Archive for the tag 'HMS Warrior'

Warrior’s original figurehead has ended up at Fleet HQ, Northwood, London, only to crumble beyond repair sometime in the 1960s. The new ’spirit of Warrior’, carved by two Isle of Wight craftsmen, weighed 2 tons and like the original was almost 4 metres (12 feet) high. In February 1985, it was hoisted aboard and attached [...]

8 Comments CherryPie on Feb 7th 2015

HMS Warrior was the world’s first ocean going, iron-hulled, armoured warship – the largest, fastest and most powerful of the time. Launched on 29 December 1860, Warrior rendered all other warships obsolete overnight. She never fired a shot in anger, simply because she was too powerful for any other ship to think of challenging her. [...]

12 Comments CherryPie on Feb 6th 2015

Third rate 74-gun battleship, launched in Portsmouth in 1781. Took part in the battle of Saintes (1782) and Nelson’s victory at Copenhagen (1801). Broken up in 1857.
This is the oldest figurehead in the Museum’s collection –  and one of the oldest warship figureheads in the world.*

*From an signboard next to the figurehead.

8 Comments CherryPie on Feb 5th 2015

…18 November 1781

The 74-gun battleship Warrior is ready for launching in Portsmouth Dockyard. The completed hull is supported by a few last shores, while alongside, men are preparing the ropes that will secure her to the dock.
The traditional flags are flying from short poles where eventually her masts will be placed. These include the distinctive [...]

4 Comments CherryPie on Feb 4th 2015

We returned to Portsmouth to carry on where we left off the previous day. We started off with a visit to the Royal Marines Museum, which is included in the entrance ticket to Portsmouth Docks but situated a short way from the dockyard itself. It was thundering as we arrived and we didn’t quite make [...]

6 Comments CherryPie on Oct 9th 2014