MEMBERS of Thorverton History Society enjoyed a talk by Robin Blyth-Lord entitled “Boney, St Helena and a bit of Ascension” at their January meeting.

The evening started with the AGM and once that was over, society member Robin gave his very amusing talk on Napoleon (Boney) Bonaparte.

On June 18, 1815 Napoleon was defeated at Waterloo so he returned to Paris. He did this so rapidly that he arrived well ahead of his army and the government were not impressed.

Joseph Fouche saw that his future would not lie with Boney so he suggested that he should abdicate and go off to America. His son would be put up to succeed him.

Napoleon was a charismatic man, a charmer who stood at 5ft 8 inches tall. He was an ambitious man who rose up through the ranks but he committed many war crimes.

He decided he should leave the country so Louis 18th is informed and passports are ordered for Napoleon and his entourage who are to accompany him.

The entourage convoy is more than a mile long and they head for Rochefort in south west France. However, Rochefort is being blockaded by the British navy so the French stay in port.

The blockade consists of only one ship, the HMS Bellerphone with Captain Maitland in charge. Passports for Napoleon and his entourage have failed to arrive so a meeting is arranged with the British.

Captain Maitland wants to take him back to Britain as they are still at war so Napoleon surrenders to Maitland and hands over his sword.

He meets Maitland’s wife and finds her attractive, despite previously believing all British women to be ugly.

A second British ship arrives to help transport the entourage followed by Admiral Hotham in the flagship. Napoleon is invited to the flagship for dinner which is served on Napoleon’s rather grand plates.

They set sail and get to Brixham where they are met by small boats crewed my local traders who try to sell them provisions such as fish, meat and bread.

Word gets out that Napoleon is on board and this attracts much attention. A message is dispatched to London to ask what to do but as there is so much interest Maitland heads to Plymouth but they are already aware of Napoleon’s presence and many wished to see the Emperor.

Napoleon made use of his audience and played to the gallery as there were many sympathisers.

Back in London the Lords of the Admiralty decide he should be sent to St Helena, an inhospitable place in the South Atlantic.

His great entourage is reduced to just 24 people and they set off on HMS Northumberland with a Dr Barry O’Meara who is to be Boney’s physician.

An accompanying frigate had to sent back to collect the wine they had forgotten. Plans are made to meet up in Madeira and once the wine has been collected they set off for St Helena.

A couple of fast frigates go ahead to arrange accommodation which is to be paid for by the British Government. Napoleon dislikes the first property as it is too overlooked by the locals so another property is found – Longwood House.

Napoleon befriends the 14-year-old daughter of the property owner and she starts to teach him English but his small entourage feels that the Emperor should be more distant.

He starts to write his memoirs but petty jealousies begin to show. There are also fears of a French American rescue bid from the Ascension Islands, some 800 miles away.

After six years on St Helena they are all getting fed up and falling out. Napoleon starts to get stomach problems and died from cancer on May 5, 1821, aged 51.

There were conspiracy theories that he was poisoned or there was arsenic in the wallpaper of his house – both were untrue.

He was buried on the island but in 1840 his remains were taken back to Paris and interred in a splendid tomb which was completed in 1861.

Robert Turner