'John Crawford, Nailing the Flag to the Main top gallant mast head, on board the Venerable, October 11th 1797'

During the Battle of Camperdown in 1797 Admiral Duncan's blue squadronal flag was several times shot away from the main topmast of his flagship, 'Venerable'. When the topmast itself came down, one of his seamen, 'Jack' Crawford of Sunderland, went aloft and this time nailed the colours to the shattered stump, thereby establishing himself as a popular hero. Daniel Orme later sketched Crawford to include him in his oil of the Dutch admiral, De Winter, surrendering to Duncan (BHC3100). Orme also issued a portrait print in November 1797 (PAD3447), of which this is a non-identical later copy in reverse orientation. Orme's print also appears on transfer decorated jugs and similar commemorative pieces. His rendering and this one, show Crawford in his smart shore-going ' rig', not as he would have been dressed at the battle. Crawford eventually went back to Sunderland where he worked as a keelman and died in the 1831 cholera epidemic there, aged 56. A statue of him was later erected at Sunderland, where it can still be seen.

Object Details

ID: PAD3446
Collection: Fine art
Type: Print
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Kirby, H. S.
Date made: Published 20 November 1804
People: Crawford, John
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
Measurements: Mount: 199 mm x 125 mm
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