HMS Wellesley (launched as Boscawen, 1844)
HMS Wellesley (launched as Boscawen, 1844)


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NameWellesley (launched as Boscawen, 1844)Explanation
TypeThird rate   
Launched3 April 1844
HullWooden
PropulsionSail
Builders measure2212 tons
Displacement 
Guns70
Fate1914
Class 
Ships book
Note1874 = Wellesley, t.s.
1914.03 damaged by fire in Tyne and broken up
Snippets concerning this vessels career
DateEvent
7 January 1851
- 21 November 1853
Commanded by Captain Peter Richards, guard ship of Ordinary, Chatham
25 November 1853
- 30 April 1857
Commanded by Captain William Fanshawe Glanville, flagship of Rear-Admiral Arthur Fanshawe, North America and West Indies, and the Baltic during the Russian War
1 May 1857
- 14 September 1860
Commanded by Captain Richard Ashmore Powell, flagship of Rear-Admiral Frederick William Grey, Cape of Good Hope
5 March 1862
- 21 April 1862
Commanded by Commander Frederick Thomas Chetham Strode, training ship, Southampton Water
21 April 1862
- 23 September 1863
Commanded by Commander Hubert Campion, training ship, Southampton Water
1 September 1863
- 14 July 1865
Commanded by Commander George Strong Nares, training ship, Southampton Water
14 July 1865
- 11 October 1867
Commanded by Commander McLeod Baynes Cockcraft, training ship
21 October 1867
- 8 April 1868
Commanded by Commander Henry Fairfax, training ship, Portland
9 April 1868
- 6 March 1869
Commanded by Commander Robert Owen Leach, training ship, Portland
6 March 1869
- 20 March 1872
Commanded by Commander James Grant, training ship, Portland
21 March 1872
- 24 February 1873
Commanded by Commander Marcus Augustus Stanley Hare, training ship, Portland
1874Renamed Wellesley
Extracts from the Times newspaper
DateExtract
Ma 6 March 1854

PORTSMOUTH, March 5.

The victualling of the ships at Spithead for six months foreign service was completed yesterday. There are now at this rendezvous to-day the following ships, the complements of which we give, as nearly as we can arrive at them without consulting the ships' books:—
 Guns.Tons.Crew.Horse-
power.
Princess Royal, Captain Lord Clarence Paget, flag of Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Napier, K.C.B., &c.913,129880400
Prince Regent, Captain Hutton, flag of Rear-Admiral Corry.902,513821
Edinburgh, Captain Hewlett, flag of Rear-Admiral Chads. C.B.561,772660450
Royal George, Captain Codrington, C.B.1212,6161,100400
St. Jean d'Acre, Captain the Hon. Henry Keppel.1013,600900650
Boscawen, Captain Glanville.702,212620
Hogue, Captain W. Ramsay.601.750660450
Impérieuse, Captain Watson, C.B.512,347530360
Arrogant, Captain Yelverton.471,872450360
Amphion. Captain A.C. Key.341.474320300
Tribune, Captain the Hon. S.T. Carnegie.301,570200300
Dauntless, Captain Ryder.331,490300580
Leopard, Captain Giffard.181,412280550
Valorous, Captain C.H.M. Buckle.161,255220400
Dragon, Captain Willcox.61,270200500
Bulldog, Captain W.C. Hall.61,123160500
Frolic, Commander Nolloth.16511120
They have each been ordered (this day) to draw charts for the Baltic.
Every day will add to this force, which will eventually include the three-deckers, Duke of Wellington, 131; St. George, 120; Waterloo, 120; Neptune, 120; Caesar, 91; Nile, 91; James Watt, 91; Algiers, 91; Monarch, 84; Ganges, 84; Cressy, 81; Majestic, 81; Blenheim, 60; Ajax, 60; Euryalus, 51 ; Fox, 42; Pique, 40; and numerous others. Sir Charles Napier will, we believe, command personally 20 sail of the line, and 10 sail of French. There will be about 50 sail of smaller ships, which will be apportioned to the English and French Rear-Admirals and Commodore Martin, and it is reported a squadron of sailing-sloops or brigs is to be commissioned to cruise off the Scotch coast to prevent privateering. Rear-Admiral Corry will shift his flag to-morrow from the Prince Regent, 90, to the Neptune, 120, an order having been received yesterday, appointing Captain Hutton to the Neptune, and Captain Smith, C.B., from the Neptune, to the Prince Regent. Captain Hutton takes with him Commander Bunce, Lieutenant Brandreth, and 50 of the Prince Regent's crew. When the change of officers and ships was made known on board the Prince Regent yesterday, the whole ship's company, who really love their admiral and captain, and are devotedly attached to their matchless ship, wanted to follow the admiral, as one man, into the Neptune, and when told that only 50 would be allowed to be draughted by the Admiralty, their countenances betokened the sincerest dejection. Subsequently all the petty officers went aft on the quarter deck and respectfully requested that the Admiralty might be memorialised for their removal with their admiral and captain. The Neptune will be some time getting ready. She has lower yards and topmasts up and topgallant masts pointed, but has only 150 men on her books besides her draught of Royal Marines. We expect, therefore, that Rear-Admiral Chads will be the first despatched with a "flying squadron" of frigates towards the Baltic, that Sir Charles Napier will follow, and that Rear-Admiral Corry will bring up the rear. Captain Hay, of the Victory, has declined the flag-captaincy to Sir Charles Napier. The Prince Regent, the St. Jean d’Acre, the Amphion and the Odin were paid wages down to the 31st of January yesterday. The Impérieuse, Tribune, and Valorous will be paid to-morrow, leaving only the Arrogant (whose pay books have not yet been landed) of Admiral Corry's division to be paid. The Blenheim, 60, Captain the Hon, F.J. Pelham, has readjusted her compasses and will be ready to join the fleet to morrow. The Caesar, 91, Captain Robb, is rattling down her rigging. The Odin, 16, Captain F. Scott, is repairing boilers in the steam-basin. The fleet are daily exercised in gunnery, reefing, furling, &c. Mr. Parratt, of the Treasury, brought down last night from London a small tubular collapsing boat, upon the principle of his admirable liferaft, which he has this day taken off to the St. Jean d'Acre, for the Hon. H. Keppell. The 23d, 42d, and 79th Regiments are preparing for active service. The two latter corps will be augmented by volunteers from the 72d and 79th depots, 31 volunteers from the 11th Foot, 32 from the 65th, and 62 from the 35th embarked from this dockyard at 6 o'clock this morning, in the Foyle, British and Irish Steam-pocket Company's vessel, to join the 1st battalion of the Royals, at Plymouth. The Foyle embarks the 93d depôt at Plymouth, to-morrow, for the Isle of Wight. The depôt of the 2d battalion of the Rifle Brigade will be conveyed to the Isle of Wight to-morrow in Her Majesty's steam-tender Sprightly.
The Cruiser, 14, Commander G.H. Douglas, will join the Baltic fleet.
Ma 8 February 1858

PLYMOUTH, SATURDAY.

The Union Steam Navigation Company's mail packet Celt, Captain Brown, from Table Bay December 30, St. Helena January 8, and Ascension January 12, arrived this morning.
The Boscawen, 70, flag of Rear-Admiral the Hon. Sir Frederick W. Grey, K.C.B.; sloop Sappho, 12, Commander Fairfax Moresby; and Seringapatam, coal depôt, were at Simon’s Bay.
Ma 8 February 1858The steam sloop Encounter, 14, Captain O'Callaghan, arrived yesterday afternoon at Plymouth. She left Aden November 21, reached the Cape December 19, and sailed on the 23d, touched at St. Helena January 2, and at Ascension on the 7th. Including stoppages the passage from Aden to Plymouth was accomplished in 78 days. At the Cape she embarked 12 invalids from the Boscawen, five from the Himalaya, five from the Sappho, and two formerly belonging to the Shannon; at St. Helena two distressed merchant seamen, and at Ascension nine invalids from the West Coast squadron.
Th 11 March 1858Her Majesty's ship Boscawen, left Simon's Bay on the 3d of January, on a cruise to St. Helena. Ascension, and the West Coast; the Admiral, Sir F. Grey, on board. The Sappho left on the 8th for Australia. The Hermes left for East London, with the Governor, on the 19th. On the 27th Her Majesty's steamer Simoom arrived from Calcutta, and is now the only vessel of war in Simons Bay.
We 29 December 1858The Union Screw Steamship Company's mail packet Norman, Captain Boxer, has arrived. She left Simon’s Bay, Nov. 20; St. Helena, 30th; and Ascension, Dec. 4.
... Her Majesty's ship Boscawen was at Simon's Bay. The steamship Hermes was preparing to leave Table Bay, in search, of the brig Sappho. The Sardinian ship Malabar, with coal, from London for Aden, was wrecked at Table Bay on the 6th of November; crew saved.
Sa 17 September 1870A portion of the Channel Fleet arrived in the Portland Roads at noon on Thursday. The squadron consisted of the following armour-plated ships Agincourt (Admiral Shadd [should be Chads]), Minotaur (bearing the flag of Vice-Admiral Yelverton), Northumberland, Warrior, and Hercules. These ships have just returned from their cruise on the coast of Spain. On rounding the Breakwater they were greeted with the usual salute from the training ship Boscawen, stationed at Portland. The fleet left Vigo on Saturday afternoon last, and had a very good voyage, though strong head winds prevailed up to Tuesday. On that day, when about 50 miles off Ushant, they met with the despatch boat Helicon, bringing letters and despatches. As might be expected, the most acute sorrow is felt throughout the fleet for the fate of comrades in the Captain. The men have neglected their wonted amusements and recreations, and it was not until Tuesday that the performances of the ships' bands were resumed. After the lamentable occurrence, Admiral Milne signalled to the different ships inquiring if the officers and men would devote a day's pay to the relief of the widows and orphans of the poor fellows who had perished on the disastrous morning of the 7th. The reply was hearty and unanimous, as might have been expected from British sailors. It is the general opinion of the fleet that the sails of the Captain should not have been set during the squally weather that prevailed when she met her sad end. It is stated that the sea was not exceedingly rough, and that several ships scarcely rolled at all. When the discovery was made that the Captain was missing, not the least apprehension was entertained that she had foundered, the supposition being that she had been able to run before the wind and would eventually rejoin the squadron. It could hardly be surmised that so gallant a craft could succumb to a gale of wind, and the fact was not realized until after the Warrior fell in with portions of wreck. Hope was not altogether abandoned until the Psyche signalled off Vigo that she had picked up two of the Captain's cutters, bottom upwards. The disaster is painfully recalled to us by the arrival at Weymouth of large piles of letters and papers for the officers and crew of the Captain. These have necessarily been forwarded to the Dead Letter-office.


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