English School early 18th century

Presented to the Royal United Services museum by Captain W.H. Dobbie
Sale; Contents of the Royal United Services Museum, 1961Anon. Sale; Wallis and Wallis, 10th January 1995, lot 1077 

Royal United Services Museum, Whitehall, London,1908, no. 2349
Royal United Services Museum, Whitehall, London, 1924, no. 2349 

Rina Prentice, The Authentic Nelson, (2005), p. 176

The union flag was carried by specially selected sailors from the crew of H.M.S. Victory at the State funeral of Lord Nelson in St. Pauls cathedral.  When the moment came to lower the coffin the sailors, overcome with emotion, tore the flag to shreds to retain a memento of their fallen leader. 

The Naval chronicle of 1806 reported the incident thus:' the Comptroller, Treasurer and Steward of his Lordhsip's household then broke their staves, and gave the pieces to Garter, who threw then into the grave, in which all the flags of the Victory, furled up by the sailors were deposited - These brave fellows, however desirous of retaining some memorials of their great and favourite commander, had torn off a considerable part of the largest flag, of which most of them obtained a portion'.

Captain W.H. Dobbie is listed among other captains of vessels built mainly in Bridport, Dorset which served in the Napoleonic wars

(William Page, The Victoria History of the County of Dorset, University of London, Institute of Historical Research, 1908)