The Trafalgar Times

14/08/2024

BBC News - Tragic shipwreck off Dorset granted special status

The Earl of Abergavenney sank in 1805 with the loss of some 250 lives.

02/08/2024

A short history of the Nelson Monument on Portsdown Hill: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFUjB2Ztfk8&t=128s

Royal Armouries Fort Nelson

A brief history of the Monument to Lord Horatio Nelson on Portsdown Hill.Finished in 1808, it pre-dates Trafalgar Square in London by 35 years and, most impo...

23/07/2024

Sort of a birthday for her - OTD in 1759 the keel of HMS Victory was laid.

25/06/2024

The early morning view over the festival site You really can't beat a bit of Chalke for your history fix.

01/06/2024

To distinguish ourselves from the standard William Beatty's "Authentic Account of the Death of Nelson" we have re-titled ours to "The Death of Horatio Nelson". This should make it easier to find our annotated and indexed version that also has supplementary material added on Beatty and medicine of the time. If you are going to get one copy of Beatty's account of Nelson's Death at the Battle of Trafalgar, this is the one.


The Death of Horatio Nelson

In 1807, William Beatty published his account of the death of Vice-Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Both in response to other accounts of Nelson's last moments, and in response to criticism from some for his decision to use brandy rather than rum to preserve the bod...

23/04/2024

Out now! William Beatty's Authentic Narrative of the Death of Lord Nelson, but annotated, indexed, and with supplementary material and illustrations added, including more about Beatty and treatments of the time.

In 1807, William Beatty published his account of the death of Vice-Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Both in response to other accounts of Nelson's last moments, and in response to criticism from some for his decision to use brandy rather than rum to preserve the bod...

12/01/2024

Out now - the Bitesize Military History Quizbook!
"The Bitesize Military History Quiz Book tests your knowledge and your wits against crosswords and puzzles all themed around military history.
Do you know your operations of World War II? Your ships from the Battle of Trafalgar? Your British castles? Famous Admirals? The English Civil War? The American Civil War? When the Spitfire came into service? How many crew were in a Halifax bomber? The Roman World?
All these and more are covered in this book."

The Bitesize Military History Quiz Book tests your knowledge and your wits against crosswords and puzzles all themed around military history. Do you know your operations of World War II? Your ships from the Battle of Trafalgar? Your British castles? Famous Admirals? The English Civil War? The Ame...

28/12/2023

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone. If you hadn't seen the news, TrafTimes are taking a breather for a few months. We've had a lot of work and life changes recently, and some new projects we are working on, so we've anchored ship until the summer at least.
The link below will let you download the latest pdf version of Traf Times, we hope you enjoy it.

We'll let you know about some of the upcoming projects on this page as well - with a new book being launched on January 12th!

Thank you everyone for all your help and support,
TT

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27/10/2023

Traf Night!

07/10/2023

Even he has read Navy Bites! At the Isle of Wight Shipwreck Centre & Maritime Museum for a day trip.

05/10/2023

The autumn issue of QUARTERDECK is now available. Click on this link: https://globewebsites-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/AUTUMN%202023%20QUARTERDECK.pdf.

05/10/2023

15/09/2023

I see the blithering idiots on Wikipedia are back...

13/09/2023

The fore topsail from HMS Victory ready for here in at the National Museum of the Royal Navy.

15/08/2023

Navy bites is on HMS Queen Elizabeth! What a treat!

30/07/2023

The iron lower masts on HMS Victory were donated to her by HMS Shah (below) when she was being taken out to be scrapped. HMS Shah was the first ship to fire a torpedo (as we now know them) in anger in 1877. We won't mention that the Peruvian ship Huáscar dodged it...

25/07/2023

Navy Bites: Volume I

19/07/2023

Good news! https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-66202473.amp?fbclid=IwAR3E9_B_0GZ_PoGbpcjYf5_eod-3x4VfBFKqaAHNrg-Qa9n8aa4H0MMG6C8

The donation will go towards restoration work on Scotland's oldest ship, which is docked in Dundee.

05/06/2023

Following a successful campaign to save them from being sold overseas, the Spanish Armada Maps are to be displayed for the first time in their history this summer at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.

This once-in-a-generation opportunity to view the ten incredibly rare maps is thanks to two grants from the National Heritage Memorial Fund, the Art Fund; and the generous support of the British public.

The Armada Maps were first drawn in 1589 and are thought to be the earliest surviving representations of the campaign. They show in real time the defence of England’s shores against invasion in the 16th century by the Spanish fleet (141 ships and 24 thousand men), dispatched to kill Queen Elizabeth I and replace her on the throne with King Philip II of Spain.

Professor Dominic Tweddle, Director General of the National Museum of the Royal Navy commented: “Our job is to tell epic story of the Royal Navy, from the earliest times to the present day. The Armada Maps National Treasures exhibition is hugely significant; it is an opportunity for us to link Navy to Nation and educate future generations about the origins of the Royal Navy as a protector of an Island Nation.”

Department for Culture, Media and Sport Arts and Heritage Minister, Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay said: “These maps chart a defining period in British history, and I, like so many others, cannot wait to see them when they are placed on public display for the first time.”

Following expert guidance from world-leading conservation experts and The National Archives, the maps can only be displayed for 45 days due to their fragile nature and the dangers of exposure to light. This exhibition also explores the Armada campaign's build-up and includes an extremely rare map from May 1588 of the Spanish Armada outside Lisbon and as well as later representations from engraver John Pine.

Jenny Waldman, Director, Art Fund said: "I’m thrilled that the maps will finally be going on display to the public after a successful fundraising campaign to save them”

The exhibition opens Saturday, 24 June to Tuesday, 8 August 2023.

https://bit.ly/3qwooz5

12/05/2023

Apologies for the lateness, but the new issue of The Trafalgar Times, #16, is now out. You can get if for free on Kindle for the next five days.
This issue has articles on the French and Spanish ship rating systems, the Van de Veldes, a gun that fired an 800lb shot, medical supplies, flints for gunlocks, the ballistic pendulum, book reviews, and more.

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trafalgar-Times-016-Apr-2023-ebook/dp/B0C4M8BL2C
Amazon USA: https://www.amazon.com/Trafalgar-Times-016-Apr-2023-ebook/dp/B0C4M8BL2C

The Trafalgar Times 016 Apr/May/Jun 2023

07/05/2023

Good evening all. I gave a talk on HMS Victory last month and though it focusses on her, I wander off into all sorts of topics to do with the Age of Sail. If you want to have a watch, you can find it here:

This talk was recorded on the 18th of April, 2023, and given to the Portsmouth branch of the Historical Association. The aim of the talk was about HMS Victor...

04/05/2023

02/05/2023

Have you heard of the Sutton Hoo Burial or the film "The Dig"? We are building a full sized, sea-going replica of the buried Ship!

24/03/2023

not that we need an excuse to buy shiny things (and paper things)...

25/02/2023

Some new footage from the wreck of the Gloucester:
BBC News - The Gloucester: New underwater footage shows shipwrecked warship

It offers a glimpse of a ship that sank with a future king on board, killing hundreds of people.

03/01/2023

aw look, out little baby has grown :)
Last few days to get your free copy of the latest issue on Kindle...

03/01/2023

The latest issue of the Trafalgar Times is now out, and you can get it free on Kindle for the next few days.

This issue has articles on HMS Victory, William Bunce, Captain Hardy in 1812, Sarah Pitt, a breakdown of the sizes of guns at Trafalgar, William of Orange, Navarino, the Barnacle Tree, scuttles, and more.

UK Link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trafalgar-Times-015-Jan-2023-ebook/dp/B0BRHKGR8P
US Link: https://www.amazon.com/Trafalgar-Times-015-Jan-2023-ebook/dp/B0BRHKGR8P

The Trafalgar Times 015 Jan/Feb/Mar 2023

19/11/2022

And that's how you do it on HMS Victory for Pickle Night