BookmarkA Pickle meeting on Pickle night 04.11.09 “I have Urgent Dispatches”
Because of H.M. Schooner “Pickle“, carrying the news of the Battle of Trafalgar (see http://www.frickers.co.uk/marine-art/urgent_dispatches.html }
Anne Maddever, descendant of Lieut. John LAPENOTIERE, meeting with Gordon Frickers, marine artist and probably the leading authority on HMS Pickle. 
Because of a forthcoming BBC Channel 4 TV documentary, “Boats that made Britain”, Anne and Gordon had been in touch by email and phone for several months and decided to have their first rendez-vous appropriately on 04.11.09, Pickle Night.
The venue chosen was Les Jardins de Bagatelle, a French café in Old Town Street Plymouth owned by Frenchman Vasli Dimitrovski, a friend who had previously advised Gordon pre Gordon Frickers June 2009 tour of the cote d’azur to look at the super yacht industry.
“Boats that made Britain” will be introduced by the renowned Tom Cunliffe, journalist, author and sailor, for a BBC C4 six part high end documentary in the spring of 2010.
By now you have guessed one of the boats featured will be H.M.S. Pickle?
This diminutive schooner so typical of many a Royal Navy schooner, still has to suffer more than her fair share of miss conceptions and much wrong information including in some other wise eminent books by distinguished authors.
H.M. Schooner “Pickle“, first with the news of the victory at Trafalgar and death of Nelson, arrived at Falmouth Bay, Cornwall on the 4th of November 1805, a date still celebrated in the Royal Navy as “Pickle Night
May/June 1802 Lieutenant John Richards Lapenotiere (perhaps the most misspelled name in the Navy) was appointed to command, and at that time both a Sting and a Pickle are named operating from Portsmouth.
Perhaps a confusion of a recently renamed vessel, what do you think?
1802 Plymouth, Lieutenant John Richards Lapenotiere commonly misspelt Lieut. PELLETIER’s command was first used as a dispatch vessel.
You can read more of an incredible sea story, Gordon Frickers research into Pickle and Lapentiere’s story in Gordon’s blog and on page http://www.frickers.co.uk/blog/2006/11/22/useful-facts-excellent-stories-about-hm-schooner-pickle-carrying-the-news-of-the-battle-of-trafalgar/#more-995
Anne and Gordon had much to discuss re John LAPENOTIERE and Pickle, 2 hours flew by.
While the painting: “I have Urgent Dispatches” (see http://www.frickers.co.uk/marine-art/urgent_dispatches.html ) was the original reasons for the contact, Anne and Gordon soon found much in common and have decided to keep in touch, try to solve some of the Pickle mysteries and maybe next year attend together the New York Yacht Club Pickle Night Dinner.
“H.M.S. Pickle” is shown in Gordon Frickers marine painting here during her dramatic 1,000 mile voyage to England in the great gales which followed the battle of Trafalgar.
“I have Urgent Dispatches” is partly about communication, the difference between then (1805) and now. 
“Pickle” sighted another ship which gave chase; fortunately she turned out to be “H.M.S. Nautilus“. “Pickle” commenced to signal her dramatic dispatch by flying flags 2214, a then secret Royal Navy 1805 (Popham’s) code signal capable of conveying over 3,000 messages.
The 2 detail inserts help you have some idea of the stunning level of finish and detail in this remarkable limited edition print,
Have you spotted the one showing her commander and the other, the signal “I have Urgent Dispatches“?
Similar Posts:
- It’s Pickle night!
- HMS Pickle, a new view, Pickle in a Pickle sails again
- HMS Pickle approaching England with the Trafalgar dispatches
- HMS Pickle, a Leading Seaman wrote to me today.
- The pickle puzzles continues…
Tags: battle of Trafalgar, Boats that made Britain, H.M. Schooner "Pickle", HMS Pickle, John LAPENOTIERE, Pickle, Pickle Night, Tom Cunliffe
October 4th, 2010 at 8:58 am
Until recently I knew nothing about H M Pickle but have been very interested to read information about the schooner here. I was doing a little research to find out more about an engraving I have been given. It is entitled Capture of the two top sail Slave schooner Bolodora by H M Schooner Pickle, Lieut I B B McHardy on the 6th of June 1829 after a chase of fourteen hoursand an action of one hour and twenty minutes within pistol shot.
The image of Pickle looks the same as other images I have been able to find. Her details are given as Tons 125, length 68ft, etc. I see from your site she was wrecked some years prevoiusly. I wondered if she was repaired or a new schooner was built and the name kept. So far I haven’t been able to find any technical specificatiuons of the original schooner to compare.
The engraving is labled Painted by W J higgins Marine painter to his majesty and Published June 10th 1831. I would be most interested to know if there is any knowledge of her after the wreck.
Regards
Chris barlow
October 4th, 2010 at 10:49 am
Dear Chris,
Thanks for your very interesting entry in blog comments.
I can be of some help here for you.
A copy of the engraving you have would be useful.
I’m at bit pushed for time at this moment so will reply more fully as soon as I can.
Kind regards,
Gordon Frickers, Marine Artist
October 27th, 2010 at 9:03 am
Dear Chris,
I’d particularly like to see a copy of the engraving you have of Pickle, is it possible to email a copy to me via the address on the contact us page of my web site please?
I was not aware of the story you recount re the slaver, above. I’d love to have the full account!
The Pickle in your question;
Web site in a Pickle… the first account I laboured long and hard over after much research would have answered most of your questions.
This is a PICNIC error, person in front of computer not in computer; in this case my web master.
My web master will correct the problem however his beloved Mother has recently died so I trust you appreciate this is not the only issue on ‘hold’.
Your question has done everyone a favour by highlighting a problem with the blog entries. We have decided to reverse the order or the texts so the “further reading” entries are read first as they are the least bloggy and most factual.
Chris, the good news is the info is on the site.
If you care to re scan this entry, no need to re read, you will find the very last entry almost certainly has the information you are searching for.
~
As far as I know the name Pickle has been used 5 times by the Britanique Royal Navy.
The first time the name was given to a “tender” based at Plymouth Devon.
I have some of her history.
The name possible has a Cornwall / Devon origin, for example there is a cove on Plymouth Sound between Cremmel and Cawsands called Picklecombe. The cove was later fortified the fort is now residential apartments.
The second time the name was given to a cutter named ‘Sting’ purchased to replace the Pickle which was allegedly becoming worn out.
There is a nice story about this purchase which I’ll recount if you wish.
In essence, the Sting may have come from anywhere, but following extensive research which I undertook when working for HMS Victory my bet is Sting was a West of England vessel.
Sting underwent a major service in Devonport in 1802 emerging as a schooner and renamed at about that time Pickle.
This is the vessel subject of a considerable research by me, many myths and miss understandings and subject of my well known painting (also as a heritage quality limited edition) “I have urgent dispatches”.
It was this Pickle which carried the Trafalgar news and was after many adventures, wrecked in 1809
We know; ADMIRAL Lord Hugh SEYMOUR, C in C Jamaica, in defiance of Admiralty instructions, purchased the cutter “Sting” while at Curacoa”. It is not clear if it was Admiral Seymour or Sting which was at Caracoa or both.
My source states, the Sting in December 1800 as a replacement for the “Pickle”, tender (P 263 Sailing Navy List) to “Sans Pariel”.
~
You were confused by the name Pickle, I am not surprised it is a story locked in myth.
Some people at Bermuda seem very keen to claim Pickle as their own, maybe we can guess why or ask them for solid proof?
When I last researched at Bermuda there was NO evidence Nelson’s Pickle was built at Bermuda but that was 15 years ago, maybe there is new evidence?
~
As a post script, just to add to the confusion the first Pickle continued in service for several more years operating out of Portsmouth and Plymouth so at that time there were 2 Pickle’s in the RN both operating from the same ports.
Back to the plot ~ Pickle’s end was inglorious: under the command of Lt Moses CANNADEY, while carrying dispatches to Cadiz in bad weather, Pickle ran aground on the Chipiona Shoal 27 July 1808.
Gordon Frickers, Marine Artist, October 2010
January 8th, 2011 at 11:37 pm
Dear Chris,
Thanks for your very interesting entry in blog comments.
I can be of some help here for you.
A copy of the engraving you have would be useful.
I’m at bit pushed for time at this moment so will reply more fully as soon as I can.
Kind regards,
Gordon Frickers, Marine Artist
January 8th, 2011 at 11:48 pm
Chris,
To try and answer your questions in a little more detail:
My image of Pickle varies from the others. You need to know your schooners though to spot why.
Mine is based on 3 things.
1. The model of a schooner at the RNM Portsmouth, often refered to as but not actually of Pickle.
2. In depth research into cutters and schooners period 1775 to 1825. Consequently I am quite an annorack on the subject.
3. Consultations with several leading experts on the subject including the renowned Peter Goodwin.
The Pickle you have was the one built after “my” Pickle was wrecked off Cadiz so yours was not the Trafalgar Pickle.
Yours was the third ship of that name and the 2 have been confused by some well known scholars.
You have a great story there though and I hope you send me more on it
You probaly are aware W J Higgins was a respected painter who often worked for naval officers who would check his work for accuracy.
On the subject of small craft, I will be producing a couple of new Pickle painbtings in 2011 and also at least one of the action between the HM cutter Alert and USS Lexington.
Any other questions, don’t hesitate to ask,
Regards, Gordon