Monday, July 22, 2024

The war hero who received a pension for over 100 years

An officer from the Napoleonic Wars had his pension paid until 1951.

Famous Figures

H oratio Nelson is one of Great Britain's most legendary war heroes. The Royal Navy vice admiral led several key victories during the Napoleonic Wars with France — including his final battle near Cape Trafalgar in Spain, where he died after being shot by a sniper. At the time, it was not unusual for the British government to grant perpetual pensions to the families of war heroes, and Nelson's family was given £5,000 a year, upwards of £500,000 today. The practice ended in 1887, and most families receiving such pensions took a buyout offer soon after. But the pension reserved for the Earls Nelson (the family was given the title of earl in honor of the naval hero) didn't end until 1951, with the death of the fifth earl. By the 1940s, most of the pension money was used to maintain the family estate, which the family wished to sell but was not able to since it had been purchased with public funds after Horatio's death. So in 1947, the British Parliament voted to end the arrangement — the family wouldn't receive a pension, but they'd be allowed to sell the property.

It's somewhat ironic that Nelson's pension lasted the longest considering it wasn't actually distributed to his descendants. His beloved daughter Horatia, his only child, was born out of wedlock to his mistress and lifelong love Emma Hamilton — and although he asked with his dying breath that Hamilton be taken care of, his pension went to his older brother William, who did not carry out his wishes. The pension passed down to William's descendants, and Hamilton raised Horatia in poverty. Given this, one member of Parliament, Michael Foot, speculated that Horatio himself would have voted to end the pension. While discussing the bill in Parliament, he said: "This House, 140 years ago, behaved meanly towards the memory of Lady Hamilton, and when there is a vote [to end the pension], it will be a vote to wipe out the wrong which was done 140 years ago."

Together with

The Daily Newsletter For Intellectually Curious Readers

1440 scours 100+ sources every day for the real news! Over 3.5 million subscribers, including CEOs, historians, business owners, and more, trust 1440's unbiased newsletter.

Thank you for supporting our sponsors! They help us keep History Facts free.

By the Numbers

Age of Horatio Nelson when he joined the Royal Navy

Length (in years) of the Napoleonic Wars

12.5

Did you know?

Horatio Nelson made up an elaborate backstory for his daughter.

Although they weren't married in the eyes of the law, Horatio Nelson and Emma Hamilton wanted to raise their only child, Horatia, together. So they told an elaborate lie to lessen the scandal, claiming Horatia had been born several weeks before her actual birthday, a date when Hamilton was out of town, to give her an alibi. They claimed she was an orphan whose father had been a sailor and mother had died in childbirth. According to the story, Nelson and Hamilton raised the child as "godparents." Nelson eventually claimed Horatia as his own just before her fifth birthday. He left a letter for her on his desk before his death, which he signed off with "receive, my dearest Horatia, the affectionate parental blessing of your father." Although Hamilton continued to raise the child, she stubbornly maintained the fabricated backstory for the rest of her life.