A Visit To Burnham Thorpe, Norfolk,

A Visit to Burnham Thorpe , Norfolk ,

Gbe Birthplace of Hfrmiral % ovb Discount IMelson .

fP ^* r" ^^ fH 1 ' " recent , celebration under the auspices of tlie Naval fo ^^^ jf League of the anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar P \ (( rT ^ P-j ) I f ilm " tne lamented ileal li of l ^ nglaud ' s greatest naval IV ^ Mjy I hero , has awakened a hitherto dormant interest in the lE ^^ gr ^ j early life of Horatio Viscount Nelson . The writer of this paper lias collected a , few facts which may prove

interesting . A few weeks ago , on arriving at Btirnhain Thorpe by rail from Hunstanton , he went , first as directed to the Rectory , a distance of about one mile from the village . It is a substantial house , surrounded with pleasant grounds . He sent in his card , on which was written a reipiest that , he mig ht see the objects of interest connected with Lord Nelson . After some little delay the Rector came to tho

drawing-room . * He was courteous in his manner . He said 11 . 11 . 11 . the Prince of "Wales had been the originator nnd prime mover of the Nelson scheme , proposed at , a meeting in London , 18 !> o , at , whicli the Prince presided . After long conversation , if was agreed thai , the best method of porpei nating in a practical way the memory of Lord Nelson would be to completely restore the parish church of

Burnham Thorpe , of which his father was rector , ami m winch village Nelson was born , 2 !! tli September , 1758 . Nearly ; C 10 (> 0 was collected at the meeting , and since then about £ ' 5000 has been collect oil , and an appeal is still being made for £ 2000 , the sum reipiired for the completion of the edifice . There was an extension of ( he original plan , and the Hector became security for the loan of

£ ( i 00 , for the erection of n village Nelson Memorial Hall , where lectures , concerts , social evenings , Ac ., might be held , and thus his parishioners might be brought more in touch with him personally . The Hall has been erected , leaving this debt of £ ( i () 0 as a mortgage on the property , for which the Hector is responsible . Amounts conic in occasionally , but , as is so often the case , in popular movements such as this , tbe enthusiasm at first displayed is on the wane . 'J ' wo

or three ideas , not matured , are being considered . One practical method , a ! the present lime , is that of presenting paper knives made of thc original wood of the Victory ( vouched for ) to col lectors of the sum of £ 5 fis . for the large , and £ : ! : 5 s . for ( he small size . A silver plate , with a suitable inscription , is on each . Printed leaflets have been extensively circulated , the Hector strongly urging on people , as a national duty , how incumbent it was on one aud till lo support hi . s appeal by their generous contributions .

The Hector then showed the register book of Ihe marriages celebrated during the incumbency oi' the Rev . l- 'dmund Nelson , the father of our hero . Tn two instances young Nelson signed as a witness . On ( lie lirst occasion he wrote Horace Nelson , by which name lie was usually known al home and anion" his p laymates and

A Visit To Burnham Thorpe, Norfolk,

associates . It seems his father erased the name Horace , and wrote above it Horatio . Tint story goes that , his father was so angry that he boxed his ears . Whether ( bis lie true or not , the subsequent signature is in ( he true name nf Horatio Nelson . It appears from a fnriher examination of the Hegisier . that two sons of the Hector acted as curates to their

father-one of them on several occasions not only performed his clerical duly , but , in addition , fixed his name as witness , showing a , thing permitted then , which , at the present lime , would have brought severe rebuke on ( lie head of the clerical offender at the hands of the Archdeacon tit his visitation . Another thing is worthy of notice , ( hat , in nearly every case , the parties contracting the marriage were

unable to write , and aflixed their marks in lieu of signatures . Photographic fac-similes of the pages of the register have been made for sale , and can be obtained of the Rector . The writer was also shown bromide copies from photographs of ihe exterior and inferior of the parish church since it lias been restored . It is simple in st yle , being early Eno-lish and Tudor . The structural alterations have

been made , and the restoration completed , but the new requirements for public worship must continue in abeyance , until the funds requisite for their purchase have been contributed . There is no communion fable , nor rails , no chancel seats , no pulpit , no cover for the font , no furniture for the vestry . The writer was shown a large piece of the actual wood of the old

Victory , before being worked up for paper knives . Having nowbeen upwards of an hour with the Hector , the writer tendered his thanks for flic very interesting facts that had been communicated , and was on the point of leaving when he was asked by ( he Hector to go with him to a side gate of the grounds , near which were two elm trees of great age , size anil heiu'lit—thev mark the site of ( he

Hecfoi-y in ihe time of Nelson ' s father . Hard by , is the old pump of iron , encased in wood of fhe same period , which still remains as sound as of yore . Wove Ihe writer parted from the Hector , again thanking him . and he then went to visit , the church . On Hie way he passed the Nelson Memorial Hall . If was closed , so lie continued

ilong the gravel road , which was opened lasl anniversary , and leads from the village to the church . In fhe churchyard the ' iombsionos are simple , the inscriptions of Hie usual st ylo— "Aflliction sore , " Ac . Two of the epitaphs are worth y of record--lirst , that of a shepherd in the employ of a landowner , adjoining . The words sire "The Lord is mi / Shepherd . " Second , William Dawson , ayctl 20

years" ' Death conies in utievpeeteil forms At unexpected hours . To-ntoiTow we may never see , To-day , alone , is ours . " The interior of the church could not . be seen , it was closed , so he

went through the village , passing "The Lord Nelson " Inn . ( he sin'ii a fairly painted poll rail of the hero—reached railway station , and returned fo Hunstanton , the writer having greatly enjoyed the excursion .

" A L'l'eal man never dies , itniiioi'lal Fame lioncws llie lustre of liis glorious name . " F . W . DRIVER , M . A , Pi ; o | - . Cd . Lancaster Road , Not ting Hill , W . October , 18 !> 7 .

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THEBENEVOLENTORSTRANGERS'FRIENDSOCIETY. NOW IN ITS 112 TH YEAR . Is the Oldest Institution in existence for relieving , at their own dwellings , tlie Sick Poor , irrespective of Creed or > Nationality , throughout the Metropolis . 7 '/ ci . s » , r ,--, \ i . ht : i :. MAX Silt . lOSI'I'll (' . DI . MSDA U * . Chuii-uetn uf Cmnuillcc -. 1 . II . AXDKllSO . V , Ksi ) . The Society constantly employs a Hundred ami Sixty Five Agents , of bofh sexes , till of whom render entirely voluntary and unpaid service in visit in" ; ( lie alllicfcd ami ministering to their necessities . SUBSCRIPTIONS AND DONATIONS ARE EARNESTLY SOLICITED , ami will le thankfully received by Snt J . 0 . DI . MSHAI . I :, ">() , Conthill , E . C , or by Ihe SI : CI ; I : T . \ I : V . al the Ofiice of the Society , . "> 2 , Finsbury Pavement , F . C . RoyalHospitalforDiseasesoftheChest, CITY ROAD , LONDON , E . C . Fo . Niu : n-Her Majesty ' s Father , the Late DUKE OF KENT . P . Miiox , nut riiK PAST OO VBAHS -HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN . PuFsutM -LORD ROTHSCHILD . TiiKAsniKii—S . HOPE MORLEY , Esq . CIIAIIIMAX—T . ANDROS DE LA RUE , Esq . YICK-CIIAII - . MA . V—The Hon . LIONEL ASHLEY . Ovvino ; to II fallino-till ' of ni'tirly £ 5 , 000 in Hit '( "harily ' s Jtit-onic duriiio- ( he present year , HelD is Urgently Needed . This Hospital was the First of its Kind established in Kurope . ami litis uninterruptedly since I Si I curried on ils "Teat work in Hie midst of the sull ' criiiLC poor of the . Metropolis . Patients come from all p . irts of the country , and at tlie present moment the Hospital is quite full . Durino- | 1 „ . pus ! year 742 In-Patients were treated , and the attendances of Out-Patieilt 5 , all of whom received fir . il nitons Treatment , numbered 24 , 896 . Donors of Ten ( liiiiiciis and upwards become Life ( inventors , ami receive in respect of each Ten fiuineas Six Out-Patient Letters , Annual Subscribers of Three ( iiiineas and upwards have fhe rio-lil to recommend both lu and () uf-Pat ients . Donations will hc thankfully acknowledged by the Secretary , or they may be paid direct to Messrs . ( JLYN , MILLS , and Co . JOHN HARROLD , Secretary .