SHOW YOUR MEDAL
Take a closer look at the honours awarded to the heroes of the Battle of Trafalgar
CHARLES DICKENS’ eloquence at painting imaginary pictures of his characters is legendary. In David Copperfield, he describes Ham Peggoty as “a huge, strong fellow of six feet high, broad in proportion, and roundshouldered”.
Take a look at the photograph here and you’ll see what he meant. In fact, the author was describing Battle of Trafalgar hero James Sharman (1785-1867) whom he had met in Yarmouth, where the novel is set.
Sharman was a celebrity in the town where he was born – he had served aboard Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson’ flagship HMS Victory. Recent research has confirmed he was one of the men who carried the mortally wounded Nelson, shot by a French sniper, below to where he died.
Sharman’s service was brought to the notice of Captain Hardy who later was instrumental in procuring for him the post of caretaker of the Yarmouth Column, built to commemorate the battle.
Now Sharman’s Naval General Service Medal 1793-1840 with Trafalgar clasp is to be sold. Bids of £20,000-£30,000 are expected when it is offered at Nantwich, Cheshire auctioneers Peter Wilson.
The sale is on Thursday, January 30. Take your chequebook, such is its rarity and significance, the medal could fetch more.
Peter Wilson auctioneer Chris Large says: “Sharman is believed to have been awarded three medals during his naval career. One is lost, and another is in the United States, so this is a rare opportunity.”
Sharman was taken by a press gang in 1803 at the age of 14, while working at the “Wrestlers Inn” in Burnham Thorpe, Norfolk, ironically where Norfolk-born Nelson had stayed in 1800 and 1801.
Nelson’s fleet used Great Yarmouth port on many occasions, returning there victoriously after his many naval engagements, so the town decided to commemorate the connection by erecting a monument.
A committee was duly formed made up of Norfolk businessmen.
Among its number was the Earl of Orford (Swaffham) and Thomas Coke of Holkham, the 1st Earl of Leicester, who between them raised £7,000.
A design by London architect William Wilkin, a native of Norwich, was chosen and the first stone was laid in 1817 some 12 years after Nelson death. It was completed by 1819.
The eventual cost was £10,000 and included building Monument House, a substantial cottage (later demolished) in which it was decreed that a caretaker should live to look after and show the monument to the public.
It was also decreed that the man chosen had to be a sailor who had fought under Nelson’s flag.
Sharman was wounded at Trafalgar and returned after being discharged from naval hospital. Alerted to his bravery, Hardy arranged for Sharman to get the job, which he retained until his death in 1867.
In 1827, Sharman assisted lifeboatmen in rescuing the crew of the brig Hammond that had been wrecked on the beach near to Monument House.
Dickens, who was visiting the town, is said to have read about the rescue in the local newspaper and visited him in Monument House, inspiring him into using his character as the basis for Peggoty.
The auction includes a second significant medal associated with Nelson and Trafalgar: the Davison Silver Nile Medal awarded to Thomas Atkinson (1768-1836) Master of the Victory, who was at the ship’s helm throughout the battle.
Atkinson had served with Nelson throughout the Napoleonic Wars and is reputed to have held him when Nelson had his arm amputated following the attack at Santa Cruz.
Nelson described him as “one of the best Masters I have seen in the Royal Navy”.
The two men were clearly close friends, Nelson being godfather to Atkinson’s son, whom he named Horatio Nelson Atkinson.
Atkinson is pictured in paintings depicting the death of Nelson. He wrote a full account on the incident in the ship’s logbook before returning Nelson’s body to England on board the Victory for his state funeral.
Before the battle, Nelson had promised Atkinson promotion but this could not be fulfilled, due to Nelson being fatally wounded. After returning Nelson’s body to Chatham, Atkinson was honoured by being picked to attend the five-day state funeral of Britain’s greatest naval commander on January 5-9, 1806.
Days later, Atkinson signed off on the last page of the ship’s logbook: “At Sun Set. Hauled down the Pendant, the Ship being out of commission.
Thomas Atkinson, Master”. He never sailed as Master again and was subsequently appointed King’s Harbour Master of Portsmouth, a post he held until his death in 1836.
With his wife, Agnes, he had a family of three sons, each of whom obtained Royal Navy commissions, and three daughters.
Atkinson’s silver Nile Medal is inscribed “from Alexr Davison Esqr. St James’s Square, A Tribute of Regard”. Nelson appointed Alexander Davison as sole prize agent for the ships captured at the Battle of the Nile and in honour of those who took part, Davison had medals struck from the profits he obtained.
It will be offered on November 30 together with the Baltic Medal, 1856 engraved “W. G. Atkinson, Master’s Assistant HMS Arrogant” and a Greenwich Hospital Nautical School Medal for Science and Good Conduct engraved “H.N. Atkinson 1857”.
Atkinson’s son Horatio joined the Navy in 1817, passing his examinations in 1824. He is listed as receiving “severe gunshot wounds” at Seringapatam, as well as displaying “the upmost gallantry” during the capture of two Greek vessels in the Negropont Channel.
He was promoted to Lieutenant in 1827 and served in the Mediterranean until 1836, where he witnessed the establishment of King Otho on the Greek throne and was presented with a sword by Mahemet Ali.