HMS Pearl (1708) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids History |
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.svg){kind=small} Great Britain |
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| Name | HMS Pearl |
| Ordered | 10 March 1708 |
| Builder | Richard Burchett, Rotherhithe |
| Launched | 5 August 1708 |
| Fate | Broken up for rebuilding between December 1722 and January 1723 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | 42-gun fifth-rate |
| Tons burthen | 559 20⁄94 (bm) |
| Length |
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| Beam | 33 ft (10 m) |
| Depth of hold | 13 ft 7.25 in (4.1466 m) |
| Sail plan | Full-rigged ship |
| Complement | 190 |
| Armament |
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The HMS Pearl was a special kind of warship called a 42-gun fifth-rate ship. This means it was a medium-sized warship with 42 cannons. It belonged to the Royal Navy, which is Britain's navy. The crew of the Pearl played a big part in tracking down and defeating the famous pirate, Blackbeard, in 1718.
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Early Adventures of HMS Pearl
The Pearl was built by Richard Burchett in a place called Rotherhithe. It was launched into the water on August 5, 1708. Soon after, in July 1708, Captain Henry Lawson took command of the ship.
First Missions and Captures
Captain Lawson first sailed the Pearl in the Bristol Channel in 1709. Later, the ship moved to the Channel Islands in 1710. By 1711, it was patrolling the English Channel. The Pearl then sailed off the coast of Portugal. There, it successfully captured two French privateers. Privateers were like legal pirates, allowed by their government to attack enemy ships. The Pearl captured the Bizarre on September 8, 1711, and the Victorieuse on September 18, 1711.
New Captains and Locations
In 1712, Captain Caesar Brookes took over command of the Pearl. He sailed the ship in the North Sea. After this, the Pearl was taken out of service in December of that year. It was brought back into service in July 1715 under Captain Charles Poole. The ship joined Admiral George Byng's fleet in the English Channel. It also sailed along the coast of Scotland during the Jacobite rising of 1715, which was a rebellion against the British government.
In 1716, Captain George Gordon became the new commander. He first served in the Baltic and North Sea. Then, in 1717, Captain Gordon sailed the Pearl all the way to Virginia in America.
Hunting Down Pirates
By 1718, the Pearl was stationed in Virginia, still under Captain Gordon. Robert Maynard was the ship's first lieutenant, which is a high-ranking officer.
The Hunt for Blackbeard
That year, Governor Alexander Spotswood of Virginia decided it was time to capture the notorious pirate, Blackbeard. Blackbeard, whose real name was Edward Teach, was supposedly retired. He was living in the nearby Province of North Carolina. However, Governor Spotswood worried that Blackbeard might start pirating again. This would be a big threat to ships trading with Virginia.
Governor Spotswood got information from a captured member of Blackbeard's crew. He then sent a special group to find the pirate. This group included 33 crewmen from the Pearl and 24 crewmen from HMS Lyme. They also took control of two merchant sloops, which are small, fast sailing ships.
The Final Battle
Lieutenant Maynard was in charge of this mission. The group sailed down the coast to North Carolina. They finally found Blackbeard's ship, the Adventure. A fierce battle followed. During this fight, Blackbeard was defeated and killed by Lieutenant Maynard.
The Pearl stayed in American waters until 1719. Then, it returned to Britain and was taken out of service in December 1719. The ship was later taken apart at Deptford Dockyard between December 1722 and January 1723. A new ship, also named HMS Pearl, was launched in 1726. It was built as a rebuild of the original 42-gun ship.
