The Battle of Trafalgar flag is now on temporary display at Discovery Museum in Newcastle, giving visitors their first chance to see the historic artifact since it was acquired by North East Museums.
The rare Union flag, flown at the 1805 Battle of Trafalgar, was secured after a fundraising campaign to save it from export. The temporary exhibition runs until November 1 and coincides with Trafalgar Day on Wednesday, which honors the October 21 battle. Entry is free and no booking is required.
Historic Flag's Journey to Newcastle
The large hand-stitched flag was flown from HMS Royal Sovereign, the flagship of Newcastle-born Vice-Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood. The ship had a mainly Geordie crew, and the flag is likely to have been made on the way to the battle by the sailors who celebrated England's victory.
Under Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson, the Royal Navy defeated the combined fleets of France and Spain. Collingwood, Nelson's second-in-command, reportedly called the local sailors his 'Tars of the Tyne' and is quoted as saying before the battle: "Today my lads, we must show those fellows what the Tars of the Tyne can do."
The flag bears battle scars, including gunpowder stains and splinter tears, but is otherwise in good condition. After the battle, it was kept as a souvenir by 17-year-old Charles Aubrey Antram, one of the master's mates, before being passed down through his family and later sold to a private collection.
Fundraising Success and Permanent Plans
The purchase price for the flag was £450,000, with transport, storage, conservation, and display plans adding a further £250,000. Before the crowdfunder, the organization had raised more than two thirds of the £700,000 target, including a £400,000 grant from The National Heritage Memorial Fund. The crowdfunder, which initially aimed for £15,000, raised more than £22,000.
Keith Merrin, director of North East Museums, said: "We're very excited to provide access to the flag for our visitors for a short period before a permanent display is created, and it's particularly poignant that it is on display for Trafalgar Day. This is the first opportunity for visitors to see this rare and historically important flag since it was acquired by North East Museums to save it from being exported overseas."
Merrin added: "The groundswell of support from the public has been incredible and we could not have done this without them – as well as the very generous support of the National Heritage Memorial Fund, the Collingwood family and our other funders and donors."
Simon Thurley, chairman of the National Heritage Memorial Fund, called the display "an exciting first opportunity for the public to see an extraordinary survivor of one of the most significant moments in UK naval history and to discover its powerful connection to the people and heritage of the North East." He added: "The Memorial Fund exists to save the UK's most outstanding heritage and make it publicly accessible, in memory of those who have given their lives for the UK. I am pleased to count this rare and nationally important flag among the heritage treasures we have helped to protect."
When the flag is taken off display on November 1, it will be carefully stored while the museum team creates the new and larger permanent exhibition.
