HMS Victory, Trafalgar - photograph of the man and his medal

[PMarione]

I am not sure there was an age limitation but all the engravings, caricatures, paintings... show old men, most of them invalids.
Berths were obtained by application and recommendation from commanding officers.

Even by period standard, 34 was not very old and on his pic he doesn't look invalid.

In the book I quoted, his photograph is reproduced (must have been something he sold like a postcard?). The author quotes the diary of the Rev Armstrong as source, and he was certainly on the muster book of the Victory.

I didn't notice it before but there is a ribbon with VIC[TORY] on his hat.

I believe that he was for real but that Lewis is wrong about GH or the date of 1817.
The place to check, I suppose, is Yarmouth Museum (with the horful mannikin).

@+P

[alexlitandem]

Patrick -

I'm conjecturing here for a moment. We certainly read that he spent some time at Greenwich Hospital returning to Yarmouth not later than 1817.

He is not listed in either Clarke or in Message as receiving his NGS medal whilst `a pensioner' at Greenwich. Agreed.

But, surely, he could have been an invalid there in, say, the late 1810's? His age wouldn't have come into it, would it, if he needed treatment of some kind?

[alexlitandem]

Talking with Faith Carpenter - thoroughly charming lady - at the Nelson Museum in Yarmouth, I have learnt that:

a) James Sharman was discharged, ill, from the Prince Frederick, in 1817, to Greenwich Hospital.

b) He returned to Yarmouth, on his recovery, to take up the appointment as the first Keeper of the Monument - satisfying all the criteria the founding committee had hoped could be satisfied viz., man with local roots, served at Trafalgar, served with Nelson, came strongly recommended. (TM Hardy)

c) It is believed that a letter from Hardy supporting Sharman for the role of Keeper is held at Greenwich ( but no immediate further details on that side of things).

[PMarione]

Now we are going to the bottom of it.

@+P