England Expects That Every Man Will Do His Duty (General)

by slowhands , proud of his ancient Dean Forest roots, Thursday, October 22, 2009, 15:24 (5501 days ago) @ fredb

On the l4 July 1802, Lord Nelson and Sir William and Lady Hamilton left their home at Merton seven miles from Westminster Bridge to visit the Hamilton estates at Milford Haven. The detail of their tour was widely reported in the newspapers of the day and it is possible to trace their journey with a high degree of accuracy. On their way back from Milford the party spent a day at Carmarthen on the l4 August. The next morning they passed through Merthyr Tydfil and on to Monmouth for the second visit of the tour, arriving on the afternoon of the 15 August. The party had no official engagements until the 19 August when they were due to open the Naval Temple at Kymin Hill. On the morning of the l7August Lord Nelson and the Hamiltons travelled by carriage to Chepstow, arriving in the afternoon.

Whilst at Chepstow, Lord Nelson and his party stayed in the Three Cranes Inn. The Three Cranes was in Hocker Hill Street just off Beaufort Square but within walking distance of Raglan Lodge the home of John Bowsher. The firm of Bowsher, Hodges and Watkins, were Chepstow's leading timber merchants. These timber merchants were also formidable members of the "timber cartel" led by John Larking and John Bowsher. The entire cartel of merchants had met in the Turks Head on the Strand, London on the 29 January 1802 and had fixed their signatures to a letter demanding the Navy Board accept certain measures . Opposition by this group to any policies introduced by the Navy Board frequently led to the same measures being reversed.

John Bowsher entered the Three Cranes late on the evening of the 17 August 1802. He had been asked to meet the great man who had himself professed a desire to meet with Bowsher. The conversation between Lord Nelson and John Bowsher can only be guessed at but the outcome is more certain. On the 22August 1802 timber trows, fitted with "waste clothes" to safeguard their low free board, and other vessels sailed from Chepstow . Onboard they had cargoes of the best oak timber the Forest of Dean could supply.

In voyages to Plymouth Dock and Portsmouth they delivered 781 loads of compass oak and 490 loads respectfully. Evidence of these voyages is contained in a letter from John Matthews of Gatcombe, acting on the instructions of John Bowsher, to Jonathan Elford at Plymouth Dock . In the letter Matthews confirms payment for the timber is complete and adds "...P.S. I have also sent a Gallon with the timber which I hope will Please..."

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Ἀριστοτέλης A Gloster Boy in the Forest of Dean ><((((*>