In 1972 incoming National President, Albert J. Youndt, announced the appointment of the National Headquarters and Museum Building Committee under the co-chairmanship of Brothers LaVon P. Linn and Clinton A. Phillips. Each year following actions toward the purchase of a suitable site continued culminating on March 31, 1977 in the purchase of property between the Mount Vernon Memorial Parkway and the Potomac River for $395,000. So began our Collingwood.

      Cuthbert Collingwood, born in Northumberland and Milcah Dobson of Bamwise near Appleby had ten children, the first seven daughters. The last three were boys. John rose to be Lord Chancellor, William to be Lord Stowell. - Cuthbert was the eldest son and bore his father's name. The elder Collingwood died in 1775 when Cuthbert was twenty-seven and the sons were forced to provide for their mother and sisters. Cuthbert had gone to sea in 1761 when he was I I years old aboard a frigate named Shannon. His first action was on land at Bunker Hill in 1775. A few years later, serving in the West Indies, he formed a great friendship with Horatio Nelson. He advanced, being promoted to Vice- Admiral in 1804. In 1805, he transferred to the Royal Sovereign when Nelson took command of the British Fleet in the Mediterranean. The Battle of Trafalgar was fought on the 21st of October 1805 with Nelson leading the windward and Collingwood the lee line. Harpers New Monthly Magazine, No. LI 1, September 1854, Vol. IX narrates the battle against the French Fleet in great detail. "Look," exclaimed Nelson with exulting joy, "see how that gallant fellow Collingwood carries his ship into action. He has cleared the way; let us hasten after him." At the same time Collingwood observed to his own Captain, "What would Nelson give to be here." Nelson was mortally wounded in the battle and Collingwood took overall command. After Trafalgar, Collingwood was raised to the peerage as a Baron and spent the next five years as Commander-in-Chief of the British Fleet in the Mediterranean. He died in 1810 and was buried close to Nelson in St. Paul's Cathedral.

      Three ships have borne the name Collingwood. The first was launched in 1841 and eventually sold in 1867. The second was commissioned in 1887 and sold in 1909. The third was launched@ in 1908 and sold in 1922. At the beginning, of the Second World War, Li new entrv training, establishment for Royal Navy "hostilities only" ratings of the seman branch at Forehami, between South Hampton and Portsmouth was built. Initiallv, It was four identical sections Surrounding a parade ground. In January 1940, it was commissioned HMS Collingwood. On June 11, 1 968, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother presented to the training establishment a battle ensign worn at the Battle of' Jutland in 1916. Her husband, then Prince Albert, was serving on the third HMS Collingwood during the battle as a Midshipman.

      The ship's crest of the HMS Collingwood shown above is based on the arms granted to Lord Collingwood after the Battle of Trafalgar. The associated motto, "Ferar Unus Et Idem" can be Translated as "I will be sustained unchanged." It is a naval adaptation of the crest of the Collingwood family.

      In 1983, Commander Raymond A. Champion, a retired member of the British Royal Navy and a Brother Mason, gave a mounted copy to Collingwood. He had served at HMS Collingwood at the time of his retirement. He had seen an article on the Library and Museum in a Grand Lodge of England magazine written by Robert R. Clemens, a member of Cheyenne Chapter No. 5. He visited Collingwood, and after deciding it embodied military and Masonic purposes, was indeed worthy of being authorized use of the HMS Collingwood crest. Brother "Archie" Lyon, President of Collingwood, visited HMS Collingwood at Foreham, England and obtained permission to use the crest as its logo.

      In June 1972, a committee was appointed. In December of that year it was redesignated a Headquarters. In October 1976, a Foundation was chartered. A few years later Foundation President, LaVon P. Linn, changed the Foundation name to add the name Collingwood. The title now is The Foundation for Collingwood Library and Museum on Americanism.

      Tobias Lear inherited a life tenancy to the River Farm in Washington's will. Lord Collingwood had friendly relations with him in the early 1800s. Washington had a home built on the farm for his deputy overseer, Sam Johnson. Johnson also operated a ferry across the Potomac and collected fees for fresh water from the ship's Captains. In 1932 a street car lane was converted into Mount Vernon National Parkway. Shortly thereafter the farm house was converted into a restaurant rated as one of the finest in the Washington area. The restaurant closed for business in 1974. It had been called Collingwood Inn.

      In our countries relations with other world powers today, England is one of our strongest Allies. It was not always so. In 1775 Cuthbert Collingwood saw his first action on land at Bunker Hill. On September 5, 1781 Admiral Franceois Joseph DeGrasse defeated English Admiral Thomas Graves in a sea battle at Chesapeake Capes. Lord Cornwallis retreated to Yorktown in hopes of evacuation from there to Join Clinton in New York. DeGrasse moved to Yorktown effectively closing that possibililty. Washington, with not only the fleet assistance from the French, but also French land forces, laid siege to Cornwallis on September 28. On October 19, the English surrendered and all major combat in the Colonies then ended. It was two years before a Peace Treaty was signed in 1783. English Admiral George Rodney captured DeGrasse in the West Indies on April 12, 1782 and DeGrasse died in Paris on January 11, 1788 at the age of 66.

      On August 1, 1805, Admiral Nelson found part of the French fleet commanded by Admiral Brueys anchored in the Bay of Aboukir. Unable to effectively maneuver the French fleet was annihilated. The defeat of almost twenty-five years ago had been partially avenged. Admiral Brueys was killed in this battle. On October 21, 1805 an equal number of English and combined French and Spanish ships met at Cape Trafalgar, off southern Spain. The French fleet was commanded by Admiral Villeneuve, the Spanish by Admiral Gravina. Seventeen of the combined fleet were captured; no English ships were captured or sunk. Both the French and Spanish Admirals were taken prisoner. It was in this battle that Admiral Nelson was killed. Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood then assumed command of the British Fleet in the Mediterranean.

      The objective of the Collingwood Foundation is to establish and maintain a Library and Museum on Americanism open to the public and to foster appreciation of our American heritage. In the history of the late 1700s and early 1800s the name Cuthbert Collingwood is one of renown.

      Several individuals and many references significantly contributed in the preparation of this article. To all I am sincerely grateful.

                          John Cole