What did Horatio Nelson blue plaque do at 103 New Bond Street?

The Story

Looking up at this elegant New Bond Street address, it's remarkable to think that Nelson lived here during a pivotal moment in his career - the months following his triumphant victory at the Battle of the Nile in 1798. Fresh from destroying Napoleon's fleet in Egypt, Nelson took these lodgings while he was celebrated as Britain's naval hero, attending countless parties and receptions in his honor throughout London's fashionable West End. It was during his time at this residence that his relationship with Emma Hamilton deepened and scandalized London society, even as he struggled to recover from the wounds that had cost him his right arm the previous year. Though he stayed here only briefly, this building represents a rare moment of peace for Nelson between his greatest naval victories, a place where the public's newly-minted hero could rest and recuperate before returning to sea.