~ Quartermaster Christopher Dixon~
Christopher Dixon, Quartermaster on HMS Victory at Trafalgar, was born in 1774, in South Shields. He was baptised on October 6th 1776 at St. Hilda’s Church in the Market Place, South Shields. His parents were Christopher and Jane (nee Lackland) Dixon. They were married in this church on July 30th 1768.
His father, also Christopher, had been born in the town in 1738 and died at the ripe old age of 89 in 1827 at an address with the unusual name, Golightly Buildings, East Holborn, South Shields. It was reported in the Durham County Advertiser that Mr Christopher Dixon (jnr) of Prospect Row, Laygate had died on the 1st January 1829. He was interred at St Hilda’s on January 4th 1829 aged 54.
Christopher commenced serving on HMS Victory on May 11th 1803 – his record states he was pressed. I presume he must have had a trade that was urgently required, for him to be taken by force for the Navy. He possibly worked in the shipyards. His rank was Able Seaman. Admiral Horatio Nelson was appointed Commander in Chief of the Mediterranean Fleet on May 18th that year.
Many of the men on board would not have been sailors – like Christopher, press ganged. This was a legal right given to the Navy in wartime.
May 16th 1803 Nelson to Emma Hamilton
“Cheer up, my dearest Emma, and be assured that I ever have been, and am and ever will be, your most faithful and affectionate, Nelson & Bronte”
Victory put to sea on the afternoon of the 20th, only 9 days after Christopher set foot on board.
May 20th 1803 on HMS Victory Nelson to Emma Hamilton
“You will believe that although I am glad to leave that horrid place, Portsmouth, yet the being afloat makes me now feel that we do not tread the same element. I feel from my soul that God is good, and in his due wisdom will unite us, only when you look upon our dear child, call to your remembrance all you think that I would say, was I present and be assured that I am thinking of you every moment. My heart is full to bursting! May God Almighty bless & protect you, is the fervent prayer of my dear beloved Emma, your most faithful affectionate, Nelson & Bronte”
On the 28th of that month, they captured the 32 gun French Frigate Ambuscade, which must have been an exciting moment for Christopher and a welcome initiation into the Royal Navy, as the crew were given a share of the value of captured ships, which augmented their pay.
Able Seaman Dixon was promoted to Quartermaster on November 11th 1803 and stayed at that rank until January 5th 1806. Victory had arrived in Portsmouth December 4th 1805 and underwent emergency repairs following the Battle of Trafalgar October 21st 1805. Most of the crew of HMS Victory were transferred for service to HMS Ocean. The Victory crew were paid off on January 15th 1806. He was awarded prize money for the captured ships at Trafalgar £26.6s.0d and £10.14s.0d. Quite a sum at that time.
Ocean had a crew of 738 and had 98 guns. It was commanded by Captain Francis Pender from 1805 to 1807, then Captain Richard Thomas. In January 1806 Ocean set sail for the Mediterranean. ( Her figurehead is preserved at Queenborough, Kent)
Whilst serving on HMS Ocean, Christopher retained the rank of Quartermaster (equivalent of a Warrant Officer) until September 30th 1806. Then on October 1st 1806 until January 1st 1809 he was made Captain of the Maintop (Petty Officer). He was then made Gunner’s Mate (Petty Officer) from January to July 1809.
His next ship was HMS Salvador Del Mundo, a former Spanish ship, commanded by Sir Thomas Wolley 1807-1810 (captured February 14th 1797 during the Battle of Cape St Vincent) where he served from July to September 1809.
The Hesper was to be his next ship on October 10th 1809, commanded by George Hoare, however now at the rank of Able Seaman he ran from the ship during the night, which was lying in the Sound preparing to leave for the East Indies, to carry out dispatches from the Government and the Honourable East India Company. Christopher, for whatever reason, did not want to go to India and absconded before it set sail in the morning. There is no information as to what happened to him next.
~Able Seaman William Smith~
William Smith was born in 1771 in South Shields. He served on HMS Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar. He had an alternative Christian name of Nicholas, and surname Arrowsmith. His mother was called Frances. He was awarded prize money for the capture of ships at Trafalgar £4.12s.6d and £1.17s.6d. He volunteered for the Royal Navy.
He served on Victory from October 6th 1803 to December 12th 1805.
William’s next ship like most of the crew of Victory, was HMS Ocean. He was Captain of the Foretop from December 1805 to July 1808. He was once more an Able Seaman from August 1st 1808 to July 1809.
Then he spent one month on HMS Salvador Del Mundo from July to August 1809, where he was Captain of the Foretop.
September 1809 he transferred to HMS Rhin, which was originally a French frigate built in 1802 and had taken part in the Battle of Cape Finisterre and Trafalgar. She was captured by HMS Mars July 28th 1806 after a chase of 26 hours which covered 150 miles. William’s Captain was Charles Malcolm. In March 1810 they captured the French Privateer, Navarrois.William’s rank was Captain of the Foretop. He served on this ship until April 25th 1810.
His next ship was HMS Implacable as an Able Seaman from April 26th 1810 until June 27th 1810. This ship launched in 1800, was originally French and captured in November 1805. She became the second oldest ship in the Royal Navy after HMS Victory. On the anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar in 1943, in the middle of WW2, she flew the signal ‘England expects every man to do his duty’. She was scuttled by the Royal Navy in 1949 and flew both the French and British flags as she sank. Her figurehead is displayed in the National Maritime Museum, as are her beautiful stern galleries with Implacable emblazoned beneath the windows.
William moved to HMS Redpole (launched 1808) with the rank Able Seaman, then Master’s Mate. He was on board from May 1811 to August 1811.
HMS Royalist (built 1807) was where he served next, first as Able Seaman, then Quartermaster, then Captain of the Forecastle – August 1811 to November 1813. His Captain was George Downie. During his time with this vessel, they captured several privateers and ships. In December 1811 they captured the Rodeur and Po, both French privateers (state registered pirate ships). Then in January 1812 the French privateer Furel and 9 barrels of brandy in the sea. In August 1812 the Pileus, a smugglers ship and in December of that year another French privateer called the Rusé, just off Hythe.
Captain JJ Gordon Bremer took over from Downie in January 1813 and that year whilst William was on board , they captured the Revenge, the Governor Gerry, the Ned and the Weser. All in all, an exciting time for William!
His last ship was HMS Bramble (1809) where his rank was Able Seaman, then Cook. He served on this ship from November 1813 to September 1815. This ship had an uneventful career and she was sold in December 1815. William Smith had by then spent 12 years serving his country in the Royal Navy and served under Horatio Nelson, for which he will always be remembered.
~The battle and death of Lord Nelson~
Horatio Nelson wrote to Emma Hamilton from HMS Victory on October 19th 1805.
“My dearest beloved Emma, the dear friend of my bosom, the signal has been made that the enemy’s combined fleet, are coming out of port. We have very little wind, so that I have no hopes of seeing them, before tomorrow. May the God of battles crown my endeavours with success; at all events I will take care that my name shall ever be most dear to you and Horatia, both of whom I love as much as my own life; and as my last writing before the battle will be to you, as I hope in God, that I shall live to finish my letter after the battle. May heaven bless you, prays your Nelson & Bronte. October 20th. In the morning we were close to the mouth of the Streights, but the wind had not come far enough to the westward to allow the combined fleets to weather the shoals of Trafalgar, but they were counted as far as forty sail of ships of war, which I suppose to be 34 of the Line and 6 frigates. A group of them was seen off the lighthouse off Cadiz this morn, but it blows so very fresh & thick weather, that I rather believe they will go into the Bay before night. May God Almighty give us success over these fellows, and enable us to get a peace”.
The day of reckoning had arrived.
Nelson stepped out on deck on October 21st 1805, soon after daylight. He was 47. He was dressed as usual in his Admiral’s frock coat, with gaudy embroidered stars of different orders on the left of his chest.
Only a month before, he had written to Lady Hamilton from the Victory on September 20th 1805, full of eager anticipation of the battle. The day had now arrived and he only had hours to live.
“ A frigate is coming down which we take to be the Decade, from the fleet off Cadiz. If the battle has been fought, I shall be sadly vexed, but I cannot help myself. We have had very indifferent weather, and it is still very dirty. Perseverance has got us thus far, and I trust will accomplish all our wishes. I write this line to put on board her, for if she has news, I have to write to the Admiralty. May heaven bless you. Kiss dear Horatia. For ever yours, Nelson & Bronte”
His sword was missing from his uniform that day. It had been taken down from where it hung in his cabin and placed on his table, but he hadn’t taken it. This was the only action at sea in which he ever appeared without a sword. Before he left his cabin, he gave instructions to remove the painting of Lady Hamilton, so it wasn’t damaged during the battle.
On the poop deck he had a better view of the British fleet and walked it for a long time, deep in conversation with Hardy and officers. The 820 strong crew on Victory were all engaged in their allotted tasks in preparation for battle. Nelson knew his men were fitter, healthier and better trained than the French and Spanish. This was down to Captain Hardy’s management, in seeing the ship was well ventilated to avoid moisture, that the men had warm clothes, were well fed and were encouraged to have bodily cleanliness.
The crew were stowing away hammocks and all the furniture, including that in Nelson’s cabin. Taking down the panels between rooms to install the cannon. The surgeon Beatty prepared his cockpit for the wounded, arranging his instruments and bandages.
At 7:30am the Frigate captains board Victory for final instructions. It was a dangerous, daring plan which entailed Nelson’s Victory and Royal Sovereign (Capt Cuthbert Collingwood) leading the two columns and sailing head on towards the enemy, unable to fire until extremely close to the enemy ships. Their goal – to smash that enemy line to pieces. They faced the combined fleets of Pierre Charles de Villeneuve of France and Federico Gravina of Spain. Several of Nelson’s officers were concerned for his safety on deck, as he was a prime target for enemy marksmen, with those stars glinting on his chest. However no man dared to ask him to cover them. At 8am breakfast was served on Victory and the seamen were given grog.
At 10am the timbers were watered – a fire precaution and gun crews were at their stations. All the crew anticipating the coming battle with a mixture of fear and elation. Nelson had told them not to commence firing until sure of the target. (A rule that was enforced in the navy, was that Royal Navy officers and commanders were not permitted to duck from an incoming musket ball, unlike ordinary seamen)
Victory’s crew were at their quarters, ready for battle by 11am and ate pork and wine at their guns.
Nelson had his coffin already prepared in HMS Victory – that of the hollowed out mast, of the French ship L’Orient.
Half an hour before the French opened fire, John Pascoe sent the signal ‘England expects every man will do his duty’ which was spread throughout the British fleet. Union Jacks were hoisted at the fore-top masts of each vessel. The different divisions of the fleet hoisted the St George’s or White Ensign.
The second signal Pascoe sent was ‘Engage the enemy’. Nelson fully expected to capture 20 enemy ships that day.
At 11:56am the French open murderous fire at Collingwood’s ship Royal Sovereign as his column advanced in front of that of Nelson’s Victory. Collingwood could not fire back until he turned broadside and had to endure terrifying fire from the 200 guns of the 3 enemy ships in front of him.
As the battle commenced, Nelson declared that he had never witnessed more cool courage, than was on display in the sailors of HMS Victory. Before opening fire, Victory sustained 50 men killed and 30 wounded. She was under fire from 5 enemy ships as she sailed head on toward the enemy line. The wheel was smashed, but her master, Thomas Atkinson organised secondary steering from the gunroom. The deck was slick with the sailors blood. The enemy’s fire shredded the rigging – wood splinters from the masts, acting as shrapnel, causing as much injury as muskets.. Nelson urged his men to hold their fire. Despite their casualties, the men stuck to their posts.
Finally, at 12:04pm the order was given and Victory opened fire from both sides of her hull. The French ship Redoubtable closed in , firing broadsides with lethal accuracy, her sole intention the boarding of Victory and man to man combat. Nelson viciously drove Victory at the French ship commanded by Villeneuve. The battle intensified and the British gunners who were known to be extremely disciplined and worked at great speed, outclassed those of the enemy. When the French boarded from Redoubtable the Marines and carronades decimated them. At close quarter they blew them to bits. The dead covered the deck of Redoubtable and HMS Temeraire closed in to execute the death blow to the chaotic scene.
Second Lieutenant of the Marines, Lewis Roteley of Swansea left this account :
“A man should witness a battle in a three-decker from the middle deck, for it beggars all description: it bewilders the senses of sight and hearing. There was the fire from above, the fire from below, besides the fire from the deck I was upon, the guns recoiling with violence, reports louder than thunder, the decks heaving and the sides straining. I fancied myself in the infernal regions, where every man appeared a devil, lips might move, but orders and hearing were out of the question, everything was done by signs.”
At 1:15pm Horatio Nelson was walking the middle of the quarter deck alongside Captain Hardy and was just turning towards the stern of the ship, when a musket ball was fired at him from Redoubtable’s mizen top. The hot lead hit the epaulette on his left shoulder and penetrated his chest. He fell face down on the deck with the impact and into a pool of blood left by one of the wounded. Nelson at once told Hardy ‘My back is shot through’. Hardy barked out orders and seamen carried him carefully to the cockpit, but the movement was agony for Nelson. Inside the doctors room, were several wounded officers and about 40 men – John Pascoe the signaler was lying nearby. His forearm and side were severely wounded by grape shot.
(Lewis Roteley took command of the Marines at the height of the battle, despite being wounded, when his superior was shot dead. He led the Marines to the upper deck to fire back at the snipers who had killed Nelson, high up in the rigging of Redoubtable. After 15 minutes the rigging was clear. He retired a Major. After the battle, he was given Nelson’s bloodstained stockings, which are now on display at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich.)
Lord Nelson was laid gently on a bed and stripped of his clothes and covered with a sheet. Dr Beatty hurried over and examined the wound, realising immediately that the musket ball had penetrated deep into the Admiral’s chest and lodged in his spine. Nelson informed the doctor, whilst in great pain, that he could feel a gush of blood every minute in his chest, that he had difficulty in breathing and no feeling in the lower part of his body. He became extremely hot and very thirsty, so lemonade and wine and water were given to him, but he could barely sip.. After about an hour, Hardy was able to hurriedly leave the main deck to come to see him. He was told by his commander to let Lady Hamilton have his hair and everything he owned. Nelson told Hardy not to throw his body overboard. He asked Hardy to kiss him, which he did twice, once on the cheek and on the forehead. They shook hands and Hardy returned to the battle.
By then, Nelson was in terrible pain and Dr Alexander Scott, his chaplain was massaging the right side of his chest as it seemed to alleviate some of his suffering. The last words he spoke were ‘Thank God I have done my duty’ and a little later ‘God and my Country’ He died at 4:30pm. Seamen cried when they were given the news.
Letter from Nelson to Emma Hamilton October 21st 1805 : The original of this, which was his very last letter, was found open on his desk and brought to Emma by Captain Hardy.
“In sight of the combined fleets of France and Spain, distant about 10 miles”……..
At the end of the Battle of Trafalgar, the British had captured 17 ships and destroyed one. A quite remarkable feat.
On examining the wound of the dead Nelson, a quantity of blood was removed. A cask called a leaguer was chosen to put the body inside. His hair was cut off and his body stripped, except for a shirt and was placed inside the cask, then it was filled with brandy.
His body remained under guard on the middle deck, after the battle was finalised. Then on October 24th alarmingly, air escaped from the body and the top of the cask raised. Hurriedly the brandy was drawn out and the cask was filled again. This was done twice on the voyage. It seems his body had absorbed a large quantity of the alcohol.
11th December 1805 and Admiral Lord Nelson’s remains were received at Portsmouth. His body was removed from the barrel and was seen to be well preserved, apart from the bowel area, which was putrefying. This was all removed and in the process, the musket ball was discovered. They were amazed to discover that attached to it, were portions of gold lace, lining of the epaulette and a bit of the coat.
The musket ball was eventually set in crystal
Nelson was then wrapped in cotton vestments and rolled from head to foot with bandages. He was then placed in a lead coffin filled with brandy, camphor and myrrh. This coffin was enclosed in a wooden one.
On December 21st 1805, the body was once more removed. They discovered his body was still in excellent condition. His face was rubbed briskly with a napkin to give him some colour, then he was dressed in a shirt, stockings, uniform, small clothes and a night cap and placed in the shell of the French ship L’Orient’s mast and covered with shrouding. This was then placed into a lead coffin and soldered closed and put in another wooden shell. This was enveloped in the colours of Victory and carried by some of Victory’s crew to the Painted Hall, then onward to Greenwich Hospital.
His funeral at St Paul’s was held on January 9th 1806. During the procession from the Admiralty to St Paul’s 48 seamen of HMS Victory marched solemnly in two’s in their ordinary dress, with black handkerchiefs and stockings and black crepe in their hats. On arrival at St Paul’s those seaman along with 12 marines from Victory, climbed the steps and ranged each side of the great West Door. Nelson’s body was removed from the funeral car and his coffin was taken into the Church by 12 of Victory’s seamen. It must have been an enormous honour to be chosen for this task. Victory’s colours were carried by selected seamen from the crew. This was unexpectedly ripped to pieces by them, so they could keep it as a relic of the great man.
The England flag, removed from HMS Victory, was lowered into the crypt with Lord Nelson. (This crypt had been made originally for Cardinal Wolsey)
After the funeral, Mr Birch at Cornhill, Colonel of the 1st London Volunteers, gave a dinner and 1 Guinea, to each of the 48 of Victory’s seamen who had attended the Admiral’s funeral. We will never know if William Smith or Christopher Dixon of South Shields, attended the funeral, but it’s nice to hope they did.
Nelson was awarded £18,517.13s.6d prize money which was given to his wife Fanny. Collingwood was awarded £4,629.8s.4d.
~The men from South Shields who were present during the Battle of Trafalgar~
JAMES SCOTT Able Seaman born 1784 HMS AFRICA Capt Henry Digby – Crew 498, 8 killed 44 wounded. He was discharged wounded December 1805 to Hospital in Gibraltar – Crew 577, 17 killed 53 wounded. He died of wounds in December 1805 in Gibraltar Hospital, aged 21. He was interred, probably in Trafalgar Cemetery, Gibraltar. He received prize money of £1.17s.8d and £40 from Lloyds Patriotic Fund. His mother Elinor lived at Stone Quay, South Shields.
HENRY DOBINSON Able Seaman born 1777 HMS LEVIATHAN Capt William Boyntun – Crew 623, 4 killed, 22 wounded. The flag flown by this ship at Trafalgar, was sold in 2016.
THOMAS CHAMBERS Able Seaman born 1783 HMS DEFIANCE Capt Phillip Durham – Crew 577, 17 killed, 53 wounded.
JOHN DUNCAN Able Seaman born 1754 HMS TEMERAIRE Capt Elian Harvey – Crew 718, killed 47, 76 wounded. He was awarded £4.12s.6d x 2 and £1.17s.6d x2 in prize money for captured ships. This ship helped to prevent the crew of Redoubtable from boarding Victory, by blazing the enemy with murderous gunfire.
FRANCIS GRAHAM Able Seaman born 1782 HMS PHOEBE Capt Thomas Bladen Capel – Crew 256, 0 killed, 0 wounded. He was awarded £4.12s.6d and £1.17s.6d in prize money for ships captured at Trafalgar. This ship relayed signals to the fleet and remained close to the action, but did not engage the enemy.
JOHN GRAHAM Able Seaman born 1784 HMS DEFIANCE Capt Phillip Durham – Crew 577 17 killed, 53 wounded.
ROBERT JACKSON Able Seaman born 1787 HMS COLOSSUS Capt James Nicholl Morris in Collingwood’s Column – Crew 571, 40 killed, 160 wounded. Colossus had the most men from the North East in her crew and also suffered the highest casualties in the Fleet.
JOSEPH JENNINGS Able Seaman born 1773 HMS DEFENCE Capt George Hope – Crew 599, 7 killed, 36 wounded.
HENRY LINDSAY Able Seaman born 1785 HMS COLOSSUS Capt James Nicholl Morris – Crew 571, 40 killed, 160 wounded.
THOMAS LINDSAY Able Seaman born 1781 HMS COLOSSUS Capt James Nicholl Morris – Crew 571, 40 killed, 160 wounded.
THOMAS MOORE Able Seaman born 1785 HMS COLOSSUS Capt James Nicholl Morris – Crew 571, 40 killed, 160 wounded.
HENRY POTTS Able Seaman born 1785 HMS DREADNOUGHT Capt James Conn, Crew 725, 7 killed, 26 wounded. In Collingwood’s Column. This ship had the most efficient gun crews in the fleet.
JOHN RAMSAY Carpenter’s Crew born 1785 HMS DEFIANCE Capt Phillip Durham, Crew 577, 17 killed, 53 wounded. One of the crew called Jack Spratt, swam with his cutlass in his teeth and boarded the French ship Aigle.
GEORGE REED Able Seaman born 1765 HMS TONNANT Capt Charles Tyler, Crew 688, 26 killed, 50 wounded. Awarded prize money £4.12s.6d and £1.17s.6d for ships captured at Trafalgar.
GEORGE REED Able Seaman born 1775 HMS POLYPHEMUS Capt Robert Redmill, Crew 484, 2 killed, 4 wounded. Awarded prize money £1.17s.6d and £4.12s.6d for captured ships.
This ship towed HMS Victory containing Nelson’s body to Gibraltar.
JOHN SMITH Able Seaman born 1771 HMS PHOEBE Capt Thomas Bladen Capel, Crew 256, 0 killed 0 wounded. Awarded prize money £4.12s.6d and £1.17s.6d for captured ships.
FRANCIS STRAFFON Able Seaman born 1764 HMS TONNANT Capt Charles Tyler, Crew 688, 26 killed, 50 wounded. Awarded prize money £1.17s.6d and £4.12s.6d for captured ships.
JOHN TODD Able Seaman born 1780 HMS BRITANNIA Rear Admiral Lord Northesk and Capt Charles Bullen, Crew 854, 10 killed, 42 wounded.
RALPH TULLOCK Ordinary Seaman born 1785 HMS COLOSSUS Capt James Nicoll Morris, Crew 571, 40 killed, 160 wounded.
RICHARD WILLIAMS Able Seaman born 1774 HMS POLYPHEMUS Capt Robert Redmill, Crew 484, 2 killed, 4 wounded. Awarded prize money £4.12s.6d and £1.17s.6d for captured ships.
THOMAS WILSON Ordinary Seaman born1785 HMS TONNANT Capt Charles Tyler, Crew 688, 26 killed, 50 wounded. Awarded prize money £4.12s.6d and £1.17s.6d for captured ships.
WILLIAM WRIGHT Able Seaman born 1769 HMS DREADNOUGHT Capt John Conn, Crew 725, 7 killed, 26 wounded.
Source:
Hamilton & Nelson Papers – Alfred Morrison 1894
HMS Victory – Kenneth Fenwick 1960
British Library Newspapers
Findmypast
The National Archives, Kew – Men at Trafalgar
The Authentic Narrative of the Death of Lord Nelson – William Beatty MD 1807
www.threedecks.org
www.1805club.org
Written and researched by Dorothy Dickson Ramser – November 2025