May 23 – September 30 2015

Recently rediscovered Napoleonic scenes of war, swords used in the battle and the military jacket of a Yorkshire man who guarded Napoleon on his death bed will go on show at York Castle Museum this May to mark the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo.

The intricate wood blocked Napoleonic wallpaper from the 19th Century, which was rediscovered in 2013 has been conserved and will go on public display for the first time in more than 40 years.

A seven barrel nock gun and intricate dresses similar to those worn by the wives of officers who went to watch the battle, will also be on display along with a gruesome tooth key – typical of the type which were used by thieves to remove the precious teeth of dead and wounded soldiers.

A series of half term events will accompany the exhibition.

Alison Bodley, Senior Curator of History, said:

“The rediscovery of the Napoleonic wallpaper and the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo has given us a fantastic opportunity to delve into our collections and pick out some fascinating objects from the period.

“The wallpaper itself will be one of the highlights. It will return to public display for the first time in half a century, and the recent conservation work has revealed hidden details and colours. For example Vesuvius can now be seen erupting behind a scene depicting Naples, and a mysterious spy can be spotted lurking in one of the corners.

“The hand wood-blocked wallpaper will be complimented by a wide range of objects from our social history, military and costume collections, all helping to mark 200 years since the final defeat of Napoleon.”

The new display will open to the public on May 23 in the Female Prison side of the museum and is included in the admission price.

Military items on display will included the seven barrelled nock gun, flintlock rifles, pikes, swords and horseman’s armour.

One of the standout pieces will be the military jacket belonging to Matthew Grimes from Thornton le Dale, North Yorkshire.

He fought at Waterloo, and in 1819 as part of the 84th Regiment, he was sent to St Helena to guard the captured Napoleon.

He was probably there when Napoleon died in May 1821, before he returned to live a quiet life in Yorkshire with his wife Mary. He died at the age of 86.

The costume in the exhibition focuses on female fashions of high society from the period. Many of the wives of officers fighting in the Battle of Waterloo would have attended to watch the spectacle, wearing their best outfits.

This would have included day dresses, ornate fans, and jewellery, including Berlin ironwork jewellery which was very much the fashion of the time.

The display will also include a corset and stay busks, part of a women’s undergarments designed to provide a flat profile. They were often beautifully decorated.

Other items on show include medals from the campaign, a decorative snuff box with a caricature of Napoleon on and a clock with a painted dial depicting “Nelson’s victory off the Nile on August 1 1798.”