] Ladies such as Charles's wife of course would not have done the work.

] Many women were present at the battle of Trafalgar and they were refused medals for the work they had done, although many had carried shot, powder etc and had helped with the wounded.

We know that Mrs Croft was almost always with her husband, and that he was at Trafalgar, so that implies that she was there too.

So what would she have done there? I can't see her cowering in their cabin while the battle was raging. But I also can't see her carrying shot. Helping with the wounded, perhaps?