Reply To: Capt. Josiah Nisbet, R.N., 1780-1830. Isle of Nevis, West Indies

[Sid Smith]

Thank you, Remi.

Good luck with your enquiries.

I would definitely convey the news to the National Maritime Museum in London.

As mentioned above, I don’t know of any portraits of Josiah except the one off Tenerife, which I’ve always assumed isn’t from life. The label on the back of your picture might be mistaken but I can’t imagine it’s a deliberate lie: Josiah simply isn’t famous enough for that. Of course this one might well be by his mother.

John Sugden wrote a two-volume biography of Nelson which is very sympathetic to Josiah: a youngster who disliked the Navy and was promoted beyond his abilities.

Please let me know when your article is published:
sid@sidsmith.co.uk