Model, of French 70-gun warship

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This bone model of a 70-gun French warship was made by French prisoners during the Napoleonic Wars (1793-1815). The prisoners were held at Greenlaw, now known as Glencorse, near Edinburgh. The model was bought by a soldier of the East India Company's army who was invalided back home.

Built to a scale of 1:480 the model rests on a straw-patterned base. The making of straw articles was one of the industries permitted by those in charge of the prisons.

During the Napoleonic Wars (1793-1815), many French prisoners were taken to British gaols or prison ships. Some were allowed to settle into local communities and those who were skilled in crafts began to make ship models which could be sold. The models were often built using dried, bleached meat bones. Wood, ivory, straw and human hair were also used. The prisoners had to rely upon memory which makes the scale of some of the models rather doubtful.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-180-002-096-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland Part 2
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  T.1925.25
• Date: 1793 - 1815
  Model & original: Between 1793 and 1815
  
• Material: Bone, straw-work base
  Barque / model
  
• Dimensions: 7.00" max H x 8.75" max L
  
• What: Barque / model
  
• Subject: 23. SHIPPING, Sailing Ships, post 1760 (Departmental Classification)
  
• Who: East India Company
  French prisoner of war, Greenlaw, Scotland (Model maker)
  
• Where: Scotland, Berwickshire, Greenlaw
  
• Event: Napoleonic Wars
  
• Description: Model of a barque in bone with a straw-work base, made by a French prisoner at Greenlaw during the Napoleonic Wars and bought by a soldier of the East India Company's army who was invalided home
  
• References:
  • Storer, J D. Ship Models in the Royal Scottish Museum, Edinburgh: A catalogue of models representing the history of shipping from 1500 BC to the present day. Edinburgh: Royal Scottish Museum Information Series, 1985, p 25. 
• Translations:
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