This exhibition was at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, London and was a paid ticket event.
Blood and Battle
I was initially intrigued by the promotion of the exhibition and visited the museum on the exhibition’s penultimate day, 25 March 2023. I have recently written a series of history articles exploring life at sea in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, with particular focus on William Beatty’s career as a ship surgeon on board HMS Victory. I thought it was unusual for an exhibition to focus on Beatty’s life in general and his contribution to medicine in a wider capacity, instead of solely focusing on his work with Admiral Horatio Nelson.
The exhibition was very small with a few cabinets on display with objects such as Beatty’s medical chest and several tools. The text panels were clear and not overcrowded with information. I felt there could have been an in-depth analysis on the role of surgeons at the time and the different strata of medical disciplines, e.g. physician, apothecaries and surgeons. Surgeons were the lowest in ranking by not needing a medical degree, but could learn through apprenticeships and gain knowledge through this route. For this portion of the exhibition, I felt I had greater existing knowledge that wasn’t enriched by the information on display.
The exploration of Beatty’s life after the Battle of Trafalgar was the most interesting as it created an image that was not just associated with Nelson. I thought Beatty’s authentic narrative was fascinating because many eye-witness accounts throughout history are either lost or fabricated, which changes how historians view the past. I was fascinated to learn that after Nelson’s autopsy, the musket ball that was fatal to him was removed. Thomas Hardy (HMS Victory’s captain) had the musket ball mounted in a silver locket and given as a gift to Beatty. I already knew that after Nelson’s death the crew were each given a lock of his hair, so I think this gesture is not as unusual as it appears. Furthermore, the exhibition was interesting in exploring Beatty’s wider medical accomplishments. For example, vaccinating many crew of the Mediterranean Fleet with Edward Jenner’s smallpox vaccine. This example emphasises that history is not just made up of individuals, but is a collective of many who helped progress, hinder or change history.
Immersive Battle Theatre
The exhibition did offer an ‘immersive battle theatre on board HMS Victory ’ experience – I was unsure at what this entailed. The exhibition advert suggested smells and ‘live’ surgery, however this was very far from reality. I always enjoy immersive learning and experiences in museums and advocate for more sensory elements in exhibitions, however this immersive experience felt half-hearted and overpromised. The room was decorated in ropes and sheets to emulate a ship’s sick bay, usually located on the orlop deck, with the smell, in my opinion, of wood – nothing overly strong or special to create context. The room also displayed a table with medical instruments such as saws and other items with red patches to symbolise blood. A video of a sick bay played with silhouettes of Beatty, injured men and Nelson that attempted to recreate the height of battle on the HMS Victory and quick surgeries taking place, such as amputation. Overall, I think there was an attempt at creating a space for immersive storytelling, but this needed to go further than a few sheets and a video.
Overall, this was an interesting exhibition that showcased a significant historical figure in a different light, but could have given further explanation on many points to enrich the context of the time to create a clearer and fuller picture. The immersive theatre space was disappointing and needed more objects, interactive panels and sensory elements to emphasise what life was like during naval battle and at the Battle of Trafalgar.
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