HUDC Handbook: Difference between revisions

 

====Admiral Nelson?====

 

Amy Lyon (26 April 1765 – 15 January 1815), generally known as Lady Emma Hamilton, was an English maid, model, dancer and actress. She was born in Ness (near Neston) began her career in London's demi-monde, becoming the mistress of a series of wealthy men, culminating in the naval hero Lord Nelson, and was the favourite model of the portrait artist George Romney. Eventually she ended-up as the mistress if a certain [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Francis_Greville Charles Greville], who decided he wanted a wealthy wife (which he never found) and passed her off to his uncle, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Hamilton_(diplomat) Sir William Hamilton], who was conveniently abroad. Emma did not know of the agreement between Greville and Hamilton believing that she was there “on holiday” and she was devastated when the reality of the situation slowly dawned upon her. She co-habited with Sir William, the British envoy to Naples, from early 1792 and married him in Setember 1791 (he was 60, she was 26). Her affair with Nelson started in 1798 when he turned-up rather unwell in Naples having lost an eye {1794), an arm (1797), most of his teeth (probably to scurvy) and developed a bad cough. Emma nursed him back to health. Sir William Hamilton died in late 1803 and had no children. Nelson died in 1805 and among his final words (just before "Kismet, Hardy"), were "take care of poor Lady Hamilton". This was largely ignored and eventually Emma started drinking heavily and taking laudanum. She died on 15 January 1815. Nelson's Hamilton and Hoole's appear to be unrelated. Hoole's William Hamilton (1719-1811) had a son Charles and a daughter Sarah.