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| Napoleon's medal 'cast into sea' | Napoleon's medal 'cast into sea' |
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| A medal Napoleon Bonaparte gave to British scientist Humphry Davy while the two nations were at war was thrown away by his widow, a relative has said. | A medal Napoleon Bonaparte gave to British scientist Humphry Davy while the two nations were at war was thrown away by his widow, a relative has said. |
| Jane Davey threw her husband's medal into the sea near her Cornish home as it raised bad memories, said Davy's great-niece Margaret Tottle-Smith. | |
| The couple had made a dangerous voyage to collect the award in 1813, but were mistakenly arrested in Brittany. | |
| Ms Tottle-Smith came forward after a reward was offered for its return. | Ms Tottle-Smith came forward after a reward was offered for its return. |
| On Friday, the Royal Society of Chemistry offered £1,808 after it discovered a letter shedding more light on Napoleon's decision to honour the scientist. | On Friday, the Royal Society of Chemistry offered £1,808 after it discovered a letter shedding more light on Napoleon's decision to honour the scientist. |
| But Ms Tottle-Smith said his widow Jane had thrown it into Cornwall's Mounts Bay. | |
| "It's a very sad story. Humphry married a young widow," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. | "It's a very sad story. Humphry married a young widow," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. |
| Jane was very ashamed of the medal and hated it Margaret Tottle-Smith "She was a socialite - she loved parties, she loved balls and when he died suddenly and the money was cut off, Jane was a widow again with no children. | Jane was very ashamed of the medal and hated it Margaret Tottle-Smith "She was a socialite - she loved parties, she loved balls and when he died suddenly and the money was cut off, Jane was a widow again with no children. |
| "She had had a very bad experience going to collect that medal. It was a shocking memory for her. | "She had had a very bad experience going to collect that medal. It was a shocking memory for her. |
| "A lot of his possessions she gave to the Society because he was president there, but not the medal. I have a feeling that Jane was very ashamed of the medal and hated it." | "A lot of his possessions she gave to the Society because he was president there, but not the medal. I have a feeling that Jane was very ashamed of the medal and hated it." |
| When she stood at Mounts Bay and threw it off the coast she "got rid of the memories", she added. | When she stood at Mounts Bay and threw it off the coast she "got rid of the memories", she added. |
| Enlarge Image The letter - dated March 14 1808, exactly 200 years ago on Friday - was sent by a French navy officer to Jean-Baptiste Delambre, an astronomer and general secretary of the Institut de France. | Enlarge Image The letter - dated March 14 1808, exactly 200 years ago on Friday - was sent by a French navy officer to Jean-Baptiste Delambre, an astronomer and general secretary of the Institut de France. |
| It said the Emperor's award was intended to "promote and share scientific knowledge" but the British naval blockade prevented news getting through to Mr Davy for years. | It said the Emperor's award was intended to "promote and share scientific knowledge" but the British naval blockade prevented news getting through to Mr Davy for years. |
| In 1813, in the midst of the Napoleonic Wars, he began a voyage across the Channel with Jane and his assistant Michael Faraday in tow. | In 1813, in the midst of the Napoleonic Wars, he began a voyage across the Channel with Jane and his assistant Michael Faraday in tow. |
| Davy safety lamps | Davy safety lamps |
| The RSC believes the three were arrested at Brittany after getting off a ship carrying prisoners-of-war from Plymouth, but were later released. | The RSC believes the three were arrested at Brittany after getting off a ship carrying prisoners-of-war from Plymouth, but were later released. |
| In Paris they did not meet the Emperor, but met Napoleon's wife Marie Louise instead. | In Paris they did not meet the Emperor, but met Napoleon's wife Marie Louise instead. |
| Davy, from Cornwall, was knighted in 1812 and made a baronet in 1818. | |
| He pioneered electrochemistry but is perhaps best known for inventing the Davy safety lamp for miners. He also identified iodine as an element for the first time. | He pioneered electrochemistry but is perhaps best known for inventing the Davy safety lamp for miners. He also identified iodine as an element for the first time. |