HMY Fubbs facts for kids
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Shipwright's designs for Fubbs
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Quick facts for kids History |
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.svg){kind=small} Great Britain |
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| Name | HMY Fubbs |
| Ordered | 9 March 1724 (for second rebuild) |
| Builder |
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| Launched |
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| Fate | Broken up in July 1781 |
| General characteristics as built | |
| Class and type | Royal yacht |
| Tons burthen | 148 (bm) |
| Length | 63 ft (19 m) (overall) |
| Beam | 21 ft (6.4 m) |
| Draught | 10 ft (3.0 m) |
| Sail plan | Ketch |
| General characteristics after 1701 rebuild | |
| Tons burthen | 148 90⁄94 (bm) |
| Length |
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| Beam | 21 ft 1 in (6.43 m) |
| Depth of hold | 9 ft 1 in (2.77 m) |
| Complement | 40 |
| Armament | 12 guns |
| General characteristics after 1724 rebuild | |
| Tons burthen |
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| Length |
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| Depth of hold | 9 ft 8 in (2.95 m) |
| Armament | 6 x 3pdrs |
HMY Fubbs (sometimes spelled Fubbes) was a special ship known as a Royal Yacht. These ships were used by the kings and queens of Great Britain for travel and important events. Fubbs served for an amazing 99 years before it was taken apart in 1781.
The ship was designed for King Charles II by a famous ship designer named Phineas Pett. It was built in 1682 in Greenwich. Fubbs was rigged as a ketch, which means it had two masts. The yacht's unusual name came from King Charles II's pet name for one of his friends, Louise de Kérouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth. At that time, 'Fubbs' meant plump or chubby, which was considered a fashionable look. People said Fubbs was a very fast ship! After King Charles II passed away, Fubbs became one of the nine personal yachts used by King James II.
Contents
A Long Life at Sea
Fubbs had a very long career, serving many different monarchs. During its time, the ship was rebuilt several times to keep it in good condition and update its features.
First Rebuild and Early Missions
The first major rebuild happened in 1701. The ship was taken to Woolwich Dockyard and rebuilt under the guidance of William Lee, a Master Shipwright (a skilled shipbuilder). After being relaunched in 1701, Fubbs was ready for duty around May of that year. Commander Richard Byron was its first captain.
From 1703, Fubbs even served as a bomb ketch (a type of warship) in Sir George Rooke's fleet. It sailed to the Mediterranean Sea. Later, it joined George Byng's squadron in 1706–1707. After Byron, Commander Charles Desborough took command in 1708, and the yacht was back in the Mediterranean by 1714.
Second Rebuild and Royal Journeys
In 1716, Captain William Collier became the ship's commander. He stayed in charge until 1734. During his time, Fubbs was ordered for another rebuild in 1724. This work was done at Deptford Dockyard by Master Shipwright Richard Stacey. The ship was relaunched on October 22, 1724.
Captain Collier continued to command Fubbs after its rebuild. In 1734, the ship had a "middling repair" at Deptford. Before this repair, Fubbs had an important job: it carried Princess Anne and her new husband, William IV, Prince of Orange, from Greenwich to Holland after their wedding.
A more complete "great repair" was done in 1737. From that year until 1745, Captain Francis Dansays commanded Fubbs. In 1743, the yacht carried Princess Louise to Altona for her marriage to Crown Prince Frederick of Denmark.
Later Years and Final Service
After Captain Dansays, Captain Thomas Limeburner took command in 1746. He passed away while still in command in 1750. In late 1749, some changes were made to Fubbs to "raise her deck." Commander Edward Richards then commanded the ship from 1751 to 1756, followed by Commander Henry Dubois in 1757.
In August 1761, Fubbs joined a group of ships led by Admiral of the Fleet Lord Anson. Their mission was to bring Duchess Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz from Cuxhaven to marry King George III. Fubbs sailed alongside the main royal yacht, HMY Royal Caroline (which was renamed HMY Royal Charlotte for the occasion), and other royal yachts like HMY Mary, Katherine, and Augusta. The journey back was tough, with strong winds pushing the ships towards the Norwegian coast three times. It took ten days to reach Harwich on September 6, 1761.
Fubbs was put back into service in December 1763 under Captain Richard Spry. It had a small repair in 1765. Its final captain, A. T. Percival, commanded the ship from 1766 until 1781. In July 1781, after nearly a century of service, Fubbs was finally taken out of service and broken up.
