HMS Albion (1763) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids History |
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.svg){kind=small} Great Britain |
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| Name | HMS Albion |
| Ordered | 1 December 1759 |
| Builder | Deptford Dockyard |
| Launched | 16 May 1763 |
| Honours and awards |
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| Fate | Wrecked April 1797 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Albion-class ship of the line |
| Tons burthen | 1662 (bm) |
| Length | 168 ft (51 m) (gundeck) |
| Depth of hold | 18 ft 10 in (5.74 m) |
| Propulsion | Sails |
| Sail plan | Full-rigged ship |
| Armament |
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HMS Albion was a powerful warship of the Royal Navy. She was a 74-gun ship of the line, which means she carried 74 cannons and was designed for battles in a line formation. She was built at Deptford Dockyard and launched on May 16, 1763. Albion was special because she was the first ship of her kind. Many other ships were later built using her design.
Albion Goes to War
Albion first saw action during the American War of Independence. In July 1779, she took part in the Battle of Grenada. The British fleet, led by Vice Admiral Byron, faced stronger French forces. The battle ended without a clear winner, but the British managed to avoid defeat.
A year later, on April 17, 1780, Albion was involved in the Battle of Martinique. British and French fleets clashed again. A month later, on May 15, the ships met for a second time. After several days of careful moves, the British ships at the front of their line faced the French warships at the back of theirs.
Albion was at the very front of the British fleet. She suffered many injuries to her crew during this tough fight. Just four days later, the two fleets fought for a third time. Again, the battle had no clear winner. Albion was heavily involved and had many more crew members injured.
A New Role for Albion
By 1794, Albion was given a different job. She became a 60-gun floating battery. This meant she was armed with heavy cannons called carronades. She was anchored in the Thames Estuary, which is where the River Thames meets the sea. Her job was to protect the area. She was positioned in the Middle Swin, about seven miles northeast of Foulness Point.
The Ship's Final Journey
In April 1797, Albion was moving to a new spot in the Swin Channel. This area is near Maplin Sands and Foulness. Sadly, she ran aground, meaning she hit the bottom of the sea. This happened because of a mistake by the pilots guiding the ship.
Two days later, while people were trying to save her, the ship broke apart. She was completely wrecked. Another ship, HMS Astraea, rescued Captain Henry Savage and his crew. The crew then moved to a new ship called HMS Lancaster.
After the shipwreck, a special court meeting was held. The court decided that the pilots, William Springfield and Joseph Wright, were to blame. They had made a mistake by not steering the ship correctly. The court ordered that they would not get any more pay and could never work as pilots again.
Famous Captains
- Captain Samuel Barrington (1770 to 1773)
- Captain John Leveson Gower (1773 to 1775)
- Captain George Bowyer (1778 to 1781)
