025 Trafalgar Way Story Talk by Kathy Brown at the Axminster Heritage Centre, Axminster Devon at 19:30. Tickets from Heritage Centre £5 –see axminsterheritage.org Kathy Brown 19 Oct 2025 Trafalgar Night Dinner Country Club of Fairfax, Virginia, USA Peter Pennington 19 October 2025 St Maddern’s Church Madron, Cornwall Service to remember Nelson Capt A Welch RN Rtd. 21 October 2025 Wreath-laying at St Paul's Cathedral. A member of the Club will lay our wreath at Nelson's Tomb. Enter by the North Door and meet in the Crypt at 1100. — 24 Oct 2025 1805 Club Conference: New Series 1 35th Anniversary of the Club and 220th of Trafalgar. Conference at Portsmouth Stephen Howarth 25 Oct 2025 Storehouse Number 10 Private guided access to the archive collection and workshop of the Portsmouth Royal Dockyard Historical Trust Nigel Linger 25 Oct 2025 Trafalgar Night Dinner TND at HMS NELSON Wardroom, Guest of Honour Matthew Sheldon, CEO NMRN Stephen Howarth 2026 Visit to Haslar RN Hospital and Buckler’s Hard Club visit to these fascinating historical sites Stephen Howarth BOOK LAUNCH Sailors of Varied Fortune: The Schombergs afloat and ashore By Club Member Paul Martinovich 380 pages Amazon UK £41 Amazon US $54.95 (print on demand) [To be honest, this is more of a press release than a book review, but the heads-up came too late for the next KA, which is now at the printers. As this may be an interesting Christmas present, we decided to include it here, as the next TD would be too late. Ed.] Who would have thought that among the contemporaries of Hood and Nelson were four successful Royal Navy captains named Schomberg? This book reveals how these closely-related men navigated the choppy waters of a demanding and competitive service. Over ninety years the four Captains Schomberg (Alexander, Isaac, Alexander Wilmot and Charles Marsh) encountered the challenges of battle, storm and professional missteps, as they built reputations for energy and competence. As their name suggests, these men did not come from a conventional RN officer background — the Navy or the gentry. The Schombergs were the offspring of an immigrant German-Jewish doctor, a man of considerable repute in early Georgian London. They seem to have inherited his erudition and intelligence, traits evident when they took on important administrative duties, mixed with artists, and wrote several books. Even today, Isaac Schomberg's Naval Chronology is a useful source for naval historians seeking obscure facts about the Royal Navy of 250 years ago. Sailors of Varied Fortune is based primarily on unpublished official and private documents, supplemented by a range of printed sources, both contemporary and modern. Though the individual Schombergs had different life stories, the careers of the two younger men (Alexander Wilmot and Charles Marsh) show interesting similarities, arising out of the circumstances in which they found themselves during the struggle with France between 1793 and 1815. While naval history is at the heart of the book, each individual is (as far as possible) portrayed in the round, considering his personal life ashore as well as his professional life afloat. The book is lavishly illustrated with over fifty images (mostly in colour), and ten maps — the result is a panorama of war at sea and life on land, seen through the lens of a single talented family. [See also KA #59 RN and Anglo-Jewry p32. Ed.]
The 1805 Dispatches #25.05 October 2025 8 of 8 The Newsletter for Anyone Interested in The 1805Club 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. 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 of�icial position of The 1805 Club on any subject unless speci�ically 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 beginning of the month preceding the issue in which it is to be inserted. Any articles that are not timespeci�ic can be submitted at any time, with a note advising him of that fact. All copy is welcome, but not all copy may be used! 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 sailingnavy 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 Shelton, Notts, UK Email: secretary@1805club.org 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, Editor of The Kedge Anchor Aldeburgh, Suffolk, UK Email: ka.editor@1805club.org Telephone: +(44) 7903 251008 Eyke, Suffolk, UK Symposium, possum, ptosis, mopsy, mopus, moups, mumps, myops, opium, pious, pommy, pussy, soupy, spumy, sysop, yomps, yumps, mops, mopy, moup, opus, pioy, pium, pius, poss, posy, pumy, puss, simp, sips, sops, soup, spim, sump, sups, upsy, yips, yomp, yump. Cut very little ice – A sailing ship can not make much progress in pack ice, so the expression has come to refer to something that has made little impression on the listener. NAVAL TERMS THAT HAVE ‘COME ASHORE’ SHIP’S WORD WHEEL ANSWERS In the coastal town of Looe in Cornwall, the Jolly Sailor Inn offers more than a hearty welcome – it holds pieces of British naval history within its walls. Built in 1516, this ancient pub has beams that once formed part of a vessel from the Napoleonic Wars and the Spanish Armada. These timbers, salvaged from wrecks along the Cornish coast, make the Jolly Sailor a rare testament to Britain's maritime past. After facing brutal resistance and a lack of decisive victories, many Spanish ships were forced to retreat around the British Isles, battered by storms and losing their way. Some ships were lost off the English coast, with their remains later scattered along the shores of Cornwall, Devon and beyond. "The Jolly Sailor, being the oldest pub in Looe, was built originally in 1516. When all this additional material came available on the coast of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, it was snapped up" Beyond the Armada relics, the Jolly Sailor boasts another significant beam, this one originating from HMS Indefatigable. "This beam here came from HMS Indefatigable," pub manager Stokie Knowles explained. "The Indefatigable was designed by Sir Thomas Slade, the same gentleman that designed HMS Victory." Decommissioned and broken up in 1816, Indy’s timbers were incorporated into the pub, reinforcing the Armada-era structure already in place. CORNISH PUB WITH TIMBERS FROM SPANISH ARMADA & NAPOLEONIC ERA WARSHIPS
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