As we made our way to the Mary Rose museum featured in Saturday’s blog post we passed HMS Victory and were surprised to see that she was sporting different colours than we had seen on our previous visit. Initially we wondered if she was in the middle of being repainted and what we were seeing was the undercoat. It was only when we came out of the Mary Rose museum that I noticed a sign that explained what we saw was her new paint scheme.
Hidden Layers
We have implemented a historically accurate re-painting of HMS Victory. For the first time, visitors can see the ship in her true colours – exactly as she appeared at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.
Several hundred paint samples were taken from various locations across the ship and in some places they uncovered 72 layers of paint!
Careful research has shown that Victory was painted externally in pale yellow and dark gray at the time of her famous victory. It would have been the Captain, Thomas Hardy, Nelson’s trusted right-hand man, who was responsible for the painting of the ship.*
In addition to the new paint scheme HMS Victory is undergoing an extensive conservation programme.
A Battle Against Time
Lord Nelson’s flagship HMS Victory is the world’s oldest commissioned warship and famous for playing a crucial role at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, a naval battle which contributed to the defeat of Napoleon in 1815.
The ship is currently undergoing an extensive multi-million pound conservation programme to defend her against the ravages of time. And so a new battle begins…
The conservation project encompasses £27 million of work to be completed over the next 15 years. All the external hull planking will be replaced and the historic fabric of the ship will be stabilised with a state-of-the-art support system.
Every mast will be repaired for the first time in 125 years. The upper sections of all three masts have already been removed. This includes 20 miles of associated rigging and 768 wooden blocks, some of which are 100 years old.*
*Information from signboards next to HMS Victory
What a fine upgrade / restoration.
It reminds me (only very slightly) of the only boat I have ever owned. A ‘B’ Class Snipe. It was in Singapore and had been on-sold through dozens of hands, each of which repainted it. By the time I paid my few quid for it the added weight was such that water came over the small decking and into the bit where a chap can put his feet (there is probably a nautical name for it). It could barely float. I spent many pleasurable weeks with the paint stripper and blow torch to get it ’ship shape’.
I never did go to war in my Snipe.
HaHa I love it
You must have had a lot of fun with and in your ‘B’ Class Snipe. Especially after finding the cure for wet feet 
Ah – my home town! I have toured Victory many times, but want to go back – probably when the restoration has been completed. At the moment she looks kind of nude. Like the new (old) colour scheme though.
She does look nude but that is her new look! Just embrace it and visit her now
You’re getting quite nautical of late, Cherie. Good to see.
This is the last for now, but I have been tasked with taking more photos of a nautical nature
Excellent photos and good to see history preserved.
Thank you
WOW… she was one big three decked ship Cherie…
you showed her off very well in this presentation….peter:)
She is just as good inside, although we didn’t venture in on this occasion.
Have you been to Chatham yet?
There’s a submarine there, not it’s not a yellow one.
I think we have had this conversation before
I have visited Chatham and had a tour of the submarine. We were escorted round the submarine by someone who had served in a similar submarine. His talk was interesting 