Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
New research into history of cannon
THE Unicorn Preservation Society is marking the 222nd anniversary of the Battle of Camperdown by offering new insight into bronze cannon that may have been used by Dundee naval hero Admiral Adam Duncan.
The research was carried out by Juan Manuel Martinez Jordan, a Spanish Masters in underwater archaeology student.
His investigation has shown the four cannon could date as far back as the 17th Century, with one pair cast in Venice and the other in Barcelona.
From their respective homes they were transported to Amsterdam, possibly even as far as Cuba, before coming into the possession of Admiral Duncan in the 18th Century.
The decorative cannon were cherished by the naval commander and may have gone with him on the HMS Venerable, his flagship at Camperdown.
A display will be installed later this month to highlight the importance of the guns in their own right and to Dundee’s most famous naval hero.
Finlay Raffle, learning and engagement officer at HMS Unicorn, said: “It has been fascinating uncovering the unknown histories of these beautiful bronze cannons and we are incredibly excited to be able to share this with visitors.”
The Unicorn Preservation Society will be hosting a show-and-tell session on the ship on October 26 for people to see the cannon up close.
There will also be a free lunchtime talk on October 31 from the Friends of Camperdown sboard the ship on the life of Admiral Adam Duncan.