Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:57:46-2:58:13

A myth about Captain Hardy and HMS Victory

The closing answer rejects a story that Captain Hardy ordered HMS Victory broken up after Nelson's death.

HMS VictoryHoratio NelsonThomas Hardy
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Question

Did Captain Hardy order HMS Victory broken up after Horatio Nelson died, only to be stopped by his wife?

Short answer

No. The ship-breaking story is dismissed as one of the tales that circulates about HMS Victory.

Notes

The closing exchange rejects a story that Captain Thomas Hardy ordered HMS Victory broken up when Horatio Nelson died and was stopped by his wife. No supporting incident or origin for the tale is supplied. The joke that Hardy's wife would have put him in the doghouse is kept separate from the historical claim. The brief answer corrects the myth while leaving its source unexplained.