The Secret Museum and the San Ildefonso ensign

[anteros_lmc]

Over the last week there have a been a number of reviews and articles in the UK press about a book by Molly Oldfield called The Secret Museum. The book is described as "a unique treasure trove of the most intriguing artifacts hidden away in museum archives from all over the world". From the articles I've read, one of the most stunning artefacts featured is the ensign of the Spanish 74 San Ildefonso which was captured at Trafalgar by HMS Defence, 74, Captain Sir George Johnstone Hope. The ensign was hung in St Paul's for Nelson's funeral and subsequently donated to Greenwich Hospital and the National Maritime Museum where it remains in storage. The flag, which is 33 by 38 feet, was hung from the parapet of the Queen's House in 1962 to be photographed! The NMM are rather more careful with their ensigns these days, and this time they unfurled it on the floor to be photographed for Oldfield's book.



Look at the size of the thing! Isn't it incredible?!

NMM Catalogue Entry: http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/567.html, includes a picture of the ensign hanging from Queen's House.
Telegraph Review: Museums' Hidden Treasures
Amazon: The Secret Museum

Comments

[eglantine-br.livejournal.com]

That is amazing. You can still see the colors. Really it is still in fairly good shape-- And the photo here is very clever to have the people there for a size reference.

Somehow I often think of the past as being on a smaller scale. I mean there were no 30 story buildings-- there were no tractor-trailer trucks.

This serves as a reminder that the Navy, British and otherwise, was on a huge scale.

And that makes me think again of the vulnerable soft humans who lived in the machine. Each being, precious and unrepeatable... that is what I find most moving about historical artifacts.

(Sorry to be so goopy and maudlin, but I think you know what I mean.)

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

This serves as a reminder that the Navy, British and otherwise, was on a huge scale.
So true. It doesn't matter how much I read, I just can't conceive of the sheer scale of the fleet. To say nothing of those vast convoys of merchant men.

And that makes me think again of the vulnerable soft humans who lived in the machine.
Yes, that's a very good way to put it. It's incredible to think that the mechanism of that vast war machine was individual men.

Each being, precious and unrepeatable...
That's a lovely way to put it. And yes, I do know what you mean :)

[rikibeth.livejournal.com]

I know. A 44-gun frigate feels SMALL when you walk her decks and think of all the men who lived and worked on her, but I can barely imagine a 74-gun ship of the line.

[eveiya.livejournal.com]

I'm stunned by the hugeness of that! It would make a spinnaker for a decent-sized racing yacht today.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

It's vast isn't it?! And this is from a 74! It really makes me wonder about the size of the ensigns the huge three and four deckers flew.

[esteven]

Oh!
*is speechless*

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Isn't it stunning? I thought you would like it :)

[esteven]

*is still agog* :)

[amaraal.livejournal.com]

Pretty cool! If there will be a 'facsimile' or something?

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

It's very cool :) Do you mean a facsimile of the ensign?

[amaraal.livejournal.com]

Yip! I couldn't find the proper term. Replica I think it is. But it is cool that things like this survive time. Very impressive.
A week in the dungeons of the NMM :) Maybe we'd find a replica of the Indy too :) *snort*

[charliecochrane.livejournal.com]

Oh. Oh! It's lovely. Did I tell you I cried when I saw Victory's sail down at Pompey?

[eglantine-br.livejournal.com]

I would cry too.

[charliecochrane.livejournal.com]

It was so very moving. Especially as the exhibition featured scenes from Master & Commander. *sniff*

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

You didn't. Bot I am not remotely surprised.

[aletheiafelinea.livejournal.com]

Yes, the size was my first thought. And I wonder how did it look like before 1962. They couldn't have hung it in such state, could they??? O.O I mean... come on, pieces would fall...

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Here's how it looked hanging up in 1962. The picture is from the NMM Collections.

[eglantine-br.livejournal.com]

That looks kind of silly. And cannot be good for it. But I guess it got a good airing out!

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Tell me about it! They must have kittens when they look at that picture now :}

[kittycallum.livejournal.com]

It's enormous! How did it ever fly from anything??? (OK, I can sort of picture it, but a person could build a house sized tent with that.)

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

I know! And this was flown from one of the smaller ships of the line too! It's extraordinary isn't it?

[rum-inspector.livejournal.com]

wow the size of it! Much hand-stitching done there :D

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Good grief! I never even thought of that!! I wonder how many people it took to stitch this?!

[rikibeth.livejournal.com]

I'm not shrieking aloud, because eternaleponine is sitting next to me and she's on the phone.

But my heart is shrieking in glee.

[asthenie-vd.livejournal.com]

This is stunning. Thank you for sharing it.

Reading how large these ships were, and seeing artifacts like that are completely different things.