An Antiques Roadshow expert faced an awkward moment when the crowd booed his attempt at humour during a recent repeat of the BBC programme.
Matthew Haley was examining a remarkable letter penned by Lord Nelson that mentioned a sheep which survived the Battle of Trafalgar.
The historic document, which dates from June 1805, was written aboard HMS Victory just months before the famous naval battle.
After revealing the letter’s value exceeded £5,000, Haley attempted to lighten the mood with a pun.
“Not much of a baa-gain,” he quipped, prompting audible boos from the assembled crowd.
The letter’s owner responded with a chuckle, calling it a “low blow” as some audience members laughed whilst others expressed their disapproval.
The letter had been passed down through the guest’s family for generations. She explained that it was given to her step-father’s great-great-great grandfather, who “was given the sheep by Captain Bainton”.
Captain Bainton commanded HMS Leviathan during the Battle of Trafalgar and had received the sheep as a gift from Nelson himself.
“Nelson gave Captain Bainton a sheep,” the guest told the programme. The animal remarkably survived the historic naval engagement in October 1805.
“When Captain Bainton came back to the UK, he then gave the sheep and the letter to William Raymond and this is the letter,” she revealed.
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Haley expressed his surprise at the unusual correspondence. “Absolutely bizarre. It certainly is the first Nelson that I’ve ever come across that talks about sheep,” he commented.
The letter revealed Nelson’s practical concerns about provisions during his West Indies voyage.
“I don’t know how you’re doing for stock but all I got in the West Indies was one sheep which I can give you,” Nelson had written.
Haley explained that Royal Navy vessels routinely carried livestock to feed their crews during long voyages. The sheep not only survived the battle but apparently distinguished itself in service.
“It looks like the sheep was given some sort of award for its duty in Trafalgar,” the expert noted.
The animal’s post-war life proved equally remarkable. William Raymond, the farmer who received the sheep, bred it with south Devon stock. The guest revealed that the sheep “had really good progeny, was well known for its beauty and fleece”.
“So the sheep won a medal, really, really fantastic,” Haley observed.
The expert highlighted that Nelson had written the letter with his left hand, making it “very collectable”. His valuation placed the document’s worth at “certainly in excess of £5,000” at auction.
The guest appeared taken aback by the figure, responding with “wowzers” to the substantial estimate.
The episode, which originally aired in 2015, was recently repeated on BBC One.
