The University of Southampton has launched a new exhibition which gives a unique perspective on the Duke of Wellington’s role in the Battle of Waterloo.
Wellington and Waterloo: ‘the tale is in every Englishman’s mouth’ draws from the Wellington Archives – a collection of papers belonging to Arthur Wellesley, the first Duke of Wellington (1769-1852), which are now held and conserved by Special Collections at the University’s Hartley Library.
The exhibition, which runs until 26 June and again from 13 to 24 July, at the library’s Special Collections Gallery, coincides with 200 year commemorations of the Battle of Waterloo.
Head of Archives at Southampton, Karen Robson, says:
“The papers give us a unique insight into despatches between Wellington, his commanders and his allies. They reveal a fascinating glimpse of the build-up to battle, the diplomacy before and after, and the rise of the Duke to the 19th century equivalent of ‘celebrity status’ – dubbed ‘saviour of Europe’ following his victory.”
Among the items on display are: a memorandum of troop numbers agreed ahead of the war by allied powers; the Duke’s letters of appointment to assume command of an allied army and a commemorative nautilus (mollusc) shell depicting Wellington on one side and St George slaying a dragon on the other (c1850s).