The original HMS Pickle was the fast ship that brought the news of the victory at Trafalgar and at the same time the news of the death of Admiral Lord Nelson to England in November 1805. Lieut Lapenotiere, the ship’s master, reached Falmouth on November 5th 1805 and rode swiftly to London to deliver the news to King George and the Admiralty.
During the battle of Trafalgar, Pickle was stationed to the north-west of the weather line, where Nelson was leading HMS Victory into battle. In the latter stages of the battle, Pickle and three other vessels went to the rescue of the crew of the French ship, Achille, which was ablaze. One of the survivors picked up in the Pickle was a Frenchwoman, wife of one of the crew, found clinging to an oar.
After the battle and death of the Commander in Chief, it fell to Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood to write the dispatch for the Admiralty. He selected the schooner Pickle, one of the fast advice boats, to take the news back to Britain. John Lapenotiere had been in command of the vessel in 1802 and had previously served with Admiral John Jervis. The schooner set off on the 26 October and took 9 days to reach Britain, enduring a gale off Cape Finisterre. The vessel was blown off course and Lapenotiere ordered that 4 carronades to be cast overboard to lighten the load.
At 9.45am on November 4, the Pickle anchored in Falmouth Bay. By midday, Lapenotiere was on his way to London in a hired post-chaise coach, displaying a Union Flag and a tattered Tricolour on a broomstick as a flagpole. The normal journey took a week, but within 37 hours, after 19 horse changes, Lapenotiere arrived at the Admiralty at 1am on 6 November
The current ‘replica’ Pickle was built as ‘Elena Maria Barbara’ in Russia five years ago to the lines of the original ship and arrived in England in June last year. She has recently had an extensive refit in Gloucester, assuming the role of HMS 'Pickle' at celebrations around Britain this year.