spilt blood alongside him; we witness their legacies in private journals, in stone memorials, or carved in ship’s figureheads. We even have an account of Nelson’s nemesis Napoleon, languishing in exile. We have new research on fleet actions, diplomacy and training, surgery and strategy, and on the time well spent by sailors ashore, in both schoolroom and bawdyhouse. We have an explosive history of a Nelson memorial, striking recruitment posters, and even a glimpse into our Hero’s love life. I’m also delighted that we carry contributions from the new Curator of HMS Victory – who gives an account of the very latest preservation activity aboard this illustrious, and still commissioned, warship – and also from the team at the National Maritime Museum, whose new Nelson gallery is soon to open. Clearly, there is still much to be discovered and shared in familiar subjects, so I trust that there is enough in this year’s journal to satisfy a range of tastes. Bon Appétit! Huw Lewis-Jones vii ‘John Bull Taking a Luncheon’, 24 October 1798, a print by James Gillray published just after victory at the Battle of the Nile. Nelson is shown in the forefront of naval heroes, serving up victories to ‘Old GrumbleGizzard’ – the British public – to satisfy the appetite for enemy ships. Courtesy Private Collection.
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