Who is this, you ask? His statue overlooks the mouth of the Tyne, just around the corner from the Castle and the Abbey, which I've shown you before. He's the man who actually won the Battle of Trafalgar, even though Horatio Nelson's statue is in London's Trafalgar Square. Nelson was killed at Trafalgar, but it was his strategy that allowed the British Navy to defeat the combined attack of the French and the Spanish in 1805. Though the Napoleonic Wars continued another 10 years, this battle ended Napoleon's plan to invade England.
The BBC website says Collingwood is a forgotten hero of the North East. Though his name appears everywhere, few know his story. They say he was born on a street called The Side, in Newcastle.
Funny enough, when I first started writing this up, I was planning to meet Vivien for lunch. She'd given me some coupons for a bargain two course lunch for £5 at participating restaurants. It turns out that one of the two restaurants in our area is Oldfields. Oldfields is located on the ground floor of Milburn House, a building which used to house the offices where Vivien and last worked together. When we were there it was an art gallery.
I looked up their number on the internet and in the process of booking a table for lunch, I learned something else. It turns out that Milburn House is located on the site that was formerly Lord Collingwood's home; the place where he was born.
Now for the quiz: how many days late am I in posting this?
7 comments:
I am reminded of our other great unknown hero, Earl Grey. He has also has a monument and streets named after him. He was one of Queen Victoria's Prime Ministers and that was in the days when that meant something. I cant see Tony Blair getting a statue, never mind a 100ft column, not even in Trimdon. Ancestry.com keep trying to make me related to him (my mother's family name was Grey and they worked on a farm near his Estate at Howick. Despite his huge influence on 19th Century History, all he is remembered for now is the tea he had for breakfast
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Boywilli - I was gonna get to him, but you've beat me to it.
James - I'm impressed you took the time to figure that out!
Probably not as late as I am in reading it :)
My brother went to Durham University and was in Collingwood College. I wonder if it's the same guy?
Struggler - Durham Uni, now there is a cool place. I know of no where else that students live in a castle, for heaven's sake! It's almost certain to be the same Collingwood - he was really a big deal in his day.
Oh, my, Shelley! The Edinburgh post brings to mind my trip to the UK and Ireland back in 1997 (my 50th birthday trip), when I saw you and Bill, and we three toured around E'burgh, including Holy Rood Castle. What a delight. Bill got me to eat haggis (it's good!), when you two took me to the pub near the kirkyard where Greyfriar's Bobby is buried. BTW: I still have the invalid cup and the stand for toast and jam which you gave me!
Right, Geez1 will be Pat. Guess you qualify as a packrat, keeping all that stuff! I'm still trying to wean myself of even a few things. The house is going to sink into the ground under the weight.
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