The box is a small commemorative item made of oak thought to have come from the water barrel Nelson‘s body was kept in on the voyage back to England after the Battle of Trafalgar. The barrel was filled with brandy to preserve his remains and it is said the liquid had to be refilled several times on the journey back. The box was expected to fetch up to L1,200 at the sale, which tied in with the 250th anniversary of Nelson‘s birth.
Vice-Admiral Lord Nelson was born Horatio Nelson in Burnham Thorpe, Norfolk, in 1758, the sixth son of 11 children. He joined the Navy at the age of 12 and became a captain aged 20. He lost his right arm at the battle of Santa Cruz in Tenerife in 1797 and died from a bullet to his spine on board his ship, HMS Victory, at the Battle of Trafalgar on October 21, 1805. The British Navy was victorious however, defeating Napoleon Bonaparte and the French and Spanish fleet off the Spanish coast. Bonhams said Nelson memorabilia remained popular among collectors today. The Independent
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Nelson‘s ‚Coffin‘ Up for Sale
coffin [‘kofin] rakev
wood[wud] dřevo
barrel [‘bnrol] sud
voyage [‘voiidž] plavba, cesta
item [‘aitom] položka, věc
memorabilia [memoro‘bilio] upomínkový/památeční předmět
naval hero [‘neivl ‘hiorou] námořní hrdina
mourning [‘mo:ni?] smuteční
funeral [‘fju:norol] pohřeb
commemorative [ko‘memorotiv] pamětní, památeční
oak [ouk] dub
battle [‘bntl] bitva
liquid [‘likwid] tekutina
refill [ri:‘fil] znovu naplnit, doplnit
fetch up to [feč ap tu:] dostat se,vylézt, dosáhnout na
tie in with [tai in wi¸] hodit se k, souviset s
navy [‘neivi] námořnictvo, námořní loďstvo
arm [a:m] paže
bullet [‘bulit] kulka, střela
spine [spain] páteř
victorious [vik‘to:rios] vítězný
defeat [di‘fi:t] porazit
fleet [fli:t] flotila, loďstvo
off the coast [of ¸o koust] u/poblíž pobřeží
