Artwork : ArchiveNo00139

Portable Writing Bureau 1797

ContributionForm
Contributor Name	HMS Victory
Contributor Image	Peter_Goodwin_pic.jpg
Profession
Location	Portsea
Collection Date	05.06.08 4.33pm
Artefact Name	Portable Writing Bureau
Artefact Description	40cm (length) x 18cm (width) x 10cm (height) Made from rosewood with brass handles and trimmings. Original ink spills still visible.
Artefact Date	1797
Artefact Stored	Captain’s Day Cabin, HMS Victory
Artefact Form
Artefact Image	Writing_Bureau.jpg
Sample Taken	Chip of wood and corner of suede from writing area
Sample Image
History of Artefact	It belonged to Captain Hardy in 1805 who came from Dorset. He was aged thirty-five at the Battle of Trafalgar. He was one of the tallest men on board at 6ft4 (Nelson was 5ft6). This bureau was his own personal object. He brought his own furniture on ship also. ‘It was given to Portsmouth Museum at first, but the museum offered it back to the Victory, so it finally came home!’ ‘It is ironic that Nelson got shot because he was the smallest target!’ Historian - Peter Goodwin
Historian	Peter Goodwin
Previous Owners	Captain Thomas Masterman Hardy and his decendants
Special Memories	‘It has only been on Victory since I found it in 1995. It was given on loan from the family.‘ Historian - Peter Goodwin
Artwork Image	00139web.jpg

Topic attachments
I	Attachmentb	Action	Size
jpg	00139web.jpg	manage	492.9 K
jpg	Peter_Goodwin_pic.jpg	manage	61.0 K
jpg	Writing_Bureau.jpg	manage	42.4 K