HMS Mary (1660) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids History |
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|---|---|
 Commonwealth of England |
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| Name | Speaker |
| Namesake | William Lenthall, Speaker of the House of Commons |
| Owner | British government |
| Builder | Christopher Pett (Woolwich) |
| Launched | 1650 |
| History | |
 England |
|
| Name | HMS Mary |
| Namesake | Henrietta Maria |
| Acquired | 1660 |
| Fate | Wrecked, 1703 |
| General characteristics as built | |
| Class and type | Speaker-class |
| Tons burthen | 727 |
| Length | 116 ft (35.4 m) (keel) |
| Beam | 34 ft 8 in (10.6 m) |
| Depth of hold | 14 ft 6 in (4.4 m) |
| Propulsion | Sails |
| Sail plan | Full-rigged ship |
| Armament |
|
| General characteristics after 1688 rebuild | |
| Class and type | 62-gun third-rate ship of the line |
| Tons burthen | 829 |
| Length | 143 ft 3 in (43.7 m) (gundeck) |
| Beam | 36 ft 8 in (11.2 m) |
| Depth of hold | 14 ft 6 in (4.4 m) |
| Propulsion | Sails |
| Sail plan | Full-rigged ship |
| Armament | 62 guns of various weights of shot |
The English ship Speaker was a powerful warship built in 1650. It was a "third-rate" ship, meaning it was a medium-sized warship with many guns. The Speaker was built for the navy of the Commonwealth of England.
It was designed by Christopher Pett at Woolwich Dockyard. Later, when Charles II of England became king again in 1660, the ship was renamed HMS Mary. It was the first ship of its kind, setting a new standard for warships.
In 1688, HMS Mary was rebuilt to be even stronger. It became a 62-gun "ship of the line." Sadly, the ship was destroyed in a terrible storm in 1703. This storm was known as the Great Storm of 1703. Almost everyone on board drowned, including a high-ranking officer named Rear-Admiral Basil Beaumont.
Contents
A Powerful Warship
The English ship Speaker was a 50-gun warship. It was the first ship of its type, known as a Speaker-class. It was built by Christopher Pett to be one of the main ships for the navy.
Building and Design
The Speaker was built at Woolwich Dockyard in 1650. It weighed about 727 tons. The ship was about 143 feet (43.6 meters) long. It had two decks and was designed to hold the admiral and other officers.
The ship was also about 34 feet (10.4 meters) wide. It was first planned to have 44 guns. But this was quickly increased to 50 guns. By 1653, it had 56 guns. Later, between 1655 and 1660, it had 60 guns.
Early Battles
The Speaker took part in an important battle in 1653. This was the Battle of the Gabbard. The ship was big enough to be the flagship for Rear Admiral Samuel Howett. A flagship is the ship that carries the commander of a fleet or squadron.
A New Name: HMS Mary
In 1660, a big change happened in England. Charles II of England returned to the throne after a period of exile. This event is called the Restoration. The Speaker was part of the fleet that brought Charles II back from Holland.
When Charles II became king, he renamed many ships. The Speaker was renamed HMS Mary. This was a common practice to show loyalty to the new king.
Rebuilding and Final Voyage
By 1677, HMS Mary had even more guns, totaling 62. In 1688, the ship was rebuilt again. This work was done by Thomas Shish at Woolwich Dockyard. After this, it became a 62-gun "ship of the line." A ship of the line was a large, powerful warship meant to fight in a line formation during battles.
Sadly, HMS Mary was destroyed in the Great Storm of 1703. This storm was one of the worst in English history. The ship was wrecked on the Goodwin Sands, a dangerous sandbank off the coast of Kent. Out of 275 crew members, only one sailor survived. Rear-Admiral Basil Beaumont was on board and died in the wreck.
Finding the Wreck
Local divers found the wreck site of HMS Mary in 1980. The area where the wreck lies is now protected. It is believed that the main part of Mary is under a sand mound. Another nearby mound might be the wreck of HMS Restoration. This ship also sank in the same terrible storm.
The site is located about 100 meters west of the Goodwin Sands. It is near the town of Deal. Other ships that sank in the same storm, like HMS Stirling Castle and HMS Northumberland, are also found nearby. Experts have investigated the site to learn more about the ship.
Why Was This Ship Important?
The Mary is considered very important in naval history. It is seen as one of the first examples of a "ship of the line." Even though the idea of a ship of the line fully developed later, the Mary had many features of these powerful warships. It helped shape how future battleships would be designed.
