Union flag from Battle of Trafalgar could fetch £250,000 at auction
AWELSH businessman is selling a Union flag which flew at the Battle of Trafalgar and is said to be worth £250,000.
The giant flag, which is peppered with holes from musket balls and splinter fragments, is one of just three from the famous 1805 battle known to exist today.
It is now owned by Arthur Cory, a company director from Cowbridge, who is the direct descendant of Lieutenant Nicholas Cory, a senior officer on the Royal Yacht George.
Lt Cory was given the flag in the 1830s by King William IV as a way of saying thank you for helping his vessel beat another yacht in a race and win a bet.
It has been kept folded up in a cupboard in the castle home of the family which has owned it for 170 years, but is now being sold to help fund roof repairs and university fees.
The 14ft x 7ft flag flew from the tallest mast on HMS Leviathan, an important vessel in the Battle because it was near the front.
Mr Cory told the Daily Mail: “Ever since I was a small boy I have known about the flag from when my father showed it to me and told me where it was from.
“It was kept folded up in a damp cupboard in the old servants’ hall along with lots of other flags. I inherited it in 1981 and kept it in the same cupboard.
“It is always sad to sell these things, but we have a bit of a roof problem and water-tight roof is more important than a piece of history that isn’t doing anything useful.
“Some of the proceeds will also go towards my daughter’s university fees.”
The two other Trafalgar Union flags that still exist are the one which flew on HMS Minotaur, currently held by the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich, and one from HMS Spartiate that sold for almost £400,000 in 2009.
The Leviathan flag has been verified by two independent maritime specialists.
It is being sold by Norfolkbased Holt’s Auctioneers, who have given it a pre-sale estimate of £30,000 to £50,000, but they expect it sell for a six-figure sum.
Roland Elworthy, of Holt’s, said: “I feel humble and hon- oured handling this item because I have no doubts of its provenance.
“A great deal of research coupled with the opinion of independent specialists indicates that we have a genuine Trafalgar Union flag. That makes it terribly rare.
“The Navy stopped flying Union Jacks from the jackstaff on the bow about 50 years before Trafalgar, but Nelson ordered the ships to fly from the foremast during the battle to aid instant recognition and avoid friendly fire.
“It is definitely after 1801 because the design of the Union flag changed at that time and very loose woven wool is correct to the period and hand-stitched.
“Some of the holes are from mothballs, but some were caused by musket holes and some are from bits of wood splinter. Leviathan escaped quite intact but lost most of her rigging in the battle. The flag has enormous historic value and I anticipate great interest in it.”
The flag will be sold next March.