How William Bunce made his mark.

It is remarkable that more than 200 years since Lord Nelson’s demise, previously unknown artefacts connected to him continue to emerge from family attics or private collections. Even more remarkable are the ones which are also directly connected to our Rock… such as this one: 

     

After the battle, HMS Victory limped into Rosia under tow from HMS Neptune, where she became an instant tourist attraction. Captain Hardy found himself showing a constant flow of curious dignitaries over the ship, perhaps dishing out small souvenirs to the more important visitors. One of the essential sights would have been the spot where England’s greatest hero fell and it seems probable that he would have asked the ship’s carpenter to produce an appropriate marker.

 The hastily manufactured nature of the marker – a simple inscription with punched letters, rather than a fine engraving, and secured by a central bolt - is exactly what might be expected of a sailor using materials immediately to hand on board. The ship’s carpenter, William Bunce, had more pressing matters to attend to, but Captain Hardy was to be satisfied in each and every request. 

Pembrokeshire man William Bunce was, at 55, a very experienced ships’ carpenter. He had served in many of the (now) famous ships of the era; Nemesis, San Fiorenzo, Aigle, Culloden, San Josef and in 1803 had been appointed to Victory. Significantly he had served with Nelson at the Battles of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and the Nile.

 In March 1805  William was released from Victory and appointed to the Gibraltar yard, as a builder, no doubt to share his years of ship building know-how with the yard staff here. However at the beginning of September he was recalled to Victory, taking part in the Battle of Trafalgar just over a month later.

William was present at Nelson’s death and figures in Benjamin West’s 1808 painting, ‘The Death of Lord Nelson in the Cockpit of the Ship Victory’ where he appears standing to the left, carrying his wooden mallet.

A year after Trafalgar William was briefly appointed to HMS St Vincent before becoming the Master Shipwright at the Bermuda Navy Yard.

 

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William’s prosaic plate would eventually be replaced by more elegant examples and his original found its way into someone’s family treasure to re-appear a few years ago, appropriately mounted on a carved wooden surround and be offered for auction.

 

                                         

                             Incredibly, perhaps not considering its provenance, it made £10,540 in 2007.

 

The more recent replacements, like the plaque fixed to Victory’s deck today, are a reflection of the graphic design of the 20^th century, but there is something very appealing about the first, unsophisticated item, offered by Mr Bunce, on the spot, at the time.

 

                                                                  

        

                                                                           Today’s example on Victory’s deck.

 

 

 

                First published here June 2025.                               Paul Hodkinson.