Nelson & His World

While in the North East earlier this week we took the opportunity to visit HMS Trincomalee at Hartlepool. It was great to see her so beautifully restored and afloat! She is the second oldest ship in the world still afloat (USS Constitution being older). Also Hartlepool Historic Quay is a great setting, with its period shops and houses full of exhibitions and displays - with some of the most spookily realistic waxworks I have seen! If you have visited Victory, then Trincomalee is a fascinating contrast - it's a much more intimate experience in a smaller, less crowded ship, and it really does feel different being on board a ship that is afloat. And if you haven't visited Victory, Trincomalee will give you a better feel for life on board anyway (including a sore head - much less height between decks!). Definitely essential viewing!

Trincomalee was a Leda class frigate ordered in 1812, built from teak in Bombay, and completed in 1817. Perhaps the most famous of the Leda class frigates was Shannon which captured USS Chesapeake in 1813. Many will be familiar with Trincomalee from her time as Training Ship Foudroyant. She was restored between 1990 and 2001 at a cost of over £10 million, and retains over 60% of original material. There is a fascinating exhibition about the restoration on the quayside.

More info at http://www.hms-trincomalee.co.uk

While we were there, a film crew from Blink Films were on board filming 'True Stories 4 / Master and Commander' (the true story behind the film), so we had the added pleasure of seeing the surgeon amputating someone's arm!

I will sort out some more photos to post.

How many members here spent time on board her as TS Foudroyant?

Me for one Tony.

MB

What did Trincomalee/Foudroyant look like when you were on board, Mark? Won't ask you when! Or perhaps I will...

Here are some more photos of her now:

Tony,

I know exactly when I stayed aboard her – over one long weekend in September 1986, since it was then that the huge American battleship USS Iowa, visited Portsmouth. Practically all those on board the Foudroyant (as she then was) went out to Spithead in the ship's launch to see her:

http://www.hobbiesphotographic.co.uk/photo_4856382.html

It was quite unexpected and a coincidence as none of us members of Mariners International, a club I still belong to but don't sail with any more, knew she would be there. I seem to remember that the launch was named the Jonas Hanway. Apart from that we sailed the ship's dinghys in Portsmouth Harbour, up as far as Porchester Castle, slept in hammocks and had our meals in the wardroom. There were only about ten of us, so the ship seemed a little empty! One of our number was Brian Lavery, who gave us an in-depth talk about the ship and took us down into the hold to see the timbers. They weren't in a very good state! In fact the old ship was not her best and there was quite a bit of work going on, particularly around the quarter galleries and stern area. I still have a few slides of the weekend.

Shortly afterwards, she was taken in hand and moved to Hartlepool, where of course her restoration commenced. I haven't seen her since then, except in photographs, but they've certainly have done a splendid job. Thanks for posting your beautiful photographs – I must get to see her some time.

What a fascinating weekend you had, Kester. The work on her is ongoing, obviously, and they are just finishing off repairing and replacing some significant timbers now. There is certainly nothing to worry about in the hold (had to use flash for this one):

Yes, I seem to remember I enjoyed it! One other thing we did was to visit the Gannet, then very much run down and dilapidated and just before she was moved to Chatham for restoration. She was virtually a hulk back then and still had the roof that was built over her when she was the training ship Mercury. Now of course splendidly restored, she is in dry dock at Chatham, where I saw her in 2003.

I imagine the Trincomalee has a programme in place for any maintainance and future restoration. Btw, I'm sure you have seen, and probably have, the book about her by Andrew Lambert. Since it's by such an author, imagine it to be very good and worthwhile buying. Would I be right?

I confess I don't have Andrew Lambert's book - but it's on the list!

I wonder whether with restoration and conservation work Trincomalee can be kept afloat indefinitely?

HM Frigate Unicorn, the other surviving Leda class frigate, presents a much sadder picture. In 1972, after over 150 years afloat, her hull had only hogged by one and a half inches. However, now this hog now measures over two feet and the decision is that is that Unicorn should not remain afloat, but be preserved in dry-dock. See these alarming photos clearly showing her sagging hull: http://www.frigateunicorn.org/ship-at-r ... gainst-rot

As Tony says, it is good to see Trincomalee afloat in her natural element. I wonder if it would be possible to give HMS Victory at least the appearance of being afloat as they have done with the ss Great Britain in Bristol. The ship is sitting in a sort of 'tray' of glass with a few inches of water on top which glints and ripples, and does give a convincing impression of a ship afloat.

http://www.ssgreatbritain.org/

Tony

I think it was 1966 . . . . give or take a year!!

I just remember the ship being predominantly black in colour and it seemed quite imposing.

I think we were pretty much restricted to the main area of one deck for sleeping and eating.

We slept in hammocks which was pretty strange and meant very little sleep for the first few nights.

For the life of me I can't remember what the washing or toilet arrangements were.

Some time was spent on "theory classes" but by far the majority was out on the water - either in Portsmouth harbour or the Solent.

I am posting up scans of a leaflet which gives quite a bit of information about what went on. I haven't had it since I was onboard. But I came across it in the intervening years and decided to add it to the bits and pieces of memorabilia I have from my childhood.

It's interesting to see (on the third scan) that a 16mm film was available. I would love to see that!!

Continued . . .

Mark,

Your post reminded me about the booklet – in fact I think I might still have mine somewhere! I agree, it would be interesting to see the film, so I suppose it might be worth checking Utube!

Well, well, no sooner said...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wq6GRfGuxRk



There are a few others there as to!

Thanks Kester - it never occured to me at all to look on You Tube.

I really enjoyed those clips but I don't imagine they come from this official film - "Holiday Adventure" - which is referred to in the leaflet. But I see now that they do have a copy at the NMM. It shows on this page under Sail Training: http://www.nmm.ac.uk/explore/collection ... m-archive/ - with reference number 0022.

When I run out of things to do ( ) I would love to take a look at that!

MB

Mark,

No, they don't look that 'official' do they, although interesting. Like you, I would like to see the 'proper' one some time!

Thanks for posting your memories, Mark, and for taking the trouble of posting the brochure - all absolutely fascinating.

Thanks, Kester, for the youtube link. I hope you don't mind, I have added the video inline to your post.

Here's another 1935 film clip with Implacable in view as well: