HMS Thisbe (1824) facts for kids
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Thisbe
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 United Kingdom |
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| Name | Thisbe |
| Namesake | Thisbe |
| Ordered | 23 July 1817 |
| Builder | Pembroke Dockyard |
| Laid down | November 1820 |
| Launched | 9 September 1824 |
| Completed | 12 September 1821 |
| Commissioned | Never |
| Reclassified | As depot ship, 1850 |
| Fate | Sold for scrap, 11 August 1892 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Modified Leda-class frigate |
| Tons burthen | 1082 67/94 bm |
| Length |
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| Beam | 40 ft 4 in (12.3 m) |
| Draught | 15 ft 4 in (4.7 m) |
| Depth | 12 ft 9 in (3.9 m) |
| Sail plan | Full-rigged ship |
| Complement | 315 |
| Armament |
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HMS Thisbe was a large sailing warship, known as a frigate, built for the Royal Navy in the 1820s. Even though she was built, Thisbe was never officially put into active service. Instead, she spent her whole career in storage or doing less important jobs.
Later, in 1850, she was changed into a depot ship, which is like a floating storage or support base. Then, in 1863, she became a floating church! Thisbe was replaced by a church on land, called All Souls Chapel, in 1891. The next year, she was sold to be taken apart for her materials.
Contents
What Was HMS Thisbe Like?
Thisbe was a big ship. She was about 151 feet 9 inches (46.3 m) long on her main deck. Her widest part, called the beam, was about 40 feet 4 inches (12.3 m). The part of the ship under the water, called the draught, was about 15 feet 4 inches (4.7 m) deep.
Ship's Size and Weight
The ship's size was measured using an old system called Builder's Old Measurement. By this measure, she was 1082 tons. This was a common way to measure ships back then.
How Many Guns Did She Have?
Thisbe was designed to carry 46 guns.
- On her main gun deck, she had 28 large 18-pounder cannons.
- On the quarterdeck (an upper deck), she had 14 shorter, powerful guns called 32-pounder carronades.
- At the front of the ship, on the forecastle, she had two smaller 9-pounder cannons and two more 32-pounder carronades.
She would have needed a crew of 315 sailors and officers to operate her.
Building and Life of the Ship
Thisbe was the second ship in the Royal Navy to have this name. She was ordered on 23 July 1817.
Where Was She Built?
Construction began in August 1820 at Pembroke Dockyard in Wales. She was officially launched into the water on 9 September 1824.
Her Unusual Career Path
After being built, Thisbe was sent to Plymouth Dockyard on 5 October 1824. She was kept in a special area for ships not in active service. The front part of her deck was even covered with a roof.
From 1850 to 1863, Thisbe was changed into a depot ship. This meant she was used as a floating base for supplies or other needs.
A Floating Church!
On 13 August 1863, Thisbe was loaned to a group called the Missions to Seamen. They turned her into a floating church! A rich man named Lord Bute paid for all the changes needed to make her a church. For almost 30 years, the ship stayed docked in the Bute West Dock in Cardiff.
In 1891, Thisbe was taken out of service. The next year, on 11 August 1892, she was sold for £1,005 to W. H. Caple. She was then taken apart for her materials. A new church, All Souls Chapel, was built on land nearby in 1892 to replace the floating church.
Another Ship in Cardiff
Interestingly, another old frigate, HMS Hamadryad, which was also a Leda-class ship, was moored in Cardiff too. She was used as a hospital ship from 1866 to 1905.
