From South Coast Today, Massachusetts: Historical Society presents "Antique Swords of Fairhaven"
FAIRHAVEN — The Fairhaven Historical Society is presenting a special program on Friday, Oct. 21, entitled "Antique Swords of Fairhaven."
The illustrated lecture will be held at the Fairhaven Town Hall, at 7:30 p.m. The presentation will be made by two experts in the field, Jerry Alferes and John Cook.
Mr. Alferes has worked with Japanese expert Ogawa obtaining rubbings of the Japanese sword, given to the Town of Fairhaven in 1918. He can share many insights into the history of the sword and its historical significance.
Mr. Cook will contribute expertise in the field of American and British swords from the Revolutionary War and later.
He will comment on the British sword captured by Nathaniel Pope of Fairhaven during the first naval battle of the Revolutionary War.
One of the heroes of the first naval capture, during the American Revolution, was Captain Nathaniel Pope.
On May 13, 1775, approximately three weeks after the battle of Lexington, Fairhaven's Captain Pope and two military companies were warned that a 20- gun English ship was sailing into Vineyard Haven.
Two decoy sloops, manned and armed, were in the bay. Captain Pope, with 25 military volunteers, left Fairhaven harbor in a foggy evening on the old, 40-ton sloop, the Success. They succeeded in capturing one of the vessels and brought both the vessel and the 13 enemy prisoners to Fairhaven.
One of the swords that will be presented at the lecture has historically been regarded as the one taken by Captain Pope from that encounter.
The Pope family has kindly let this prize from the early input of Fairhaven into the Revolutionary War, be exhibited.
