HMS Royal William (1833) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids History |
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 United Kingdom |
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| Name | HMS Royal William |
| Ordered | 30 December 1823 |
| Builder | Pembroke Dockyard |
| Laid down | October 1825 |
| Launched | 2 April 1833 |
| Fate | Burnt, 1899 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Broadened Caledonia-class ship of the line |
| Tons burthen | 2694 bm |
| Length | 205 ft 5.5 in (62.624 m) (gundeck) |
| Beam | 54 ft 6 in (16.61 m) |
| Depth of hold | 23 ft 2 in (7.06 m) |
| Propulsion | Sails |
| Sail plan | Full-rigged ship |
| Armament |
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HMS Royal William was a very large warship built for the Royal Navy. She was a 120-gun ship of the line, which means she was a powerful sailing warship with many cannons. The ship was launched on April 2, 1833, at Pembroke Dock in Wales. It took eight years to build her!
At the time, Royal William was one of the biggest ships the Royal Navy had ever made. She needed a crew of 900 sailors to operate. However, she was built during a long period of peace in Great Britain. Because of this, she never actually fought in any battles.
Contents
The Ship's Life and Purpose
Royal William was a huge sailing ship, but technology was changing. In 1860, she was updated with a screw propulsion system. This meant she could be moved by a propeller, not just sails. However, she was never fully prepared for active duty at sea.
Becoming a School Ship
In 1885, Royal William was given a new job. She was lent to a group called the Liverpool Roman Catholic Reformatory Society. This society ran a special school for boys. They renamed the ship HMS Clarence. This was to replace their first school ship, also named Clarence, which had been destroyed by fire in 1884.
As the new Clarence, the ship served as a floating school. It helped educate and train young boys.
The End of the Clarence
Sadly, the Clarence also met a fiery end. On July 26, 1899, the ship was destroyed by fire. This happened on the River Mersey, near New Ferry in England.
Interesting Facts About Royal William
The Royal William has a few interesting stories connected to her.
The Ship's Figurehead
The original figurehead from Royal William was a large wooden carving. For many years, it stood near a historic dock in Plymouth harbour. In the 1990s, a new copy made of fibreglass replaced it. The original wooden figurehead is now kept safe at The Box, Plymouth museum.
A Pub Named After the Ship
There was once a pub in Liverpool called "The Royal William." It was named after this very ship! The pub was taken down in 1998.
Images for kids
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Painting of the first Mersey boat race between cadets of HMS Conway (on the right) and London's HMS Worcester on 11 June 1891. Clarence (ex-Royal William) is in the centre, furthest away.
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Replica figurehead of the Royal William at HMNB Devonport
