3 The 1805 Club is proud to have initiated and helped re-design the St Paul’s Cathedral Trafalgar Day ceremony, at the heart of which is the wreath laying by the First Sea Lord. The Dean of the Cathedral leads the ceremony and this year over sixty people, more than half of whom were Club members, attended and then gathered for refreshments in the crypt afterwards. Concurrently, Linda Ebrey represented the Club at the traditional and moving ceremony aboard HMS Victory. Moreover, a few days earlier at the Seafarers’ Service at Portsmouth’s Anglican Cathedral, Alison Henderson laid the wreath for The 1805 Club and The Nelson Society. However, it will be Collingwood who dominates next year and again the Club can take pride in the fact that its ideas and exertions have created a major event in Newcastle in his honour. In the same way as The Homage to all Heroes of Copenhagen and Nelson 250 we began by making overtures to local people. The authorities and institutions in Newcastle, Gateshead, Tyneside and Morpeth have risen to the occasion and with the Royal Navy in full support a stunning event is planned for 6 and 7 March 2010. It includes a special package of ‘extras’ for Club members. I believe it is fair to say that the death of Collingwood will be seen as the last great naval bicentenary of the Napoleonic period. Be there if you can! The Club’s AGM in May will not be far behind and our superb Membership Secretary, Linda Ebrey has kindly given plenty of notice that she will not be seeking re-election. Linda has written a piece for this issue of the Kedge Anchor (page 4) and I would urge you all to read it while at the same time considering whether you might like to take over her role. It is a vital job for the Club and Linda is the best person with whom to discuss the opportunity. I know that she would be thrilled to hear from you if you felt you could succeed her. We are also losing our marvellous UK editors of The Kedge Anchor so, again, if any of you feel this is something you would enjoy doing, please get in touch with me. While it is always sad to lose people it is also good to welcome new faces and I am very pleased to announce that we have two new Vice-Presidents, subject only to formality of the members’ ratification at next year’s AGM. They are Rear Admiral Joe Callo USNR (Ret.) and Dr Agustín Guimerá. Joe lives in New York City and following a distinguished naval career has emerged as a prominent naval historian, writing about Nelson and ‘America’s first sea warrior’ John Paul Jones. He is well-placed to help the Club commemorate the naval operations during the bicentenaries of the War of 1812. Agustín, has become one of Spain’s leading naval historian’s and has supported the Club for the past decade. He is based at the Instituto de Historia, Centro de Ciencias Humanas y Sociales in Madrid. He is keen to foster closer links between the Club and Spain, a country which played such a significant part in Nelson’s career and the final demise of Napoleon. By the time you read this dispatch we shall know whether the Union flag from the Spartiate was saved for the nation. The 1805 Club was part of the consortium bidding to achieve this. We shall also have our heads buried in this year’s terrific issue of the Trafalgar Chronicle! Congratulations to editors Anthony Cross and Huw Lewis-Jones. And of course congratulations to Randy and Dana Mafit and Paul and Penny Dalton for yet another fine issue of the Kedge Anchor. With kind regards to you all and very best wishes for Christmas, the New Year and COLLINGWOOD 2010! Peter Warwick Hon Chairman COLLINGWOOD BICENTENARY -continued from front page- The day also features an historical walk in Newcastle highlighting such sites as Collingwood’s birthplace and other activities are being considered in order to maximise the pleasure and significance of the occasion, including an optional third day which will take in Morpeth, where Collingwood lived. In view of the expected popularity of this event and the limited number of places available, Susan Amos, the Club’s Events Officer recommends that you reserve your places for this exceptional event as soon as possible by forwarding her a £20.00 per person refundable deposit. The Club will do everything it can to minimise the cost per person by, for instance, providing a range of accommodation options. For further details see Forthcoming Events on page 13.
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