During the Battle of Trafalgar Collingwood assumed command of the British fleet after the death of Lord Nelson, transferring to the HMS Euryalus.

After requesting to be relieved of his command the Government stated that it urgently required an admiral of his calibre to lead against the dangers of the French and her allies, and that his country could therefore not dispense of him.

In 1810, Collingwood died of cancer on board HMS Ville de Paris as he sailed for England.

[9] The monument was erected to commemorate Collingwood and his connection to North Shields, and was deliberately positioned so that it could be seen from the Tyne.

who in the Royal Sovereign on the 21st October 1805 led the British fleet into action at Trafalgar and sustained the sea fight for upwards of an hour before the other ships were within gun shot which caused Nelson to exclaim

The monument is the scene of a murder in Season 11 of the TV series Vera (in the episode entitled Witness).