May 31, 2026|Reports

“Nelson – ‘A last farewell'” – Nigel Linger

This was our first talk from Nigel Linger, a Royal Naval veteran and a Director of the Portsmouth Royal Dockyard Historical Trust. Nigel drew on the records held by the Trust to provide new insights into Nelson’s final voyage.

On Tuesday 28th April, nearly eighty members and visitors heard about Nelson’s preparations for Trafalgar. Many were surprised to learn that Victory and Captain Hardy were not Nelson’s first choices, as his preferred captain, Murray, was unavailable. With very little time to prepare once news arrived that the French and Spanish fleets were combining, Nigel followed Nelson’s journey from the Admiralty in London to Portsmouth and finally aboard Victory.

Nigel also described how Nelson’s celebrity status — “think Prince William or David Beckham”, as he put it — nearly stranded him in Portsmouth. Crowds gathered outside the dockyard and blocked the short route from the George Hotel in Old Portsmouth High Street to the usual embarkation point at the Sally Port. Using contemporary accounts, he explained how Hardy solved the problem by arranging for Nelson’s barge to land further along the shore near Southsea and sending his coxswain to escort Nelson safely aboard. He also pointed out that many later paintings incorrectly show Nelson departing dramatically through the Sally Port itself.

Finally, members learned the meaning of a “Spithead Pheasant” — although anyone who missed the explanation will need to attend Nigel’s second talk, Nelson: A Hero’s Homecoming in September to discover the answer.