Funeral Procession by Water with the Remains of the Late Lord Nelson

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The Victory, the ship on which Nelson died, was towed back from Gibraltar with Nelson's body preserved in a barrel of brandy. He lay in state in Greenwich for three days before being escorted to a funeral barge by five hundred naval pensioners. His body was taken to London the day before his funeral in a procession of black-draped boats between banks lined by thousands of mourners. It was no stately progress, however, as a strong south-westerly gale kept blowing them off course. This commemorative print was published soon afterwards for the popular periodical the Lady's Magazine: or Entertaining Companion for the Fair Sex.

Events of 1806back to top

Current affairs

William Pitt dies in January and his lifelong opponent Charles James Fox dies in September. Pitt is succeeded by William Wyndham, Baron Grenville, who forms the 'Ministry of all the Talents' coalition .
Prince of Wales instigates the 'Delicate Investigation'; a Parliamentary enquiry into claims that his wife Caroline had an illegitimate child.

Art and science

John Constable embarks on a formative tour of the Lakes and makes landscape studies of the Langdale Pikes and Helvellyn.
Turner exhibits his Thames views to acclaim at his own London gallery.
Humphrey Davy discovers the elements potassium and sodium by passing an electrical current through molten compounds.

International

Soprano Angelica Catalani arrives from Italy to make her London debut, amazing audiences with her showpiece arias.
Napoleon turns his forces east against Austria, Russia and Prussia and enjoys a wave of French victories.
British attack on Buenos Aires under General William Beresford fails.

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