A COMMUNITY recycling facility have found a piece of local history that was close to ending up in landfill after clearing the property of the closest living relative to Lord Nelson.

Homemakers, based in Abergavenny, were clearing the property in Raglan which belonged to the great great great granddaughter of Lord Nelson.

Rob Davies of Homemakers said: “The property Hill House in Raglan belonged to Mrs Anna Tribe and had been in the family since the 1860s."

The clearance as described by Mrs Arthur (Mrs Tribe’s daughter) was a mammoth task and included 10 van loads. Mrs Tribe is the great great great granddaughter of Lord Nelson and having moved to more manageable living accommodation Homemakers were asked to clear the property.

Every effort was made by the family to preserve history particularly on Raglan Village and Lord Nelson who Mrs Tribe is the direct descendent of Horatia, the child Nelson had by his affair with Lady Emma Hamilton.

Items found relating to Raglan were donated to Raglan History Group which included a picture restored by Homemakers of wounded soldiers at Raglan Castle in 1916.

The same copy of the picture was donated to Raglan Primary School and unknown to staff and Homemakers the actual day of the presentation took place on 5th October – 100 years to the day it was taken.

Rob said: “We have been trying to arrange the presentation since last Christmas. With cancellations on both sides, a date of 5th October was agreed.

The headmaster retrieved the picture from his office having stored it for numerous months to discover it was taken 100 years to the day!

Homemakers returned items on Lord Nelson to the family - Mrs Tribe is a Life President of the Lord Nelson Society - and many items from the house were reused by the general public after purchasing from the Homemakers showroom.

Homemakers donated both items following talks on the work it does.

Homemakers visit schools and groups throughout Monmouthshire explaining the process by which they now reuse and recycle close to 400 tonnes of domestic goods per year.

For further information on Homemakers go to www.hmcrecycling.co.uk