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.
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 (d1842) 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. In 1831 he was knighted.
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 in1852.
Presented to 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.