Kester John Bathgate's interest in maritime history was prompted originally by a school visit to HMS Victory in his early teens. Later he was employed at the Museum Service in Poole, Dorset, England, for some eighteen years, primarily at the then Maritime Museum. Away from work he was a Sea Scout leader and keen dinghy sailor and also sailed on many traditionally rigged vessels, to various ports in Europe. After having met his future Swedish wife aboard the Norwegian barque ’Statsraad Lehmkuhl’ in 1988 he subsequently moved to Stockholm, where they now live with their four cats.
Many authors follow in the footsteps of C. S. Forester and Patrick O’Brian, writing about Nelson’s navy. There are, however, many other fascinating maritime stories that may be imagined from the same historical period and the Napoleonic wars were a particular intense period, not only for the Royal Navy but also for His Majesty’s Custom Service.
The author is a member of both the Nelson Society, for whom he has written several magazine articles and the 1805 Club.