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HMSVictory

Coordinates:50°48′07″N1°06′35″W/ 50.80194°N 1.10972°W/50.80194; -1.10972
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For other ships with the same name, seeList of ships named HMS Victory.

HMSVictoryat Portsmouth Historic Dockyard
History
United Kingdom
NameHMSVictory
Ordered14 July 1758
BuilderChatham Dockyard
Laid down23 July 1759
Launched7 May 1765;259 years ago(1765-05-07)
Commissioned1778
In service246 years
Homeport
Honours and
awards
Status
General characteristics[1]
Class and type104-gunfirst-rateship of the line
Displacement3,500Long ton(3,556tonnes)[2]
Tons burthen2,142bm
Length
  • 186 ft (57 m) (gundeck),
  • 227 ft 6 in (69.34 m) (overall)
Beam51 ft 10 in (15.80 m)
Draught28 ft 9 in (8.76 m)
Depth of hold21 ft 6 in (6.55 m)
PropulsionSails—6,510 sq yd (5,440 m2)
Sail planFull-rigged ship
Speedup to 11 knots (20 km/h)
ComplementApproximately 850
Armament
  • Trafalgar:
  • Gundeck: 30 × 2.75-tonlong pattern Blomefield 32-pounders(15 kg)
  • Middle gundeck: 28 × 2.5-tonlong 24-pounders(11 kg)
  • Upper gundeck: 30 × 1.7-ton short 12-pounders (5 kg)
  • Quarterdeck: 12 × 1.7-ton short 12-pounder (5 kg)
  • Forecastle: 2 × medium 12-pounder (5 kg), 2 × 68-pounder (31 kg)carronade
NotesHeight from waterline to top of mainmast: 205 ft (62.5 m)

HMSVictoryis a 104-gun first-rateship of the lineof theRoyal Navy.She was ordered in 1758,laid downin 1759, and launched in 1765. With 246 years of service as of 2024, she is the world'soldestnaval vessel still incommission.

Victoryis best known for her role asHoratio, Lord Nelson'sflagshipat theBattle of Trafalgaron 21 October 1805. She had previously served asKeppel's flagship atUshant,Howe's flagship atCape SpartelandJervis's flagship atCape St Vincent.After 1824, she was relegated to the role of harbour ship. In 1922, she was moved to adry dockatPortsmouth,England,and preserved as amuseum ship.She has been the flagship of theFirst Sea Lordsince October 2012.

Construction[edit]

In December 1758,William Pitt the Elder,as head of the British government, placed an order for the building of 12 ships, including afirst-rateship that would becomeVictory.[3]During the 18th century,Victorywas one of ten first-rate ships to be constructed.[4]The outline plans were based onHMSRoyal George,which had been launched atWoolwich Dockyardin 1756, and the naval architect chosen to design the ship wasSir Thomas Slade,theSurveyor of the Navy.[5]She was designed to carry at least 100 guns. The commissioner ofChatham Dockyardwas instructed to prepare adry dockfor the construction.[6]The master shipwright in charge of construction wasEdward Allin,son of SirJoseph Allin,former Surveyor of the Navy.[7]Thekeelwas laid on 23 July 1759 in the Old Single Dock (since renamed No. 2 Dock and now Victory Dock), and the nameVictorywas chosen in October 1760.[8]In 1759, theSeven Years' Warwas going well for Britain; land victories had been won atQuebecandMindenandnaval battleshad been won atLagosandQuiberon Bay.It was theAnnus Mirabilis,or Wonderful Year, and the ship's name may have been chosen to commemorate the victories[9][10]or it may have been chosen simply because out of the seven names shortlisted,Victorywas the only one not in use.[11][12]There were some doubts whether this was a suitable name, since the previousVictoryhad been lost with all hands in 1744.[12]

HMSVictoryand HMSDauntless
The Sick Room, HMSVictory
Interior, HMSVictory

A team of 150 workmen was assigned to constructVictory's frame.[13]Around 6,000 trees were used in her construction, of which 90% wereoakand the remainderelm,pineandfir,together with a small quantity oflignum vitae.[14]The wood of the hull was held in place by six-foot copper bolts, supported bytreenailsfor the smaller fittings.[13]Once the ship's frame had been built, it was normal to cover it up and leave it for several months to allow the wood to dry out or "season".The end of the Seven Years' War meant thatVictoryremained in this condition for nearly three years, which helped her subsequent longevity.[15][16]Work restarted in autumn 1763 and she wasfloatedon 7 May 1765,[17]having cost £63,176 and 3shillings,[18]the equivalent of £10.9 million today.[Note 1]

On the day of the launch, shipwright Hartly Larkin, designated "foreman afloat" for the event, suddenly realised that the ship might not fit through the dock gates. Measurements at first light confirmed his fears: the gates were at least 9½ inches too narrow. He told his superior, master shipwright John Allin, who considered abandoning the launch. Larkin asked for the assistance of every available shipwright, and they hewed away enough wood from the gates with theiradzesfor the ship to pass safely through.[19]However, the launch itself revealed significant problems in the ship's design, including a distinct list tostarboardand a tendency to sit heavily in the water such that her lower deck gunports were only 4 ft 6 in (1.4 m) above the waterline. The first of these problems was rectified after launch by increasing the ship'sballastto settle her upright on the keel. The second problem, regarding the siting of the lower gunports, could not be rectified. Instead it was noted inVictory's sailing instructions that these gunports would have to remain closed and unusable in rough weather. This had potential to limitVictory's firepower, though in practice none of her subsequent actions would be fought in rough seas.[20]

An aerial shot of Portsmouth Historic Dockyard with HMSVictoryin the centre during Trafalgar 200 celebrations.

Because there was no immediate use for her, she was placedin ordinaryand moored in theRiver Medway.[21]Internalfitting outcontinued over the next four years, andsea trialswere completed in 1769, after which she was returned to her Medway berth. She remained there until France joined theAmerican War of Independencein 1778.[22]Victorywas now placed in active service as part of a general mobilisation against the French threat. This included arming her with a full complement ofsmoothbore,cast ironcannon.Her weaponry was intended to be thirty 42-pounders (19 kg) on her lower deck, twenty-eight24-pounder long guns(11 kg) on her middle deck, and thirty 12-pounders (5 kg) on her upper deck, together with twelve 6-pounders on herquarterdeckandforecastle.In May 1778, the 42-pounders were replaced by 32-pounders (15 kg), but the 42-pounders were reinstated in April 1779; however, there were insufficient 42-pounders available and these were replaced with 32-pounder cannon once again.[20]

Early service[edit]

First battle of Ushant[edit]

Main article:Battle of Ushant (1778)
The first battle of Ushant(1778) by Theodore Gudin. Admiral Keppel was later court martialed for allowing the French fleet to escape but was acquitted.

Victorywascommissioned(put on active duty) in March 1778 under CaptainSir John Lindsay.He held that position until May 1778, when AdmiralAugustus Keppelmade her hisflagship,and appointed Rear AdmiralJohn Campbell(1st Captain) and CaptainJonathan Faulknor(2nd Captain).[18]Keppel put to sea fromSpitheadon 9 July 1778 with a force of around twenty-nineships of the lineand, on 23 July, sighted a French fleet of roughly equal force 100 miles (160 km) west ofUshant.[23][24]The French admiral,Louis Guillouet, comte d'Orvilliers,who had orders to avoid battle, was cut off fromBrest,but retained theweather gage.Manoeuvring was made difficult by changing winds and driving rain, but eventually a battle became inevitable, with the British more or less in column and the French in some confusion. However, the French managed to pass along the British line with their most advanced ships. At about a quarter to twelve,Victoryopened fire onBretagneof 110 guns, which was being followed byVille de Parisof 90 guns.[25]The British van escaped with little loss, but SirHugh Palliser's rear division suffered considerably. Keppel made the signal to follow the French, but Palliser did not conform, and the action was not resumed.[25]Keppel was court martialed and cleared, and Palliser criticized by an inquiry before the affair turned into a political argument.[25]

Second Battle of Ushant[edit]

Main article:Second Battle of Ushant
Victoryflying theBlue Ensign(with thepre-1801 Union Jack), fromThe Fleet Offshore,1780–90, an anonymous piece of folk art now atCompton Verney Art GalleryinWarwickshire.

In March 1780,Victory's hull wassheathedwith 3,923 sheets of copper below the waterline to protect it againstshipworm.[14]On 2 December 1781, the ship, now commanded by Captain Henry Cromwell and bearing the flag of Rear AdmiralRichard Kempenfelt,sailed with eleven other ships of the line, a 50-gunfourth-rate,and fivefrigates,[26]to intercept a Frenchconvoythat had sailed fromBreston 10 December. Not knowing that the convoy was protected by twenty-one ships of the line under the command ofLuc Urbain de Bouexic, comte de Guichen,Kempenfelt ordered a chase when they were sighted on 12 December and began the battle.[26]When he noted the French superiority, he contented himself with capturing fifteen sail of the convoy. The French were dispersed in a gale and forced to return home.[26]

Siege of Gibraltar[edit]

Main article:Great Siege of Gibraltar

Victory's armament was slightly upgraded in 1782 with the replacement of all of her 6-pounders with 12-pounder cannon. Later, she also carried twocarronade guns,firing 68-lb (31 kg) round shot.[27]

In October 1782,VictoryunderAdmiralRichard Howewas the fleetflagshipof a powerful escort flotilla for a convoy of transports which resupplied Gibraltar in the event of a blockade by the French and Spanish navies. No resistance was encountered on entering the straits and the supplies were successfully unloaded. There was aminor engagementat the time of departure, in whichVictorydid not fire a shot. The British ships were under orders to return home and did so without major incident.[28][29]

Battle of the Hyères Islands[edit]

Main article:Battle of the Hyères Islands

In July 1795.Victorysunk a French rowboat in this battle and suffered minimum damage.

Battle of Cape St. Vincent[edit]

Main article:Battle of Cape St. Vincent (1797)
The Battle of Cape Saint Vincent,Richard Brydges Beechey,1881

In 1796, CaptainRobert Calder(First Captain) and CaptainGeorge Grey(Second Captain), commandedVictoryunder Admiral SirJohn Jervis's flag.[18][30]By the end of 1796, the British position in the Mediterranean had become untenable. Jervis had stationed his fleet off Cape St Vincent to prevent the Spanish from sailing north, whilstHoratio Nelsonwas to oversee the evacuation ofElba.[31][32]Once the evacuation had been accomplished, Nelson, inHMSMinerve,sailed forGibraltar.On learning that the Spanish fleet had passed by some days previous, Nelson left to rendezvous with Jervis on 11 February.[33]The Spanish fleet, which had been blown off course by easterly gales, was that night working its way to Cadiz.[32]The darkness and a dense fog meant Nelson was able to pass through the enemy fleet without being spotted and join Jervis on 13 February.[34]Jervis, whose fleet had been reinforced on 5 February by five ships from Britain underRear-Admiral William Parker,now had 15 ships of the line.[35]The following morning, having drawn up his fleet into two columns, Jervis impressed upon the officers onVictory's quarterdeck how, "A victory to England is very essential at the moment". Jervis was not aware of the size of the fleet he was facing, but at around 0630 hours, received word that five Spanish warships were to the south-east.[30]By 0900 hours, the first enemy ships were visible fromVictory's masthead, and at 1100 hours, Jervis gave the order to form line of battle.[36]As the Spanish ships became visible to him, Calder reported the numbers to Jervis, but when he reached 27, Jervis replied, "Enough, Sir. No more of that. The die is cast and if there are 50 sail, I will go through them".[37]The Spanish were caught by surprise, sailing in two divisions, with a gap that Jervis aimed to exploit.[30]The ship's log records howVictoryhalted the Spanish division, raking ships both ahead and astern, while Jervis' private memoirs recall howVictory's broadside so terrifiedPrincipe de Asturiasthat she "squared her yards, ran clear out of the battle and did not return".[38]Jervis, realising that the main bulk of the enemy fleet could now cross astern and reunite, ordered his ships to change course, butSir Charles Thompson,leading the rear division, failed to comply. The following ships were now in a quandary over whether to obey the Admiral's signal or follow their divisional commander. Nelson, who had transferred toHMSCaptain,was the first to break off and attack the main fleet as Jervis had wanted, and other ships soon followed his example.[39][40]The British fleet not only achieved its main objective, that of preventing the Spanish from joining their French and Dutch allies in the channel, but also captured four ships.[40]The dead and wounded from these four ships alone amounted to 261 and 342, respectively; more than the total number of British casualties of 73 dead and 327 wounded.[41]There was one fatality aboardVictory;a cannonball narrowly missed Jervis and decapitated a nearby sailor.[40]

Reconstruction[edit]

"I have also observed that the ship is very weakabaft;thetransomsbetween the lower and middle decks work[bend]exceedingly. "

— Naval architect SirRobert Seppings,describing defects aboardVictory,September 1796[42]

On her return to England,Victorywas examined for seaworthiness and found to have significant weaknesses in her stern timbers. She was declared unfit for active service and left anchored offChatham Dockyard.In December 1798 she was ordered to be converted to ahospital shipto hold wounded French and Spanishprisoners of war.[18][43]

However, on 8 October 1799,HMSImpregnablewas lost offChichester,having run aground on her way back toPortsmouthafter escorting a convoy toLisbon.[43]She could not be refloated and so was stripped and dismantled. Now short of a three-decked ship of the line, theAdmiraltydecided to reconditionVictory.Work started in 1800, but as it proceeded, an increasing number of defects were found and the repairs developed into a very extensive reconstruction.[43]The original estimate was £23,500, but the final cost was £70,933.[11] Extra gun ports were added, taking her from 100 guns to 104, and hermagazinelined with copper. The open galleries along her stern were removed;[42]herfigureheadwas replaced along with hermastsand the paint scheme changed from red to the black and yellow seen today. Her gun ports were originally yellow to match the hull, but later repainted black, giving a pattern later called the"Nelson chequer",which was adopted by most Royal Navy ships in the decade following the Battle of Trafalgar.[44][45]The work was completed in April 1803, and the ship left for Portsmouth the following month under her new captain,Samuel Sutton.[18][46]

Nelson and Trafalgar[edit]

Main article:Trafalgar Campaign
Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelsonflew his flag twice onVictory

Vice-Admiral Nelsonhoisted his flag inVictoryon 18 May 1803, with Samuel Sutton as hisflag captain.[18]The Dispatches and Letters of Vice Admiral Lord Nelson (Volume 5, page 68) record that "Friday 20 May a.m.... Nelson... came on board. Saturday 21st (i.e.the afternoon of the 20th) Unmoored ship and weighed. Made sail out of Spithead... when H.M. Ship Amphion joined, and proceeded to sea in company with us" –Victory'sLog.Victorywas under orders to meet up with Cornwallis off Brest, but after 24 hours of searching failed to find him. Nelson, anxious to reach the Mediterranean without delay, decided to transfer toAmphionoff Ushant. The Dispatches and Letters (see above) record on page 71 "Tuesday 24 May (i.e. 23 May p.m.) Hove to at 7.40, Out Boats. The Admiral shifted his flag to the Amphion. At 7.50 Lord Nelson came on board the Amphion and hoisted his flag and made sail – Log."

On 28 May, Captain Sutton captured the FrenchAmbuscadeof 32 guns, bound forRochefort.[47]Victoryrejoined Lord Nelson offToulon,where on 31 July, Captain Sutton exchanged commands with the captain ofAmphion,Thomas Masterman Hardyand Nelson raised his flag inVictoryonce more.[48]

Victorywas passing the island of Toro, nearMajorca,on 4 April 1805, whenHMSPhoebebrought the news that the French fleet underPierre-Charles Villeneuvehad escaped fromToulon.While Nelson made forSicilyto see if the French were heading forEgypt,Villeneuve was enteringCádizto link up with the Spanish fleet.[49]On 9 May, Nelson received news fromHMSOrpheusthat Villeneuve had left Cadiz a month earlier. The British fleet completed their stores inLagos Bay, Portugaland, on 11 May, sailed westward with ten ships and three frigates in pursuit of the combined Franco-Spanish fleet of 17 ships.[50]They arrived in theWest Indiesto find that the enemy was sailing back to Europe, whereNapoleon Bonapartewas waiting for them with his invasion forces atBoulogne.[51]

The Franco-Spanish fleet was involved in the indecisiveBattle of Cape Finisterrein fog offFerrolwith Admiral SirRobert Calder's squadron on 22 July, before taking refuge inVigoand Ferrol.[52]Calder on 14 August and Nelson on 15 August joinedAdmiral Cornwallis's Channel Fleet off Ushant.[53]Nelson continued on to England inVictory,leaving his Mediterranean fleet with Cornwallis[54]who detached twenty of his thirty-three ships of the line and sent them under Calder to find the combined fleet at Ferrol. On 19 August came the worrying news that the enemy had sailed from there, followed by relief when they arrived inCádiztwo days later. On the evening of Saturday, 28 September, Lord Nelson joinedLord Collingwood's fleet off Cádiz, quietly, so that his presence would not be known.[55]

Battle of Trafalgar[edit]

Main article:Battle of Trafalgar
The opening engagement at theBattle of Trafalgar,byJ.W. Carmichael(oil on canvas, 1856)

After learning he was to be removed from command, Villeneuve put to sea on the morning of 19 October and when the last ship had left port, around noon the following day, he set sail for the Mediterranean.[56]The British frigates, which had been sent to keep track of the enemy fleet throughout the night, were spotted at around 1900 hours and the order was given to form line of battle.[57]On the morning of 21 October, the main British fleet, which was out of sight and sailing parallel some 10 miles away, turned to intercept.[58]Nelson had already made his plans: to break the enemy line some two or three ships ahead of their commander-in-chief in the centre and achieve victory before the van could come to their aid.[59]At 0600 hours, Nelson ordered his fleet into two columns.

First LieutenantJohn Quilliamhad devised an emergency steering system forVictorywhich he was able to bring to good effect at Trafalgar

Fitful winds made it a slow business, and for more than six hours, the two columns of British ships slowly approached the French line beforeRoyal Sovereign,leading the lee column, was able to open fire onFougueux.Around 30 minutes later,Victorybroke the line between the 80-gun French flagshipBucentaureand 74 gunRedoutableand fired her guns at such close range that the flames of the guns were singeing the windows of the French flagship before the shockwave and cannonballs arrived.Victory's port guns unleashed a devastating broadside, rakingBucentaureand blowing a hole in the ship described[by whom?]as "large enough to drive a coach and four horses through." The maelstrom of cannonballs and grapeshot dismountedBucentaure's guns and shredded her crew, killing and wounding somewhere between 300 and 450 men of the ship's 750- to 800-man complement in a matter of seconds, putting the French flagship out of action.[60][61][62]At a quarter past one, Nelson was shot, the fatal musket ball entering his left shoulder and lodging in his spine.[63]He died at half past four.[64]Such killing had taken place onVictory's quarterdeck thatRedoutableattempted to board her, but they were thwarted by the arrival ofEliab Harveyin the 98-gunHMSTemeraire,whose broadside devastated the French ship.[65]Nelson's last order was for the fleet to anchor, but this was countermanded by Vice AdmiralCuthbert Collingwood.[66]Victorysuffered 57 killed and 102 wounded.[67]

Victoryhad been badly damaged in the battle and was not able to move under her own sail, soHMSNeptunetowed her to Gibraltar for repairs.[68]Victorythen carried Nelson's body to England, where, after lying in state atGreenwich,he was buried inSt. Paul's Cathedralon 9 January 1806.[69]

After Trafalgar[edit]

Final years afloat[edit]

Bird's-eye view ofVictoryin 2004.
Victory's bow and figureheadc. 2007

The Admiralty Board consideredVictorytoo old, and in too great a disrepair, to be restored as a first-rate ship of the line. In November 1807, she was relegated to second-rate, with the removal of two 32-pounder cannon and replacement of her middle deck 24-pounders with 18-pounders obtained from other laid-up ships. She was recommissioned as atroopshipbetween December 1810 and April 1811.[70]In 1812, she was relocated to the mouth ofPortsmouthHarbour offGosport,for service as a floating depot and, from 1813 to 1817, as aprison ship.[71][70]

Major repairs were undertaken in 1814, including the fitting of 3 ft 10 in (1.2 m) metal braces along the inside of her hull, to strengthen the timbers. This was the first use of iron in the vessel structure, other than small bolts and nails.[72]Active service was resumed from February 1817 when she was relisted as a first-rate carrying 104 guns. However, her condition remained poor, and in January 1822, she was towed intodry dockat Portsmouth for repairs to her hull. Refloated in January 1824, she was designated as thePort admiral's flagship for Portsmouth Harbour, remaining in this role until April 1830.[70]

Victorian era[edit]

HMSVictorymoored in Portsmouth Harbour in 1884

In 1831 the Admiralty issued orders forVictoryto bebroken upand her timbers reused in other vessels.[70]A public outcry against the destruction of so famous a ship led to the order being held in abeyance andVictorywas left, largely forgotten, at a Portsmouth mooring.[70]The Admiralty officially designated the ageing vessel as atenderfor the port admiral's flagship,HMSWellington,and permitted civilian visitors to come aboard for tours.[73]The ship briefly returned to the public gaze on 18 July 1833 when the queen in waiting,Princess Victoria,and her mother, theDuchess of Kent,made a visit to her quarterdeck to meet veterans of the Trafalgar campaign.[71]This generated a surge of interest in the vessel, and an increase in civilian visitor numbers to between 10,000 and 12,000 a year. Victoria returned for a second visit on 21 October 1844, creating a further burst of interest that lifted annual visitors to more than 22,000.[73]In late April 1854,Victorysprang a leak and sank. All on board were rescued[74]and the ship was subsequently raised.[75]In 1887, she sprang a catastrophic leak, and it was only with some difficulty that she was prevented from sinking at her mooring.[73]The Admiralty thereafter provided a small annual subsidy for maintenance, and in 1889Victorybecame the home of a signal school in addition to being a tender.

The impact of so much human traffic also left her increasingly decrepit, particularly in the absence of Admiralty funding for repairs.Sir Edward Seymourvisited the vessel in 1886 as flag captain to theCommander-in-Chief, Portsmouthand recalled in 1911 "a more rotten ship than she had become probably never flew the pennant. I could literally run my walking stick through her sides in many places."[76]

The school remained inVictoryuntil 1904, when training was transferred temporarily toHMSHercules.[77]

Despite her reuse as a school,Victorycontinued to deteriorate at her mooring. In 1903 she was accidentally rammed byHMSNeptune,a successor to the vessel that had towed her to Gibraltar. Emergency repairs prevented her from sinking, but the Admiralty again proposed that she be scrapped, and it was only the personal intervention ofEdward VIIthat prevented this from occurring.[78]Interest in the ship revived in 1905 when, as part of the centenary celebrations of the Battle of Trafalgar, she was decorated with electric lights powered by a submarine moored alongside.[78]In 1910, theSociety for Nautical Researchwas created to try to preserve her for future generations, but the Admiralty was unable to help, having become embroiled in an escalating arms race; thus by the time Frank H. Mason publishedThe Book of British Shipsin 1911,Victory's condition was described as "..nothing short of an insult".[79][80]A few glimpses of the ship in 1918 are to be seen towards the end of Maurice Elvey's biopic of Nelson created in that year.[81]

In dry dock[edit]

Restoring HMS Victory(William Lionel Wyllie,1925)

By 1921 the ship was in a very poor state, and a publicSave the Victorycampaign was started, with shipping magnateSir James Cairdas a major contributor.[82]On 12 January 1922, her condition was so poor that she would no longer stay afloat, and had to be moved into No. 2 dock atPortsmouth,the oldest dry dock in the world still in use.[83][82]A naval survey revealed that between a third and a half of her internal fittings required replacement. Her steering equipment had also been removed or destroyed, along with most of her furnishings.[73]

The relocation to No. 2 dock sparked public discussion aboutVictory's future location. Suggestions in contemporary newspapers included the creation of a floating plinth atop which she could be preserved as a monument, either in Portsmouth or adjacent to theRoyal Naval College, Greenwich.Others proposed a berth besideCleopatra's Needleon the Thames, or a land-based structure inTrafalgar Square.Despite popular support, these options were not seriously entertained by the Admiralty. The naval architects who had surveyed the ship reported that she was too damaged to be moved; the Admiralty formally adopted their advice, and No. 2 dock thereafter becameVictory's permanent home.[73]

HMSVictoryin Portsmouth, 1900.

On 21 October 1922 the Admiral of the FleetSir Doveton Sturdeeissued a further public plea for "many thousands of pounds" of public donations inThe Times.He wrote: "The value of the Victory is no transitory thing. She must be preserved in order that our children's children may draw from her the same inspiration that we have drawn ourselves, and our fathers before us."[84]

During the initial restoration period from 1922 to 1929, a considerable amount of structural repair work was carried out above the waterline and mainly above the middle deck. On 8 April 1925,Victorywas temporarily refloated within Portsmouth's No. 2 dock, to adjust the supporting cradle and so thatVictory's waterline would be at the same level with the top of the dry dock.[85]This last refloating ofVictorywas recorded by Pathé news cameras.[86][87]In 1928,King George Vwas able to unveil a tablet celebrating the completion of the work, although restoration and maintenance still continued under the supervision of the Society for Nautical Research.[82]Restoration was suspended during theSecond World War,and in 1941,Victorysustained further damage when a 500 lb. bomb[88]dropped by theLuftwaffebroke her keel, as can be seen in Plate 1 inThe Anatomy of Nelson's Shipsby C. Nepean Longridge (1955), destroyed one of the steel cradles and part of the foremast. On one occasion, German radio propaganda claimed that the ship had been destroyed by a bomb, and theAdmiraltyhad to issue a denial.[89]

In the 1950s, a number of preventive measures were instigated, including the removal of bulkheads to increase airflow and the fumigating of the ship against thedeathwatch beetle.The following decade saw the replacement of much of the decayed oak with oily hardwoods such as teak andiroko,which were believed to be more resistant to fungus and pests.[90]The decision to restoreVictoryto her Battle of Trafalgar configuration was taken in 1920, but the need to undertake these important repairs meant this was not achieved until 2005, in time for theTrafalgar 200celebrations.[91]Victory's fore topsail was severely damaged during the Battle of Trafalgar, perforated by upwards of 90 cannonballs and other projectiles. It was replaced after the battle, but was preserved and eventually displayed in theRoyal Naval Museum.[92]

21st century[edit]

Starboard side of HMSVictorywith cannons on display

TheVictorywas the inspiration for the fictional Royal Navy ship HMSDauntlessin the 2003DisneyfilmPirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.[93]

In November 2007,Victory's then-commanding officer, Lieutenant Commander John Scivier, paid a visit toUSSConstitutionof theUS Navy,which is the world's oldest commissioned naval vessel still afloat. He metConstitution's commanding officer, Commander William A. Bullard III, and discussed the possibility of arranging an exchange programme between the two ships.[94]

Listed as part of theNational Historic Fleet,Victoryhas been the flagship of theFirst Sea Lordsince October 2012. Prior to this, she was the flagship of theSecond Sea Lord.[95][96]She is the oldest commissioned warship in the world and attracts around 350,000 visitors per year in her role as a museum ship.[97]The current and 101st commanding officer isLieutenant CommanderBrian Smith, who assumed command in May 2015.[98]

In December 2011,Defence Equipment and Supportawarded an initial five-year project management contract toBAE Systems,with an option to extend to ten years. The restoration is worth £16 million over the life of the contract and will include work to the masts and rigging, replacement side planking, and the addition of fire control measures. It is expected to be the most extensive refit since the ship returned from Trafalgar. In her current state she has no upper masts and minimum rigging. It is expected that it will be over 12 years before these are replaced.[99][100]

HMSVictory's figurehead

Since this contract was placed, the most significant change has been on 5 March 2012, when ownership of the ship was transferred from theMinistry of Defenceto a dedicated HMSVictoryPreservation Trust, established as part of theNational Museum of the Royal Navy.[101]According to the Royal Navy website, the move was "heralded by the announcement of a £25 million capital grant to support the new Trust by the Gosling Foundation – a donation which has been matched by a further £25 million from the MOD".[102]

Victoryhas also undergone emergency repair works to prevent the hull decaying and sagging. In 2017, it was discovered that the hull had been moving at a rate of half a centimetre each year, for a total of around 20 cm since the 1970s. To combat this, a new prop system was installed over a period of three years from 2018 to 2021, which allows for precise readings of the stresses on the hull and a more even distribution of the stress, which will help preserve the ship.[103][104]As part of this, the lower mainmast was removed in 2021 for conservation, in addition to analysis, to assess whether the other two masts will require the same conservation work.[105]

Admirals who have hoisted their flag inVictory[edit]

Over the two centuries sinceVictory's launch, numerous admirals have hoisted their flag in her:

List of Admirals
Admiral From Until
AdmiralAugustus Keppel 16 May 1778 28 October 1778
AdmiralSir Charles Hardy 19 March 1779 14 May 1780
AdmiralFrancis Geary 24 May 1780 28 August 1780
Rear-AdmiralFrancis William Drake 26 September 1780 29 December 1780
Vice-AdmiralHyde Parker 20 March 1781 31 May 1781
CommodoreJohn Elliott June 1781 August 1781
Rear-AdmiralRichard Kempenfelt 10 September 1781 11 March 1782
AdmiralLord Howe 20 April 1782 14 November 1782
AdmiralLord Howe July 1790 August 1790
Vice-AdmiralLord Hood August 1790 January 1791
CommodoreSir Hyde Parker January 1791 September 1791
Rear-AdmiralSir Hyde Parker 6 February 1793 May 1793
AdmiralLord Hood 6 May 1793 15 December 1794
Rear-AdmiralRobert Mann 8 July 1795 27 September 1795
Vice-AdmiralRobert Linzee October 1795 November 1795
AdmiralSir John Jervis 3 December 1795 30 March 1797
Vice-AdmiralLord Nelson 8 May 1803 21 October 1805
Vice-AdmiralSir James Saumarez 18 March 1808 9 December 1808
Vice-AdmiralSir James Saumarez 8 April 1809 December 1809
Vice-AdmiralSir James Saumarez 11 March 1810 3 December 1810
Rear-AdmiralSir Joseph Yorke December 1810 March 1811
Vice-AdmiralSir James Saumarez 2 April 1811 25 December 1811
Vice-AdmiralSir James Saumarez 14 April 1812 15 October 1812
AdmiralSir George Martin January 1824 April 1827
Rear-AdmiralSir Frederick Maitland June 1832 July 1837
Rear-AdmiralDuncombe Pleydell-Bouverie July 1837 August 1842
Rear-AdmiralHyde Parker August 1842 October 1847
Admiral SirCharles Ogle 20 March 1848 19 December 1848
Admiral SirThomas Capel 20 December 1848 19 December 1851
Admiral SirThomas Briggs 20 December 1851 19 March 1853
Vice Admiral SirThomas Cochrane 20 March 1854 19 March 1856
Vice Admiral SirGeorge Seymour 20 March 1856 19 March 1859
Admiral SirWilliam Bowles 20 March 1859 19 March 1860
Vice Admiral SirHenry Bruce 20 March 1860 19 December 1864
Vice Admiral SirMichael Seymour 20 December 1864 19 March 1866
Vice Admiral SirThomas Pasley 20 March 1866 20 March 1869
TendertoHMSDuke of Wellington 20 December 1869 1 September 1891
AdmiralThe Earl of Clanwilliam 1 August 1891 17 September 1894
Admiral SirNowell SalmonVC 18 September 1894 31 August 1897
Admiral SirMichael Culme-Seymour 1 September 1897 17 November 1900
Admiral SirCharles Hotham 18 November 1900 30 September 1903
Admiral SirJohn Fisher 1 October 1903 18 March 1904
The Port Admiral's flag moved toHMSHercules

and on 1 February 1905, toFirequeen

Admiral SirArchibald Douglas 18 March 1905 1 March 1907
Admiral SirDay Bosanquet 2 March 1907 17 March 1908
Admiral SirArthur Fanshawe 18 March 1908 30 April 1910
Admiral SirAssheton Curzon-Howe 1 May 1910 17 March 1911
Admiral SirArthur Moore 18 March 1911 31 July 1912
Admiral of the Fleet SirHedworth Meux 1 August 1912 17 February 1916
Admiral The Hon SirStanley Colville 18 February 1916 17 April 1919
Admiral SirCecil Burney 18 April 1919 17 June 1920
Admiral Hon SirSomerset Gough-Calthorpe 18 June 1920 31 May 1923
Admiral SirSydney Fremantle 1 June 1923 1 April 1926
AdmiralSir Osmond Brock 18 May 1926 30 April 1929
Admiral of the Fleet SirRoger Keyes 1 May 1929 17 June 1931
Admiral SirArthur Waistell 18 June 1931 17 February 1934
Admiral of the FleetSir John Kelly 18 February 1931 31 August 1936
Admiral of the FleetThe Earl of Cork and Orrery 18 August 1937 30 June 1939
Admiral SirWilliam James 1 July 1939 30 September 1942
Admiral SirCharles Little 1 October 1942 28 September 1945
Admiral SirGeoffrey Layton 29 September 1945 29 June 1947
AdmiralThe Lord Fraser of North Cape 30 June 1947 18 April 1949
Admiral of the Fleet SirAlgernon Willis 19 April 1949 17 October 1950
Admiral of the Fleet SirArthur Power 18 October 1950 17 October 1952
Admiral SirJohn Edelsten 18 October 1952 17 October 1954
Admiral of the Fleet SirGeorge Creasy 18 October 1954 17 July 1957
Admiral SirGuy Grantham 18 July 1957 17 July 1959
Admiral SirManley Power 18 July 1959 17 January 1962
Admiral SirAlexander Bingley 18 January 1962 17 January 1963
Admiral SirWilfrid Woods 18 January 1963 9 September 1965
Admiral SirVaryl Begg 10 September 1965 9 June 1966
Admiral SirFrank Hopkins 10 June 1966 30 October 1967
Admiral SirJohn Frewen 31 October 1967 27 February 1970
Admiral SirHorace Law 28 February 1970 28 February 1972
Admiral SirAndrew Lewis 29 February 1972 29 June 1974
Admiral SirDerek Empson 30 June 1974 30 October 1975
Admiral SirTerence Lewin 31 October 1975 30 October 1976
Admiral SirDavid Williams 31 October 1976 30 October 1978
Admiral SirRichard Clayton 31 October 1978 30 June 1981
Admiral SirJames Eberle 1 July 1981 31 December 1983
Admiral SirDesmond Cassidi 1 January 1983 30 October 1984
Admiral SirPeter Stanford 31 October 1984 30 October 1987
Admiral SirJohn "Sandy" Woodward 31 October 1987 30 October 1989
Admiral SirJeremy Black 31 October 1989 30 March 1991
Admiral SirJohn Kerr 31 March 1991 30 March 1993
Admiral SirMichael Layard 31 March 1993 30 March 1994
Admiral SirMichael Boyce 31 March 1994 30 March 1997
Admiral SirJohn Brigstocke 31 March 1997 18 January 2000
Vice Admiral SirPeter Spencer 19 January 2000 28 January 2003
Vice-Admiral SirJames Burnell-Nugent 29 January 2003 25 October 2005
Vice-Admiral SirAdrian Johns 25 October 2005 15 July 2008
Vice-Admiral SirAlan Massey 15 July 2008 19 July 2010
Vice-Admiral SirCharles Montgomery 19 July 2010 9 October 2012
Admiral SirMark Stanhope 9 October 2012 9 April 2013
Admiral SirGeorge Zambellas 9 April 2013 8 April 2016
Admiral SirPhilip Jones 8 April 2016 19 June 2019
Admiral SirTony Radakin 19 June 2019 8 November 2021
Admiral SirBen Key 8 November 2021 Present

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^UKRetail Price Indexinflation figures are based on data fromClark, Gregory (2017)."The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)".MeasuringWorth.Retrieved7 May2024.

References[edit]

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  3. ^Mckay (2000) p. 9
  4. ^Christopher (2010) p. 16
  5. ^Christopher (2010) pp. 15 & 16
  6. ^Eastland & Ballantyne (2011) p. 13
  7. ^"Victory, HMS | MIT Museum".
  8. ^Christopher (2010) pp. 17 & 20
  9. ^Stilwell (2005) p. 145
  10. ^Rasor, Eugene L. (2004).English/British Naval History to 1815: A Guide to the Literature.Bloomsbury Academic. p. 129.ISBN9780313305474.
  11. ^ab"Service Life".HMS-Victory. Archived fromthe originalon 1 February 2021.Retrieved1 October2013.
  12. ^abChristopher (2010) p. 19
  13. ^abEastland and Ballantyne (2011), p. 39
  14. ^ab"Facts & Figures".HMS Victory. Archived fromthe originalon 1 May 2012.Retrieved27 April2012.
  15. ^Eastland & Ballantyne (2011) pp. 15 & 16
  16. ^Christopher (2010) pp. 20–21
  17. ^Christopher (2010) p. 21
  18. ^abcdefWinfield (2007) p. 6
  19. ^Kennedy, Maev(22 February 2015)."How HMSVictorynearly never made it to the Battle of Trafalgar ".The Guardian.Retrieved22 February2015.
  20. ^abEastland and Ballantyne (2011), pp. 40–42
  21. ^Christopher (2010) p. 20
  22. ^Winfield (2010), pp. 65–68
  23. ^Dull (2009) p. 101
  24. ^Rodger (2005) pp. 336–337
  25. ^abcChristopher (2010) p. 38
  26. ^abcChristopher (2010) p. 42
  27. ^"Armament".HMS-Victory. Archived fromthe originalon 5 March 2016.Retrieved1 October2013.
  28. ^Sayer, Capt FrederickThe history of Gibraltar and of its political relation to events in Europe... pp. 398–403. Saunders, Otley & Co., 1862
  29. ^Wharton, Capt. W. J. L.A short history of HMSVictorypp. 12–15. Griffin & Co, 1884
  30. ^abcWillis (2013) p. 91
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  32. ^abWillis (2013) p. 90
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  41. ^Willis (2013) pp. 104, 105, 109
  42. ^abGoodwin, Peter (1998). "The Influence of Iron in Ship Construction: 1660 to 1830".The Mariner's Mirror.84(1). Portsmouth, United Kingdom: Society for Nautical Research: 35.doi:10.1080/00253359.1998.10656674.
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  45. ^Goodwin, Peter G. (2013). "The Application and Scheme of Paintworks in British Men-of-War in the Late Eighteenth and Early Nineteenth Centuries".The Mariner's Mirror.99(3). Portsmouth, United Kingdom: Society for Nautical Research: 291.doi:10.1080/00253359.2013.815993.S2CID162165859.
  46. ^Christopher (2010) p. 85
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  52. ^Best (2005) pp. 135–137
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  55. ^Best (2005) pp. 169–170
  56. ^Best (2005) pp. 189 & 192
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  60. ^Napoleonic Wars: Battle of Trafalgar 1805 Documentary,5 November 2017,retrieved4 April2022
  61. ^HMS Victory – The Original Fast Battleship,3 July 2019,retrieved4 April2022
  62. ^Stilwell (2005) pp. 178–179
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  66. ^Best (2005) p. 295
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  70. ^abcdeWinfield (2010), pp. 67–68
  71. ^abChristopher (2010) p. 107
  72. ^Goodwin, Peter (1998). "The Influence of Iron in Ship Construction: 1660 to 1830".The Mariner's Mirror.84(1). Portsmouth, United Kingdom: Society for Nautical Research: 33–34.doi:10.1080/00253359.1998.10656674.
  73. ^abcdeAberg, Alan (2005). "Saving the Victory".The Mariner's Mirror.91(2). Portsmouth, United Kingdom: Society for Nautical Research: 359–361.doi:10.1080/00253359.2005.10656955.S2CID162312253.
  74. ^"Multum in Parvo".Liverpool Mercury etc.No. 2582. Liverpool. 2 May 1854.
  75. ^"HMS Victory (1765) | Naval Theater".Archived fromthe originalon 27 June 2022.Retrieved23 July2023.
  76. ^Seymour (1911) p. 249.
  77. ^"The First Signal Schools".Royal Naval Communications Association. Archived fromthe originalon 27 September 2013.Retrieved5 October2013.
  78. ^abChristopher (2010) p. 111
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  81. ^"'England's Immortal Hero'".Retrieved21 April2018.
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  84. ^"We must preserve HMS Victory, the vessel that saved Britain from invasion".The Times.Retrieved21 October2022.
  85. ^"- National Maritime Museum".
  86. ^British Pathé (13 April 2014)."Nelson's Famous Flagship (1925)".YouTube.Archivedfrom the original on 30 October 2021.Retrieved1 September2021.
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  88. ^"How Lord Nelson's HMS Victory has been kept ship-shape".BBC News.December 2011.
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  90. ^Christopher (2010) p. 115
  91. ^David Prudames (1 July 2004)."HMS Victory's Reconstructed Grand Magazine Is Unveiled".Culture 24.Retrieved5 November2013.
  92. ^"Trafalgar Sail".Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. Archived fromthe originalon 16 October 2013.Retrieved15 October2013.
  93. ^Singer, Michael (2007).Bring Me That Horizon: The Making of Pirates of the Caribbean.Disney Editions. p. 101.ISBN978-1423103196.
  94. ^Weis, Clay (21 November 2007)."HMS Victory Commanding Officer Visits USS Constitution".United States Navy.Archivedfrom the original on 3 October 2012.
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  97. ^"Victory welcomes 25 millionth visitor".Southern Daily Echo. 15 October 2013.Retrieved15 October2013.
  98. ^"Lt Cdr B J Cmith"(PDF).Royal Navy.Retrieved1 February2016.
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Sources[edit]

  • Best, Nicholas (2005).Trafalgar – The Untold Story of the Greatest Sea Battle in History.London: The Orion Publishing Group Ltd.ISBN0-297-84622-1.
  • Christopher, John (2010).The HMS Victory Story.Stroud: The History Press.ISBN978-0-7524-5605-8.
  • Dull, Jonathan R. (2009).The Age of the Ship of the Line.Barnsley: Seaforth Publishing.ISBN978-1-84832-549-4.
  • Eastland, Jonathan; Ballantyne, Iain (2011).HMS Victory – First Rate 1765.Barnsley: Seaforth Publishing, Pen and Sword Books.ISBN978-1-84832-094-9.
  • Lavery, Brian (2003)The Ship of the Line Volume 1: The development of the battlefleet 1650–1850.Conway Maritime Press.ISBN0-85177-252-8.
  • Longridge, Charles. N (1981).The Anatomy of Nelson's Ships.Naval Institute Press.ISBN0-87021-077-7.
  • McKay, John (2000).The 100-Gun Ship Victory.Anova Books Ltd.ISBN978-1-84486-223-8.
  • Rodger, N.A.M (2005).The Command of the Ocean.London: Penguin Books.ISBN0-14-028896-1.
  • Seymour, Sir Edward H. (1911).My Naval Career and Travels.London: Smith, Elder & Co.
  • Stilwell, Alexander (2005).The Trafalgar Companion.Oxford: Osprey Publishing.ISBN1-84176-835-9.
  • Vincent, Edgar (2003).Nelson: Love & Fame.London: Yale University Press.ISBN0-300-10260-7.
  • Warwick, Peter (September 2005).Voices from the Battle of Trafalgar.David & Charles.ISBN0-7153-2000-9.
  • Willis, Sam (2013).In the Hour of Victory – The Royal Navy at War in the Age of Nelson.London: Atlantic Books Ltd.ISBN978-0-85789-570-7.
  • Wilson, Ben (2013).Empire of the Deep.London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson.ISBN978-0-297-86408-0.
  • Winfield, Rif (2007).British Warships in the Age of Sail 1714–1792: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates.Seaforth Publishing.ISBN978-1-84415-700-6.
  • Winfield, Rif (2005).British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793–1817: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates.Seaforth Publishing.ISBN978-1-84415-717-4.
  • Winfield, Rif (2010).First Rate: The Greatest Warships of the Age of Sail.Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press.ISBN978-1-59114-264-5.

External links[edit]

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