The Reading of the Mail

Some video of Acastas having gotten their mail and reading through it!

Lord Nelson's mail

A special guest speaker at the Jane Austen Festival in 2016 was Bryan Austin giving a talk as Admiral Lord Nelson. I invited several of our regular Mail Packet contributers to write him special 'Nelson-themed' letters and they delivered in spades!

As you might imagine, Lord Nelson had a little difficulty in opening his letters, so Mr. Hollybrass  and Mr. Apple stepped in to assist the Admiral in the absence of his clerk, Mr. Scott.

We'll end today's post with a word of thanks from Bryan Austin, who played Nelson:

Once, in a blue while, you have the opportunity to come across an instance of living history or reenactment that is so complete and appellant to every sense that all at once you find yourself entirely transported from where you stand to another time and place. It was my real privilege to have that opportunity this past weekend meeting the crew of HMS Acasta. Sitting as a spectator to their camp and the stories of each man on board would have been enough, however when the time to deliver the mail arrived to my surprise I was included. 

I was entirely overwhelmed, to see brief slices of Horatio Nelson's life both personal and professional left me in awe and gave me that much more of a greater appreciation for him, the history, and those human experiences that knit the present with the past. From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank those who contributed to making this an experience I will never forget. For the briefest of moments, you turned an actor into an Admiral with greater ease than years of study could…Thank you!

Lord Nelson and the Polar Bear

Bryan Austin as Admiral Lord Nelson at the Acasta dinner at the 2017 Jane Austen Festival in Louisville, KY. Lord Nelson entertains guests with a tale of one of his boyhood adventures!

HMS Victory, a Virtual Tour

 Special thanks to JASNA -GL member Janet Abell for allowing us to make use of the pictures she took aboard HMS Victory during her most recent visit to England, September 2013.

Find My Past - Trafalgar

Nelson's Hospital

Trafalgar & the Death of Nelson 1805

Success to Nelson!

February 8, 1805

Royal Navy Dockyard,

Halifax, Nova Scotia.

To: Dr. Albert Roberts,

Ship's Surgeon,

HMS Acasta

At sea..

From: Thomas Hurlbut, 

Captain,

HMS Satyr.

My Dear Doctor

While briefly at home here in Halifax, my ship receiving a much needed "small repair", I was greeted one morning with a package in the post . 

As I am known to be particular about the mail (lose not a moment!), our very dutiful, and earnestly persistent servant brought the package to our bedroom. Surprisingly, it was from your assistant, Baptiste. 

I hadn't realized the man knew I existed. I'm not sure we've had two words between us, and so to receive anything from him was puzzling. 

More to the point Doctor, his known fascination with natural philosophy (and particularly small creatures, no doubt in proud emulation of yourself!) gave both my wife and I some concern.

When the sender of the package was made known the sudden trepidation surrounding the possible contents of the parcel was palpable. The imagination can be truly frightening, can it not? We instantly were compelled to give it a wide berth.

Our morning routine ruined, we quickly made for the main room to have our breakfast. The package followed, and was placed on the table between us by the sevant. We both drew back as far as we could.

"Earnest" then produced a letter opener to enable me to see the contents. Never did I feel a weapon at hand was more inadequate to the task. I would rather a pistol, even a club!

My wife moved to the doorway, to be able to close the door and trap the contents (and me!!) so that it (they?) could not escape.

I plunged the knife into the brown paper, expecting the appearance of many legs to emerge from the hole produced.

Nothing.

I peeled back the paper (slowly!), wondering if a small head might poke out..

Still nothing. 

(Well, it's been at sea a while, maybe it's dead?)

Finally, knife in hand, I lifted the top of the small box, and.

Actually, I discovered a fine drinking vessel for my morning coffee (that was produced just as I pulled it from the package! "Earnest" again!).

I must express my appreciation when next I see your man. Perhaps I'll send a word through my cox'n who I understand is a friend to him (I believe they both are fluent in French!).

I am enjoying my brief respite from my patrol. The North Atlantic is miserable this time of year.

Your Humble Servant

Thomas Hurlbut,

Halifax.

England Expects...

The National Maritime Museum explores how the Navy secured its place in the fabric of the nation in Nelson, Navy, Nation - a new permanent exhibition opening on Trafalgar Day, 21 October 2013. 

Take a look with co-curator Quintin Colville.

Lady Hamilton and the Volcano

Emma Lady Hamilton entertains the guests at the Acasta dinner with stories of Mt. Vesuvius.

At the Jane Austen Festival 2017.

Dinner at the Jane Austen Festival

The Acasta hosted a number of special guests at their dinner at the 2017 Jane Austen Festival. The above video features some of the highlights of that magical dinner experience. Special thanks to all the hard work of the guests and the cooks and servers and servants who helped to make this amazing dinner take place!

This Year's Special Guest!

We are pleased to announce our secret SPECIAL GUEST who you may also interested in writing to as part of the Mail Packet Project… Admiral Lord NELSON! He got some letters last year and was very excited and we’d like to include him again this year.

Our only rule is that etters to Lord Nelson should not be from his wife Fanny, or Lady Hamilton (as we will have Lady Hamilton with us and that would be weird).

Remember, letters need to be in to me by the first weekend in July for them to be processed and placed into the packet for delivery. If you have any questions about what might be appropriate for Lord Nelson, feel free to contact me via the Royal Navy Doctor Facebook page, or via my email at:

The Battle of Copenhagen 1801