William Beatty's Medicine Chest

Haslar Heritage Group is proud to announce that William Beatty’s medicine chest is now on display in St Luke’s Church.

William Beatty joined the Royal Navy as an Assistant Surgeon in 1791.  He was the surgeon onboard HMS VICTORY at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 and cared for the dying Admiral Lord Nelson amongst VICTORY’s other 61 deaths and 109 wounded and this is likely to be the medicine chest onboard during the battle.

When it appeared at an auction, the Royal Naval Medical Service arranged a crowdfunding campaign which enabled Haslar Heritage Group to purchase the medicine chest in 2020.