Free Nelson by John Sugden Page A

National Library of Canada, Ottawa, whose superb assistance has now told in four of my projects; the National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh; the staff of the library of the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, who suffered my incessant demands for manuscripts with unfailing courtesy and understanding; Sandra McElroy, Assistant Keeper in the Division of Arts and Industry, National Museum of Ireland, Dublin; Ruth Kenny, Erika Ingham and Helen Trompeteler of the National Portrait Gallery, London; Sighle Bhreathnach-Lynch, Curator of Irish Art, the National Gallery of Art, Dublin; the National Register of Archives, London; Andrew Helme and his staff who extended such able assistance during my visits to the Nelson Museum in Monmouth, Gwent; the Newberry Library, Chicago, Illinois; Loraine Barutti of the Department of Manuscripts, New York Historical Society, New York; the staff of the Norfolk Heritage Centre, Norwich, particularly Dianne Yeadon for her invaluable help in tracing Nelson connections in Norfolk; Faith Carpenter, the curator and designer of the Norfolk Nelson Museum, Great Yarmouth, who specially opened to allow me access to the collection; the County Archivist and staff of the Norfolk Record Office, Norwich; the Northumberland Record Office, Newcastle-upon-Tyne; Karen Wright of the Paston College, North Walsham, Norfolk; Professors Roberta Ferrari and Mario Curreliof the University of Pisa; the Public Record Office, Kew; Dr Karen Schoenewaldt, registrar at the Rosenbach Museum and Library, Philadelphia; Jonathan Spain of the Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts, London; Mr N. K. D. Ward, Headmaster, Royal Hospital School, Holbrook; the Royal Naval Museum, Portsmouth; the John Rylands Library, Manchester; Sarah Davis, the Shropshire Records and Research Centre, Shrewsbury; Lisa Dowdeswell, the Society of Authors; Dr Peter Beal of Sotheby’s, London; the University Library of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Chris Petter, Special Collections librarian at the University of Victoria, British Columbia; the university libraries of Hull, Lancaster and Warwick; Lieutenant Commander C. W. (Dick) Whittington, then of HMS Victory ; the Wellcome Library for the History and Understanding of Medicine, London; and the Westminster Archives Centre, London.
    Among individuals who have offered help, material and suggestions at different times I should notice several fellow members of the Nelson Society, including Ray and Ann Evans, David Shannon, Derek Hayes, Louis Hodgkin, Victor Sharman, Clive Richards, and Jim Woolward. In Britain I would also like to thank authors Carola Oman, Oliver Warner, Professor Christopher Lloyd, Professor Michael Lewis, Leonard W. Cowie, Tom Pocock, Surgeon Vice Admiral Sir James Watt, Sir Ludovic Kennedy, Brian Vale, and Dr J. C. G. Binfield of Sheffield University, who not only reviewed my early explorations into the naval and political history of Nelson’s day but also first taught me the difference between a dissertation and a book. Many other individuals made contributions, including Derek Barlow, Stephen Brockman, and Lily Lambert McCarthy, whose collection of Nelsoniana now graces the Royal Naval Museum at Portsmouth, and who eight years ago urged me to write ‘the Nelson of the decade’. Peter and Dorothy Lowe first took me around the north Norfolk coast and Burnham Thorpe, and their son Julian generously gave of his time in Norwich. For one whose extra-English qualifications are ineffective beyond court shorthand and the rudiments of Swedish, I am greatly indebted to Dr Harold Smyth, Dr Antonelle Bernabo, Isabel Rubio Gomez and Stewart Platts for help with translations. Numerous friends rallied around in North America, including Helen Hornbeck Tanner, Doug Clanin and Art and Shirley Wolfe. The enthusiasm and expertise of Guy St Denis of London, Ontario, proved of great value in clarifying certain episodes of Nelson’s career.
    Attempts have been made to locate copyright owners. In addition to