Scale: 1:48. Plan showing the head, head-rails and trail-board and proposed figurehead for Nile (1839) a 90-gun Second Rate two-decker, converted to a screw battleship. The figurehead relates to the ship’s conversion from sail to steam between 1852 and 1854 at Devonport Dockyard.

The figurehead is a half-length bust of Vice Admiral Lord Nelson facing forwards. He is wearing a naval uniform with wide unbuttoned coat lapels, a high collar with black necktie (stock) and epaulettes. He has the sash from the Order of the Bath across his chest. Nelson’s hair is loose at the front but drawn back into a traditional sailors queue. A cloak obscures his right sleeve, which is not pinned to his jacket, and follows the line of his waist, curving around the scroll carving atr the top of the trail-board.

This design looks very similar to the Hellyer submission for the replacement figurehead on HMS Aboukir (1848) dated 1847 that Frederick Dickerson carved – See DIC0132.

Signed by George Turner [Assistant Master Shipwright, Devonport, 1849-]. The plan includes Admiralty Letter Book number S3386.