Pensioners of the Royal Naval Hospital, Greenwich, celebrating the anniversary of Nelson's victory at Trafalgar. Engraving by J. Burnet, 1836.

A key to the figures (impressions in the British Museum and the National Maritime Museum) calls the subject "Greenwich Pensioners commemorating the anniversary of the battle of Trafalgar. Painted by John Burnet and engraved by him as a companion to his print of 'Chelsea Pensioners reading the gazette of the battle of Waterloo' after Sir David Wilkie R.A." Some of the pensioners shown are veterans of Trafalgar

"On the far right of the main group is Pensioner Samuel Wilkes. To his left a sailor of the 1830s from HMS 'Victory' waves his hat above two boys of the Greenwich Hospital School, the smaller wearing the 'Nelson Medal of Merit'. 'Victory' veteran, John Stacy, points out the Trafalgar tactics on the plan held by the boy, while Matthews, a Hospital boatswain and a gunner's mate on 'Victory', looks down with his hands around the small girl. Joe Brown, captain of the foretop in 'Victory', carries the girl in the bonnet with William Welch, captain of 'Victory's' main-top, next left with a glass raised in his left hand. The Pensioner carving beef is Frank Cowen, one of the last survivors of Cook's voyages, and was ashore with him at his death on Hawaii. To his left is Tom Allen, Nelson's servant, whom Governor Keats admitted to the Hospital even though not a seaman. On the far left sits John Ross, a Nile veteran with a peg-leg. Beyond the buildings of the Hospital School (now the NMM) and the Hospital itself, a frigate passing down river fires a salute."-online catalogue of the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich

[London] : Printed by R. Lloyd, [1836]

1 print : engraving ; 43.2 x 71.3 cm

Painted and engraved by J. Burnet

[State with scratched lettering].

Wellcome Collection 2897098i