Historical information

The Lady Nelson was the first decked ship to enter Western Port at the beginning of 1801, captained by Lt James Grant, who named Churchill Island after a man in Dawlish, Devon who gave him a quantity of a variety of seeds, including wheat, which he sowed on CI. Lady Nelson returned at the end of the year under the command of Murray, who reported that most of the seeds had grown. He harvested the wheat to feed to the swans they had on board for fresh meat. Friends of Churchill Island Society commissioned the building of the model ship from David Lumsden, who built it for FOCIS for the cost of materials.

Significance

See historical information for the significance of the Lady Nelson to Churchill Island.

Physical description

1:24 scale model of the Lady Nelson (c.1801) made from cardboard, wood, cord, string, wool. Carvill Hull black ochre-yellow colour, brown timbers. Masts fawn with black trim and fittings. Lifeboat hull clinker built black and white. White inside, brown floor. Brown oars x 4. Tied onto Lady Nelson deck. LN flags: jack on stern gaff yard, and Royal Naval pennant on peak of rear mast.

Inscriptions & markings

"LADY NELSON" on stern white lettering on black.