Sheffield plate goblet

Goblet, one of a pair of identical Sheffield plate goblets (unmarked).

Plain, bucket-bowl, gilt inside, standing on a circular foot chased with shells, vines and flowers, with a decorated knopped stem. It is inscribed on one side 'From Captn. Heny. Forbes, to Dr Beatty, as a mark of esteem for his attention during a severe illness'.

Sir William Beatty (d.1842) was Surgeon on board HMS 'Victory' at Trafalgar. In 1806 he was appointed physician to Greenwich Hospital until 1840. He treated Nelson after he received his fatal wound at Trafalgar, and published 'An Authentic Narrative of the Death of Nelson' in 1807. He was knighted in 1831.

Rear Admiral Henry Forbes (d.1855) entered the navy in 1799 as a Boy, and served as Midshipman in the 'Phoebe', 36 gun frigate, at the cutting out of a French man-of-war brig in the Mediterranean in 1804, when he was wounded. He served in the same ship at the Battle of Trafalgar, was an Acting Lieutenant in the Battle of San Domingo 1806, promoted to Commander in 1812, Captain in 1819, retired in 1846 and was promoted to Rear-Admiral Retired in 1852.

The goblet was presented to the NMM in 1940 by Mrs Coombe Baker, widow of F. Coombe Baker of Holvendon, Kent, who inherited Beatty items from his grandmother Mrs John Popham Baker, a sister of Sir William Beatty.

Object Details

ID: PLT0008
Collection: Decorative art
Type: Goblet
Display location: Display - Voyagers
Date made: circa 1800
Exhibition: Voyagers
People: Forbes, Henry; Beatty, William Coombe, F. Baker
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
Measurements: 150 x 90 x 90 mm
Close

Your Request

If an item is shown as “offsite”, please allow eight days for your order to be processed. For further information, please contact Archive staff:

Email:
Tel: (during Library opening hours)

Click “Continue” below to continue processing your order with the Library team.

Continue