Members of Horndean & District U3A met for their regular monthly meeting on Friday 7th May at Merchistoun Hall when they heard a fascinating talk about the life and times of Emma Hamilton from Bob France.

Before starting his talk, Bob asked for a show of hands from people who thought that Emma Hamilton had ruined Nelson with her reputation, to which a substantial majority indicated that they did. Bob said that he would repeat the question at the end of his talk.

Emma Hamilton was born Amy Lyon on 26th April 1765 in Ness near Neston, Cheshire. Her father Henry Lyon, who was a blacksmith, died when she was two months old. She moved to Howerden with her mother where she lived with her uncle and aunt. Emma could read and write by the age of 10 and became a lady’s maid for a landowner at 12. She then moved to London becoming a maid for a doctor. She was sacked after going to Batholmew’s Fair without permission. She then worked in a theatre before moving to Madam Kelley’s establishment, which provided ‘high class services’ where she worked as a singer downstairs.

Emma meets Sir Harry Fetherstonhaugh at Uppark in 1781 where she learns how to ride, develops a love of gambling, and entertains his guests dancing on the dining room table wearing not a lot. She becomes his mistress but he sends her away to London after she becomes pregnant where she lives on the streets. After sending seven letters to Sir Harry, he finally sends her money to go back to Cheshire. However, she forms an attachment with Charles Francis Greville, who she had met at Uppark, who installs her in one of his houses in Edgeware Row as his mistress, now aged 16. She stays for five years, although without her daughter who was adopted when she was born.

Greville sends Emma to sit for his friend the painter George Romney, who produces the first of many different pictures of her, the popularity of which, along with her wit, intelligence, elegance and beauty, make her famous throughout London society. Needing a rich wife rather than a poor mistress, Greville sends her away to Naples with her mother. The journey takes 44 days during which they are carried over the Alps by porters.

Arriving on her 21st birthday, Emma meets the British Envoy Sir William Hamilton, age 55; a meeting that his nephew Greville had arranged to happen in the hope that he would take her as his mistress so that he does not marry someone else, which would result in Greville losing his inheritance. Unaware of his plan, Emma writes 15 letters to Greville before he finally tells her he is not coming to get her. Emma then does become Sir William’s mistress and becomes fluent in Spanish and French as well as a good singer. This is a happy time in her life. She is still being painted regularly and she developed an Act that she called her "Attitudes" which proved very popular that took as its basis Romney's idea of combining classical poses with modern allure.

Emma and Sir William returned to England to get married in 1791 when he was 60 and she was 26. As the wife of the British Envoy and now Lady Hamilton, Emma (5’ 10” tall) first met Nelson (5’ 4” small) in 1793 when he was reinforcing his navy. They met again when he returned to Naples in 1798 following his victory against Napoleon at the Battle of the Nile when she swoons on seeing him. Nelson writes in glowing terms to his wife Fanny about Emma who arranges their secret evacuation from Naples back to England on Nelson’s ship, during which rough voyage Sir William threatens to shoot himself rather than risk drowning.

Emma becomes close to Nelson, who she has been nursing as he is in poor health, while remaining happily married to Sir William who is content with this ménage à trois. Although they are shunned by English society that disapproves of the indiscreet way they flaunt their arrangement, the lower classes still love them.

Emma finds an estate at Paradise Merton near Wimbledon in 1801 when Nelson goes back to sea where her daughter by Nelson Hoatia is born. Their second daughter dies in infancy from small pox. Sir William dies in 1803 and Nelson and Emma exchange rings in church declaring that they are married in the eyes of God.

Nelson is restored as a national hero following his death in 1805. In the codicil to his Will, he asks the Government to take care of Emma and his daughter because of what he says she has done for the Country. However although his brother receives £100,000; his sisters get £15,000 each, and his wife gets £2,000 per annum as bequests from the Nation, his request is ignored and Emma receives nothing, even though she had educated Nelson’s brother’s children. She also receives nothing in Sir William’s Will other than a small pension, his estate being left to Grenville. Emma contacts Sir Harry in 1806 who does help her, however even so Emma and Horatia end up in the Kings Bench Debtors Prison and she has to sell Merton Place and her jewellery, which is worth little as there is too much on the market.

Emma moves to Calais where she dies in January 1815 aged 49. Captains pay respects at her funeral but the graveyard where she is laid to rest is subsequently dug up and her remains are moved and lost. Horatia marries and has ten children and lived to the 1880s.

Ending his talk, Bob asked again whether Emma ruined Nelson, or whether in fact it was he who ruined the life of an intelligent, clever and beautiful woman who was rather more than just the mistress for which she is inaccurately remembered.

A final sad postscript occurred in the 1989 fire at Uppark that destroyed many of Emma’s possessions.

Andy Forbes

Vice-Chairman