Nelson, Horatio, Lord.

Autograph letter signed ("Nelson & Bronte"), to Catherine Matcham,

Extracts from this letter are printed in Matcham M Eyre, The Nelsons of Burnham Thorpe, 1911, p.194.

This note to Catherine, at a time when she was heavily pregnant, was written towards the end of Nelson's brief residence in London. The promised visit, presumably to visit the Matchams in Bath and see the new baby, is unlikely to have taken place as Nelson was appointed Vice-Admiral of the Blue on the same day that this letter was written, and set out for Plymouth on 13 January. This letter is also significant in terms of Nelson's personal life because he mentions that the agreed date will suit "us", meaning himself and his wife: Nelson finally broke with his wife less than two weeks later (Knight, The Pursuit of Victory, p.352).