NELSON'S BIRTHPLACE VISITED BY HASTINGS BOY

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 117, 3 June 1937, Page 11

NELSON'S BIRTHPLACE VISITED BY HASTINGS BOY

Oue of our readers wno recently saw the picture of "Lioyds of London" writes that it recalled to mind a Jetser she liad received from her son in England, in which he descrihed a visit to Burnham Thorpe, Nelson's birthplace, and she thought that other readers might also be interested to read it. Tbe letter is as follows- — "Oxi Saturday lnoiuiing 1 weut to Burnlium Thorpe, Nelson's birthplace. The churelj, however, is the only reuiaining ]ink conuectcd with bim. The reetory in which be lived as a boy ivas pulled down mariy yoars and tho only relie of his bouse is the kitchen punip, which has been placed in the front of some cottages in the main street. There are numerous tablets crcctcd in the Church in honour of Nelson and his mother and father. "in thc church j# « letter which

\ Nelson wrote to the parson of that time from aboard shap in 1804. In this he expressed his love for Burnham Thorpe and hopes that his bones might be brought to rest in the churchyard -with those of his parents. He had a feeling within him that he would1 never see his beloved , village again but it would be a happy thought to him of the days that he had spent in that delightful place, and so the letter cont-inues. "This insignificant village, consisting of a few cottages and only one or two larger residences, is repqted to Have produced in its time no less than five admirals, "Nelson is said to have slept th© night before he departed for Trafalgar in the house now occupied by the solicitor at Wells, Norfolk.'* , ln a later letter written on April 16 he writes : — "On Monday night I went to dinner at the Houses of Parliament with Major P. Aiter dinner he got me a privileged seat under the Strangers' Gaalery and right at the back of the M.P.s' 6eats. There js only room for ten people, and it is th© nearest one can get into the House of Commons proper In fact, when the House is overcrowded the M.P.S have to sit there. When the members go to vote you are locked in aa it is considered part of the House. "The debate in question was on the subject of rates of pay and salaries in Government Parliamentary, positions. You can guess my delight when Stanley .Baldwih rose and addressed the House. I heard him at his best, and I must consider myself fortunate, as in the very near future he will be relinquishing his tusk as Prime Minister. "It was marvellous how he held the House. One could have heard a pin drop ; everyone, even the hottest Socialists, respected his speech. . "The House rose at 11.15 p.m. and afterwards Major P. shower me all over the building, libraries, ' etc. I had seen tliem all before, but there is nothing like refreshing one's memory."