The Blacksmith’s Daughter – Another Gaslight Birthday

She was born near Neston, Cheshire, England, on this day in 1765  the daughter of a blacksmith who died shortly after her birth. She was baptized on the twelfth of May in the same year. She became an actress, a model, a muse to an artist, and the mistress of one of Britain’s greatest heroes.  Read More …

This is NOT the St. Valentine’s Day You’re Thinking Of…

Before a specific Valentine’s Day during the Napoleonic Wars, the location was already well-known. Not only had Sir Francis Drake conducted some of his pirating in the area, but those in Neolithic, ancient Greek, and ancient Roman times called it sacred. The Greeks erected a temple to Heracles. The Romans called it Promontorium Sacrum (The Read More …

Pride Goeth Before the Fall…The Story of the Nelson Sarcophagus

The title of the post comes from Proverbs 16:18. It is usually shortened as I’ve done, but the actual verse from the King James Version is as follows: ‘Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.’ In a way, it seems appropriate in telling a bit of the story of the sarcophagus Read More …

Gaslight Historic Event – January 9th…

NOTE: Contains some pathological/forensic details some readers might wish to take into consideration. He died at the hands of a sniper on October 21st, 1805. Originally, another vessel involved in the Battle of Trafalgar was given the grim transport assignment. When the crew of the Victory came close to mutinying, it was decided she would Read More …

England expects that every man will do his duty – a Belated Commemoration

On the 21st of October in the year 1805, one of the greatest battles in the history of naval confrontations was fought between the British Royal Navy and the French forces of Napoleon Bonaparte. By the time the Battle of Trafalgar concluded, not only had a great victory been scored against Napoleon and his attempts Read More …