Collection of watercolours, pen and ink drawings and charts by Horatio Nelson Head, mainly showing parts of the Shetland and Orkney islands in Scotland, the West Indies and the Arctic. They include drawings made on HMS HECLA (1814) during Captain W.E. Parry's third expedition to find the North-West Passage. See item level records.

Administrative / biographical background
Horatio Nelson Head was the son of the artist Guy Head (1760-1800). At the start of his career he served on the frigate HMS LACEDAEMONIAN (1813) on the North America station. Later he was a midshipman on the survey brig HMS PROTECTOR (1805) and the frigate HMS PHAETON (1782). He was then appointed as draughtsman on HMS HECLA (1814) for Captain W.E. Parry's third expedition to find the North-West Passage. His drawings made during the voyage were used for the charts and illustrations included in the journal of this voyage published by John Murray, London, in 1828. The severe cold of the Arctic brought on an illness that resulted in his early death at Kensington in 1829. An obituary appeared in the 21 October 1829 issue of 'The Times' newspaper. Head is listed among the officers and men of the Royal Navy employed on Arctic service in 1818-1855, see ADM 171/10 at The National Archives. Some of his drawings are in the ADM 344 series. Evidence that he was a godson of Lord Nelson can be found in Court of Chancery records relating to his sister Eliza Head, see C 13/2338/29, also at TNA.