Sir Thomas Slade is the unknown hero of Britain's crushing naval victory over the French and Spanish at Trafalgar in 1805. Slade's masterpiece of naval design was HMS Victory, launched in 1765 and which carried Admiral Nelson to triumph 40 years later.

The revolutionary designs of this master shipwright, Senior Surveyor of the Royal Navy and builder of many other famous vessels of that era, helped make Britain the most formidable maritime power of the age.

HMS Victory, with 100 guns, nearly 200 feet long and with a crew of 800 was an awesome fighting machine - the largest ship in the world at that time - with battle honours spanning a 70-year period. She's now preserved at Portsmouth in southern England.

Slade is the unknown hero who, we will reveal, did much to rescue England in her darkest hour.

Guided by military and boat building experts we will learn how Slade constructed this world-beating vessel.