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1805 Mathew Boulton's Medal For Trafalgar to David Blake(y) H.M.S. Victory.
A rare 1805 Battle of Trafalgar medal presented to a member of the H.M.S. Victory crew. In overall good condition. There is some wear and rubbing to the medal, especially the rim inscription. I would describe the condition as good considering the age (220 years) and material (pewter). The hanger and ribbon are very likely later additions. The reverse is engraved with a name appearing as "David Blakey" with "H.M.S. Victory" and dated "Oct. 21 1805". I believe this is a misspelling and is meant to be "David Blake". There is a record in the H.M.S. Victory Battle Of Trafalgar muster rolls of a David Blake, an able seaman aged 22 (please see images above). Misspellings are considered relatively common for medals from this era. The details (names, service numbers, units) were often individually hand-stamped or engraved onto the medals. This manual process was prone to human error. Also, the information for the naming was often transcribed from service records, which might have contained their own errors, or sometimes based on information provided verbally or handwritten by individuals who themselves may have had poor spelling or literacy skills.
The Battle of Trafalgar : After dogging the enemy fleet for some time Admiral Horatio Nelson eventually brought the combined French and Spanish fleet - a total of thirty-three ships - to battle off Cape Trafalgar on the 21 October 1805. Attacking in two columns, the port under Nelson and the starboard led by Admiral Collingwood, the battle lasted some seven hours. Seventeen enemy ships were captured, one was burnt and the remainder fled. Nelson died as a result of a musket ball wound received early in the engagement. His body was brought back to England and he was buried in the crypt of St Paul's Cathedral on 9th January 1806.
Matthew Boulton was a Birmingham industrialist who owned the Soho Mint. This medal was produced at Boulton's own expense and was given to the seamen and marines who took part in the action as well as to the families of the deceased in action of the battle.
Boulton was "publicly saddened" that King George III had not produced an award for the brave Royal Navy seamen who fought & won the Battle of Trafalgar on 21st October 1805.
However, the situation on the ground (and in the harbours) at the time of the delivery & presentation of the medals, which were all originally housed in small, flat, two piece metal shells, could only be described as a scene of total ingratitude. When the crews found out that the medal where not made of silver and couldn't be 'popped' (pawned) for 5 shillings for tobacco money the vast majority were duly thrown overboard into the harbour.
Obverse : Uniformed bust facing left.
Lettering: HORATIO VISCOUNT NELSON . K . B . DUKE OF BRONTE . &c.
Reverse : View of the Battle of Trafalgar with an inscription on a ribbon above.
Lettering: ENGLAND EXPECTS EVERY MAN WILL DO HIS DUTY
TRAFALGAR OCT. 21 . 1805.
Edge : TO THE HEROES OF TRAFALGAR FROM M. BOULTON.
Diameter: 47mm
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