Horatio Nelson & the Bronte Sisters

In Episode 3, Audrey (and Mrs Poo) told Richard the walls of the small parish church were adorned with plaques dedicated to members of the fforbes-Hamilton family. As I'm less acquainted with English history than its literature, the family name that jumped out to me, when my wife and I toured the St Thomas church, was not Nelson, but Bronte. In subsequent research, I've learned that Bronte, in this case, refers to a duchy, which English naval hero Horatio Nelson (and his descendants) was awarded for the pivotal role he played in several battles. So there's apparently no connection with writer Charlotte Bronte, whose novel Jane Eyre I read last year, after visiting her hometown of Haworth back in 2012.

Still, Peter Spence would have visited the St Thomas church regularly, as his in-laws owned the manor house and surrounding estate when he was creating To The Manor Born. He would have studied all the plaques dedicated to the Nelson family. As a writer, he would also have noted the Bronte name, as the novels of the three sisters--Anne, Emily, and Charlotte--are regarded as some of the most important in western literature. 

I don't know what literature English teachers assign to students in English schools, but as Haworth is one of the most visited literary shrines (second only to William Shakespeare's Stratford-upon-Avon), I'm guessing he would have read some of the Bronte sisters' stories in his youth. If he hadn't, it wouldn't surprise me to learn he read their novels before or while he wrote To The Manor Born. Such novels as Wuthering Heights by Emily, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne, and Jane Eyre by Charlotte all speak of the demands placed upon the aristocratic families, and how dealing with those weighty responsibilities shaped the characters of the rich and powerful. What I find even more striking is how those novels resonate today with people across races, religions, and social strata. Here were three women who grew up poor, who never wielded an ounce of real power in their lives, yet their stories dealt so truthfully not only with those (like Richard and Audrey) who wielded power, and those like estate worker Old Ned and the butler Brabinger who worked for them.

Is it reasonable to assume that Horatio Nelson, and the Nelson dukes and duchesses who succeeded him, led Peter Spence to create the rich tapestry of the fforbes-Hamilton family, which Audrey continually cites in To The Manor Born? Is it likely that the repeated mention of the Bronte name helped Spence create more than just an ordinary sitcom, but also a romance that attracted some of the highest viewing figures for any show of its era? Is it likely those plaques inside the St Thomas Church, in their small way, helped him create a saga still beloved around the world, and deemed one of the most important British sitcoms ever?

Well, they couldn't have hurt, could they?

Dragon Dave

A Memorial to Horatio Nelson & Family

After last week's post, my wife mentioned to me that she couldn't read the above inscription. On my computer, I can readily zoom in on any photograph, but some readers may have trouble doing so. So for all of you out there in my wife's shoes, here goes:

SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF THE

REVEREND WILLIAM, EARL NELSON, DUKE OF BRONTE,

WHO WAS BORN THE 20TH OF APRIL, 1757, AND DIED 28TH FEBRUARY 1835.

HIS REMAINS ARE DEPOSITED IN ST PAUL'S CATHEDRAL,

BY THE SIDE OF HIS GALLANT BROTHER, HORATIO, VICOUNT NELSON.

ALSO SACRED TO THE MEMORIES OF HORATIO NELSON,

SON OF SAMUEL, LORD BRIDPORT, AND OF CHARLOTTE MARY, HIS WIFE,

WHO WAS BORN JULY 25TH 1922, AND DIED JANUARY 19TH 1826.

AND OF HIS BROTHER, HORATION NELSON,

WHO WAS BORN APRIL 27TH 1826, AND DIED JANUARY 2ND, 1832.

THIS MONUMENT WAS ERECTED BY CHARLOTTE MARY, LADY BRIDPORT,

AS A TOKEN OF AFFECTION AND GRATITUDE TO HER FATHER,

AND OF TENDER LOVE AND REGRET FOR HER TWO CHILDREN.

I'm sure there's a wealth of historical information out there on Horatio Nelson, as well as the entire Nelson family. I'd like to learn more about his naval exploits, the role he played in Britain's government, and learn more about his family. Perhaps some of my British readers would care to comment, and share with me, and all of you, what they remember learning about Nelson in school, and what they feel others should know about his contributions to the world?

As for me, I'm still a little amazed at discovering such a strong link with such an important man in Audrey fforbes-Hamilton's little country church.

Dragon Dave

The fforbes-Hamilton Family's Surprising Hero

In the final scene of Episode 3, "The Rhythms of the Earth," the following Sunday morning service ends, and Richard leaves the church with Marjory Frobisher. The Vicar thanks him for reading the Bible lesson, and Marjory gushes that Richard read it beautifully. Then Audrey arrives, confused that the service is over. "Ah," the Vicar replies, "there's always one on the day the clocks go forward."

Poor old Ned. While fixing Audrey's clock, he forgot to adjust for the spring time change!

With a grin, Richard suggests that this is the first Sunday in the long history of the church in which a fforbes-Hamilton hasn't attended a service. Nonplussed, Audrey counters, "If you look at the walls inside our little church, I'm sure you'll find that lots of fforbes-Hamiltons were there this morning."

As my wife and I toured St Thomas Church, we saw several plaques dedicated to one family. With apologies to Audrey, it wasn't the fforbes-Hamilton family that adorned the sanctuary walls. Instead, it was the prestigious family of Horatio Nelson.

Horatio Nelson was an eighteenth century naval officer whose tactics and strategies helped defend England during the Napoleonic Wars. He is regarded as single-handedly saving Britain time and again. Perhaps, had he been less bold or brilliant, Britain might be part of France today.

His statue adorns a pillar that towers above London's Trafalgar Square, and he is still celebrated for his inspiration and leadership. 

I'm not an expert on English history, but I've visited Trafalgar Square twice now. I'm guessing that, by the height of the pillar atop which they've placed him, the English regard Horatio Nelson as one of their greatest military heroes. 

I don't know about you, but I never would have expected to find the name of Horatio Nelson, let alone those of his descendants, gracing a small, country church in Cricket St. Thomas. 

But then, sometimes you find the greatest treasures in the most unlikely places.

Dragon Dave