A Brief History of HMS Victory

Chatham Dockyard

Designed by Sir Thomas Slade in 1759, HMS Victory carries more than a hundred guns and hundreds of years of fascinating history. Best known as the famed flagship of Admiral Horatio Nelson, she was one of ten first-rate ships ordered to be constructed that year by the British government.

The keel was laid down on 23 July 1759 in the Old Single Dock (known today as Victory Dock) in Chatham Dockyard under Master Shipwright John Lock. The name Victory was chosen in October of the following year, despite scepticism from many who felt it was unlucky; the previous first-rate Victory had been lost with all hands in 1744.

Construction took six years to complete at a total cost of £63,176, around £11.2m today.

Victory Launched

On 7th May 1765, HMS Victory was launched from the Old Single Dock in Chatham’s Royal Dockyard. As the massive ship was being floated out, shipwright Hartly Larkin realised the ship could not fit through the dockyard gates. He was right, the gates were around 9½ inches too narrow.

With the assistance of the other shipwrights, enough wood was hewn from the gate to allow the ship to pass through. She was then held in reserve for 13 years until France joined the American War of Independence.

Copper Hull

In 1780, the hull of HMS Victory was sheathed in copper to increase her speed. The following year, despite being significantly outnumbered, she captured an entire convoy of French ships while under Rear-Admiral Kempenfelt.

She later led fleets at the Great Siege of Gibraltar and the Battle of Cape St. Vincent before being deemed unfit for service and ordered to be converted into a hospital ship to hold wounded French and Spanish prisoners of war.

A 3-Year Refit

Between 1800 and 1803, Victory underwent a major refit. On 18 May 1803, with Samuel Sutton as his flag captain, Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson hoisted his flag aboard. Two years later, on 21 October 1805, the venerable ship would take part in her most famous moment, and Britain’s greatest naval triumph: the Battle of Trafalgar.

The Battle of Trafalgar

By this point, Nelson was celebrated as Britain’s greatest naval commander. His successes made him the only real rival to Napoleon Bonaparte, a point Napoleon seemingly acknowledged by keeping a bust of Nelson in his private quarters.

Why was Napoleon preparing to attack England? After years of conflict across Europe, Napoleon sought to break Britain’s naval dominance, impose a blockade, and ultimately invade. Control of the Channel was essential to his plans, and defeating the Royal Navy was the first step toward making an invasion possible.

At Trafalgar, Nelson divided his fleet into two columns and sailed directly at the combined French and Spanish line, breaking it apart and ensuring Napoleon would never threaten an invasion of England again.

Unfortunately, during the battle a sniper struck Nelson in the chest and shoulder. He was taken below decks where he died shortly before the battle ended.

Commissioned Status

HMS Victory is still a fully commissioned Royal Navy ship, though not in active service. Rumour has it that this status is maintained to preserve the name; decommissioning would allow another navy to claim it.

This makes HMS Victory the oldest commissioned naval vessel in the world. Let’s hope she never needs to be returned to active service, refloating her would present a few challenges!

Drydock

Today she rests in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, welcoming millions of visitors. If you haven’t visited, it makes for a fantastic day out for all ages.

Beyond HMS Victory, you can explore the Tudor warship Mary Rose, Queen Victoria’s favourite ship HMS Warrior, the Royal Navy Museum, and various exhibitions on seafaring life. The area is rich with naval history, and of course, home to the iconic Spinnaker Tower.