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From the
http://www.kentonline.co.uk.
By John Nurden.
27 March 2017.
Sheppey: New look for Flying Dutchman in Queenborough.
A landlord has converted part of his pub into a replica of the HMS
Victory in honour of the Island’s links to Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson.
And one of the first events at the new-look "Flying Dutchman" will be a
murder mystery evening, where Dining Room Detectives will try to unravel
the mystery of who drank Nelson’s blood.
Landlord Kevin Burgess has spent the past four months changing the
Queenborough pub’s front bar into the nautical tribute along with
builder Lee Rough.
A murder mystery is going to be performed at the "Flying Dutchman" pub in Queenborough.
The preserved body of the Battle of Trafalgar hero was brought to
Sheerness in a barrel of brandy. But according to legend both the barrel
and the brandy then went missing.
Chris Reed, who will play Nelson’s mistress, the dishevelled Lady
Hamilton in the murder mystery, said: “There is an old sea shanty called
A Drop of Nelson’s Blood Wouldn’t Do You Any Harm.
"That might not be strictly true.”
Mr Burgess, 57, said: “For years the pub had looked a little tired and
with other carveries opening we needed to up our game.
"Queenborough is steeped in history with strong ties to Lord Nelson and
the Dutch invasion so we have given the pub a nautical flavour and a bit
of character to reflect its setting.
“The front bar is now based on a 19th century man o’ war.
Lord Nelson is one of Britain's greatest admirals.
"It’s somewhere different to splice the mainbrace or have a sup of
grog.”
Most of the work was carried out by Mr Rough, one half of a Blues
Brothers tribute act, who also sails his own replica pirate ship.
He has built tables from scratch, inserted old oak beams and pulley
blocks, added huge hand-sewn sail cloths and decorated the bar with hemp
rope made at Chatham Dockyard.
Mr Burgess said: “Lee has done an amazing job. He started with a blank
canvas. The result is uncanny.”
Tickets for the opening night on Friday March 31 cost £20 and include a
meal.
Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1st Duke of Bronté KB,
was a British flag officer in the Royal Navy who was born in Norfolk on
September 29, 1758.
A painting of Lord Nelson being shot on the quarterdeck of HMS Victory.
He died after being shot during the Battle of Trafalgar on October 21,
1805. He was 47.
After a two-month voyage his body, pickled in a cask of brandy mixed
with camphor and myrrh and lashed to the Victory’s mainmast, was
unloaded at The Nore off Sheerness and taken to Greenwich where it was
placed in a lead coffin.
During the Battle of Trafalgar Nelson famously flew the flag signal
“England expects that every man will do his duty.” Although married to
Frances “Fanny” Nisbet, his mistress was Lady Emma Hamilton.
On his deathbed he asked the Victory’s captain Thomas Hardy to “take
care of poor Lady Hamilton” and then asked: “Kiss me, Hardy.”
Nelson was noted for inspirational leadership, superb grasp of strategy
and unconventional tactics particularly during the Napoleonic Wars.
He was wounded several times, losing his right arm at Santa Cruz de
Tenerife and an eye in Corsica.
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