Trafalgar Day For Kids
Trafalgar Day is celebrated in the UK and other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations on 21st October each year.
It is the celebration of the victory won on 21st October 1805 by the Royal Navy, commanded by Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson over the combined French and Spanish fleets at the Battle of Trafalgar. Nelson famously led from the ship HMS Victory and was killed during the battle.
How is Trafalgar Day Celebrated?
The day was first celebrated in Trafalgar Square on Trafalgar Day, 1896. Trafalgar Day was widely commemorated by parades, dinners and other events throughout much of the British Empire in the 19th century and early 20th century.
Whilst Trafalgar Day is widely celebrated in navies of the Commonwealth of Nations. Although it is no longer celebrated so much here in the UK, it has had a resurgence of popularity since the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalger in 2005, which was marked with events all around the UK.
The day was celebrated most spectacularly with the International Fleet Review, held in the Solent in the presence of Her Majesty The Queen.
Trafalgar Day Activities
- Trafalgar Day Printables celebrate Trafalgar Day with these printable puzzles - a wordsearch and anagrams.
- Funtrivia Have a go at this short quiz on facts about the Battle of Trafalgar - can you get 10 ou t of ten, or will you be sunk?
More Information On Trafalgar Day
- Wikipedia has an extensive article on the background on and history Lord Nelson and the Battle of Trafalgar.
- BBC History has an interesting collection of items about Neson and Trafalger, including an animated Map of the Battle of Trafalgar, a game allowing you to re-fight the battle and some discussion of the historical context of the battle.
- National Archives Did any of your ancesters fight in the Battle of Trafalgar? You can find information on everyone who served in the Battle on this website.
- HMS Victory You can visit Nelson's flagship which is now situated in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. The website has lots of information about life in the British Navy at the time of Horatio Nelson.
- The Nelson Museum The Nelson Museum is a Georgian merchant's house in Great Yarmouth where you can learn all about Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson's life and the times in which he lived.