[4][7], After the Treaty of Amiens on 25 March 1802, Nelson was released from active service, but wanted to keep his new-found position in society by maintaining an aura of wealth, and Emma worked hard to live up to this dream. ", as she fainted against him. Returning to Dover, she was met by one of Nelson's brothers-in-law, George Matcham, and thereafter spent two years with the Matchams in Sussex, helping to look after the younger children. [4] Horatia subsequently married the Rev.

Hamilton's public career was now at its height and during their visit he was inducted into the Privy Council. The Combined Fleets of the Enemy are now reported to be coming out of Cadiz; and therefore I answer your letter, my dearest Horatia, to mark to you that you are ever uppermost in my thoughts.

[13] Her epitaph, after mentioning her husband and children, runs: This portrait of an unknown female owned by Royal Museums, Greenwich, was until recently believed to be of Horatia Nelson, and many websites and other publications continue to attribute it to Horatia in error. However, Royal Museums Greenwich have stated, "we no longer think the woman in white is Horatia. She has some likeness to Nelson, but Horatia did not have such a marked resemblance from other portraits of her in youth (we have a bust by Christopher Prosperi showing her as a child and an oil portrait of her in early teens). At one point, the Royal Opera in Madrid tried to engage her for a season, in competition with their star, Angelica Catalani, but that offer was turned down. At Horatia's insistence, the money thus raised was divided between her three sons in military service (Marmaduke, Philip and William), and so that same year (1854) Queen Victoria stepped in and allocated public funds for a £100 annual pension for each Nelson-Ward daughter. The establishment's greatest attraction was a bed through which electricity was passed, giving paying patrons mild shocks. Not much is known about her early life except that she was in London when she was 12, working as an under-nursemaid in the house of a composer called Thomas Linley. Horatia Nelson, Clarendon, 1970, page 297, Gérin, Winifred. [4], The Hamiltons moved into William Beckford's mansion at 22 Grosvenor Square, and Nelson and Fanny took an expensive furnished house at 17 Dover Street, a comfortable walking distance away, until December, when Sir William rented a home at 23 Piccadilly, opposite Green Park. Her brother, William, blackmailed her into giving him money, and Mrs Cadogan's sister's family, the Connors, were also expecting handouts. Still her company was sought after in society, and she continued to entertain at Merton, including the Prince of Wales and the Dukes of Sussex and Clarence, but no favours were returned by the royals.[4]. Horatia Nelson, Clarendon, 1970, page 299, People of the American Civil War by state, Pages containing cite templates with deprecated parameters, Articles incorporating text from Find a Grave.com, Articles incorporating text from Wikipedia, "Geni.com family history profile of Horatia Ward, with additional refs", https://www.geni.com/people/Horatia-Ward/6000000007536750758, "Geni family history profile of Horatia, with links to children", http://www.emmahamiltonsociety.co.uk/#!blank-4/fmtiu, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6884289/horatia-ward, https://military.wikia.org/wiki/Horatia_Nelson?oldid=4973535. Horatia's grandfather had also been a clergyman. The first memorial to Emma, Lady Hamilton, Parc Richelieu, Calais, France, erected by The 1805 Club in 1994. Emma must have become pregnant around April 1800. Emma died just before Horatia's fourteenth birthday at Calais in January 1815, having fled there with Horatia to escape debt. In June 1808, Merton failed to sell at auction. Nelson and Emma continued to write letters to each other when he was away at sea, and she kept every one. Eleanor Philippa Ward (born April 1824 in Norfolk – 1872). Emma gave birth to Nelson's daughter Horatia, on 29 January 1801[15] at 23 Piccadilly, who was taken soon afterwards to a Mrs Gibson for care and hire of a wet nurse. After William and Sarah distanced themselves from her (William being elated upon hearing that Nelson had not changed his will), she relied on Nelson's sisters (Kitty Matcham and Susanna Bolton) for moral support and company. She was furious when she realised what Greville had planned for her,[3] but eventually started to enjoy life in Naples and responded to Sir William's intense courtship just before Christmas in 1786. There is, so far, no evidence it was ever in Nelson-Ward family possession (or other branches of the Nelson family), which is the obvious place to have expected to find it, or at least information linking it to them - but there is none.

Nelson urged her to keep Horatia at Merton, and when his return seemed imminent in 1804, Emma ran up bills on furnishing and decorating Merton. In early 1813 she petitioned the Prince of Wales, the government and friends, but all of her requests failed and she was obliged to auction off many of her possessions, including many Nelson relics, at low prices. An appeal committee of Lord Nelson's friends and naval colleagues met frequently in London by Horatia herself, brought about a deputation to the Prime Minister and a national appeal (launched in 1850 and closed four years later; it raised only £1457). Nelson contributed to Fanny's misery by being cruel to her when not in Emma's company.

This growing public interest in Nelson (Nelson's Column and Trafalgar Square were erected in 1843, for example) brought her recompense for the perceived national neglect of her immediately after Nelson's death. Thanks to her mother's efforts, Horatia became a graceful and accomplished woman.[3]. [18][7], She was desperately lonely, preoccupied with attempting to turn Merton Place into the grand home Nelson desired,[3] suffering from several ailments and frantic for his return. Charles Greville was the executor of the estate and he instructed her to leave 23 Piccadilly, but for the sake of respectability, she had to keep an address separate from Nelson's and so moved into 11 Clarges Street, not far away, a couple of months later. By this time, Nelson's adventures had prematurely aged him; he had lost an arm and most of his teeth, and was afflicted by coughing spells. ", Gérin, Winifred. While he was at sea, Nelson and Emma exchanged many letters, using a secret code to discuss Emma's condition. [4] The marriage was witnessed by Charlotte Mary Nelson (Nelson's brother William's daughter) and "Emma Hartley" (Emma's daughter Emma Carew). Emma died just before Horatia's fourteenth birthday at Calais in January 1815, having fled there with Horatia to escape debt.


On her death, Horatia was buried in Pinner Parish old cemetery, in Paines Lane in Pinner. For other uses, see, Quintin Colville, p52 BBC History Magazine, December 2016, Her Attitudes are described by Goethe in his, "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," database, FamilySearch (, Doc via Ancestry, from London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1932, for Catherine Bolton Westminster St George, Hanover Square 1800-1805, from London Metropolitan Archives; London, England; Reference Number: DL/T/089/002, Quintin Colville, p54 BBC History Magazine, December 2016. Horatia was also predeceased by her husband who died suddenly on 16 January 1859 and was buried at the east of St Mildred's Tenterden with his children, Caroline Mary and Edmund Nelson (a memorial stained glass window was also put up to him in the church).[12].
Emma developed her Attitudes from mere poses into small, wordless plays—in her later years she excelled most as Medea. Infuriated by Fanny's handing him an ultimatum to choose between her and his mistress, Nelson chose Emma and decided to take steps to formalise separation from his wife. Mary Lyon, left with a 2-month-old daughter after her husband had died in somewhat mysterious circumstances, returned to her family home across the Dee, where her mother Sarah Kidd helped to raise Emma, forming a bond which they maintained throughout their lives. [16] Emma turned herself to winning over Nelson's family, nursing his 80-year-old father Edmund for 10 days at Merton, who loved her and thought of moving in with them, but could not bear to leave his beloved Norfolk.

The government had made William an Earl and his son Horatio (aka Horace) a Viscount - the titles Nelson had aspired to - and now he was also Duke of Bronte. Shortly after the ceremony, Romney painted his last portrait of Emma from life, The Ambassadress, after which he plunged into a deep depression and drew a series of frenzied sketches of Emma.

With the aid of her shawls, Emma posed as various classical figures from Medea to Queen Cleopatra, and her performances charmed aristocrats, artists such as Élisabeth-Louise Vigée-Le Brun, writers—including the great Johann Wolfgang von Goethe [9]—and kings and queens alike, setting off new dance trends across Europe and starting a fashion for a draped Grecian style of dress. In late February, Nelson returned to London and met his daughter at Mrs Gibson's. Horatia Nelson, christened as Horatia Nelson Thompson[1] (29 January 1801 – 6 March 1881) was the illegitimate daughter of Emma Hamilton and Horatio Nelson. Edmund Nelson Ward (10 July 1832 – 1833), died aged 6 months. She is said to have entertained Harry and his friends by dancing in the nude on the dining room table.

[5] Horatia's biographer described the marriage as "the one certain good that befell" Horatia.

After the funeral, the begging letters began. After her husband's death in January 1859 she had to leave Tenterden.

Nelson was delighted at Horatia's birth (the more so when his second child with Emma, another girl, died a few weeks after her birth in early 1803), and spent as often as he could during his brief times onshore from 1803 to 1805 enjoying domestic life with her and Emma at Merton Place, more frequently and easily once Sir William was dead.

However, Royal Museums Greenwich have stated, "we no longer think the woman in white is Horatia. In 1799, Naples was the scene of a strange revolution led by members of the aristocracy; the common people did not agree with the revolution. There is, so far, no evidence it was ever in Nelson-Ward family possession (or other branches of the Nelson family), which is the obvious place to have expected to find it, or at least information linking it to them - but there is none.