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| Nelson memorabilia up for auction | Nelson memorabilia up for auction |
| (about 10 hours later) | |
| A box thought to be made from fragments of the barrel which transported Vice-admiral Lord Nelson's body back to Britain is to be auctioned. | A box thought to be made from fragments of the barrel which transported Vice-admiral Lord Nelson's body back to Britain is to be auctioned. |
| It is among the Nelson memorabilia being sold by Bonhams in London, which also includes letters, a mourning ring and invitations from his funeral. | It is among the Nelson memorabilia being sold by Bonhams in London, which also includes letters, a mourning ring and invitations from his funeral. |
| The commemorative box is expected to fetch between £800 and £1,200. | The commemorative box is expected to fetch between £800 and £1,200. |
| Nelson died after being shot on board HMS Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar off the coast of Spain in 1805. | Nelson died after being shot on board HMS Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar off the coast of Spain in 1805. |
| Lot 435 is a silver-mounted oak commemorative box, which is thought to have been made from the water barrel which transported his body back to Portsmouth onboard the ship. | |
| The barrel was filled with brandy to preserve the body and this had to be replenished several times during the journey. | The barrel was filled with brandy to preserve the body and this had to be replenished several times during the journey. |
| 'Folk hero' | 'Folk hero' |
| Lionel Willis, marine specialist at Bonhams, said the ship would not have had a coffin on board when Nelson died. | Lionel Willis, marine specialist at Bonhams, said the ship would not have had a coffin on board when Nelson died. |
| He said: "It was normal for them to just throw bodies over the side. They would wrap them in their hammocks and attach a cannonball. | He said: "It was normal for them to just throw bodies over the side. They would wrap them in their hammocks and attach a cannonball. |
| "The only thing which would have been big enough to carry him was a water barrel, made from oak." | "The only thing which would have been big enough to carry him was a water barrel, made from oak." |
| Mr Willis said Nelson had an actual coffin waiting in the UK, which was made from the mast of the French flagship sunk in the Battle of the Nile. | Mr Willis said Nelson had an actual coffin waiting in the UK, which was made from the mast of the French flagship sunk in the Battle of the Nile. |
| The auction is expected to be popular, he added, saying: "He still strikes a chord with people, he's a bit of a folk hero." | The auction is expected to be popular, he added, saying: "He still strikes a chord with people, he's a bit of a folk hero." |
| Nelson was born in Burnham Thorpe, Norfolk, in 1758 and joined his uncle's ship as a seaman in 1771 before being appointed a midshipman. | Nelson was born in Burnham Thorpe, Norfolk, in 1758 and joined his uncle's ship as a seaman in 1771 before being appointed a midshipman. |
| He moved through the ranks of the Royal Navy before taking command of a ship, the brig HMS Badger, in 1778. | He moved through the ranks of the Royal Navy before taking command of a ship, the brig HMS Badger, in 1778. |
| In 1794, Nelson was wounded and blinded in one eye by cannon fire in Corsica. Nelson lost his right arm at the battle of Santa Cruz in Tenerife in 1797. | In 1794, Nelson was wounded and blinded in one eye by cannon fire in Corsica. Nelson lost his right arm at the battle of Santa Cruz in Tenerife in 1797. |