NAM.2015-07-10-1

Campaign cloak; 1803 (c)-1815 (c). Belonged to FM Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington. Believed to have been worn by the Duke during the Waterloo campaign, but it is not certain this was the one worn at the actual battle, as he probably had several on campaign. The cloak is formed from a single curved panel of navy worsted with violet velvet collar and facings. There is a small velvet button and green cord loop to fasten the collar in foul weather. The main closure has plain gilt buttons by R Bushby of St Martin's Lane, London. There are stitched remains of ribbon ties at the neck and residue of mud spatters, together with possible perspiration stains. Wellington gave the cloak to his lover Lady Caroline Lamb after the battle. Written diaries from the period show Lamb gave it later to Sir Anthony Carlisle and he then presented it to Grosvenor Charles Bedford on 14 May 1823. The cloak remained in the Bedford family until its sale on 14 Jul 2015. The cloak also matches both contemporary descriptions of Wellington's garb on campaign and later portraits of him at Waterloo, some with slight discrepancies.

Waterloo, Battle of, 1815 (Napoleonic Wars, Waterloo 1815)