Fanny Nelson Vindicated: History’s Smear Redressed
- ogreeves
- Apr 22
- 5 min read
In the several years I have been reading the works of those who manage the “authorised version” of Admiral Horatio Nelson’s life, any references to my ancestor, his estranged wife Frances ‘Fanny’ Nelson, have only very rarely been favourable. One of those was by the great Colin White. Otherwise, Fanny is damned by faint praise or subjected again and again to variations of Emma Hamilton’s taunts. Most cruelly, Lord Horatio Nelson himself did nothing to quell the abuse during his lifetime. In consequence, Fanny’s memory has fared poorly and continues to suffer at the hand of “accepted” history. Both historians and popular culture repeatedly described Fanny as “faded,” “colourless,” and “cold and unsympathetic,” damaging her legacy and obscuring the reality of a devoted, loyal, and caring wife.
Historian Shares the Facts in The Nelson Despatch
So I was pleasantly surprised to be contacted by a young American academic asking about Fanny a few years ago. She recently contacted me again sharing the good news that she has completed two studies of this subject and has now published the first in The Nelson Despatch, the foremost and longstanding Journal on all matters to do with Nelson, published by The Nelson Society. Evocatively titled 'Tom Tit', Tea Parties & Terrorism: The Chaotic Final Years of Viscountess Fanny Nelson, the advance copy she shared made for fascinating reading. To access the article, one needs to become a member of The Nelson Society in the UK or wait until she publishes her book.
Her Findings
As the historian Eva Osborne notes, citing a contemporary newspaper, Fanny’s conduct was widely admired: “Nothing can surpass the exemplary conduct of this Excellent Woman” said Thomas Hardy. Yet she was the subject of malicious attacks and innuendos by a disgruntled Emma Hamilton from the time of her ‘dismissal’ by Nelson in 1800 until Emma Hamilton’s death in 1813. These attacks were multifarious; sometimes Emma published them, sometimes she disguised them by using other voices, including Nelson’s family (during Nelson’s lifetime), although not thereafter, and sometimes through contemporary tabloids.
The barrage was unavoidable. Yet they were without substance and were treated by Fanny with great dignity. Considering Emma’s own scandalous background, it would have been easy to find and sling back the mud.
Her research further found that Nelson’s esteemed friend Captain Thomas Hardy wrote after meeting Fanny that she was “one of the Best Women in the World.” Such testimony from those who knew her only reinforces the impression of a woman of restraint and character.
Emma’s Vitriol
Through my own research, I had considered that Emma Hamilton was a “propagandist of smear” on a scale rare in the history of the time, but have kept out of the debate as my ancestry places me firmly in the ‘Fanny’ camp. Crucially, as Ms Osborne observes, Fanny herself “hardly ever mentioned Emma post-separation,” suggesting that the hostility was far from mutual – Fanny maintained her distance. An excellent choice as such was Emma’s bile that it would have been impossible to deflect every attack.
Emma also cast slurs on Josiah Nisbet (Fanny’s son from her first marriage). Josiah is the hero of my second and third novels in the Nelson and His Son series.
As Ms Osborne quotes from Emma Hamilton’s correspondence, she wrote with open malice that: “Tom tit is despised and hated…”. Therefore, it is edifying to find this independent, thorough historian whose hard work has now exposed the deceit and vindictiveness. It is also interesting that this historian too has found it difficult to explain Emma’s sustained hostility, given that Nelson left Fanny for her and she bore him a child.
In my years of writing novels about Fanny and her son Josiah, I have speculated as to the source of Emma’s vitriol. Here are a few suggestions:
Fanny refused to participate in the charade of Great Man and Mistress. Many women of the time stepped aside and suffered the situation silently while preserving the façade of marriage for the sake of “society”.
In consequence, Nelson had no alternative but to make a settlement proportionate to her status as Viscountess. To do this, he had to buy an annuity, which put pressure on his finances.
By removing herself, Fanny drew attention to the disgrace of Nelson living with another man’s wife, as they all lived together in a ménage à trois in the same house.
By behaving with dignity, she drew attention—by contrast—to Emma Hamilton’s past.
History's Scandal
There were other reasons which we will never know. The real scandal is how later (male) historians imbibed the vitriol and even repeated it. It is likely their motivation was to provide an ‘excuse’ so that Nelson’s unimpeachable glory would not suffer from accusations of cruelty and ungentlemanly behaviour.
My books always give Nelson the credit that he was, and still is, one of the most courageous and innovative naval commanders of all time. Yet this does not compromise my opinion that in this situation, as well as in a few other cases - mainly during his time in Naples under Emma’s care after his injuries - he showed how grossly he could be misled.
As Ms Osborne quotes from Fanny’s own words following Nelson’s death, “This truly melancholy event has affected me most sincerely…,” revealing a warmth and loyalty that directly contradict the long-standing caricature.
It is difficult to reconcile such sincerity with the image history has too readily accepted. As her descendant, I have tried to add nuance to the story through my fiction as well as fact, and so am glad that a non-fiction historian is helping to reclaim Fanny’s genuine humanity.
“Lord Nelson wrote to my Lady, to tell her for not to think any more of him,
which was verry cutting to her; but she gave herself up to her Maker lived long
with her son.” (Fanny’s Maid to her Brother, 24 Nov 1805) – from the article.
To find out more about my novels and future book launches, sign up to ‘stay in touch’ on my author home page. My first novel in the trilogy, Nelson's Folly, is also available as an audiobook.
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