Invincible

Posted by Jon Miller on Monday 13th of July 2026 08:36

Sheerness, 31 March 1801: A Court Martial was held this morning on board His Majesty’s ship Ruby, on Rear-Admiral Totty and officers, for the loss of the Invincible. It appeared from the evidence given, that the loss of His Majesty’s ship was entirely the negligence of the Pilot. Rear-Admiral Totty and his officers, of course, were honourably acquitted. The Master of a revenue cutter that was in sight all the time the ship was in imminent distress, is taken into custody by the civil power, and will take his trial accordingly.
We are exceedingly happy to to be able to subjoin the following circumstances of the evidence , so honourable to the Admiral, officers and crew :- After the Court was sworn, Rear-Admiral Totty’s narrative, in a letter to the Admiralty, describing the melancholy fate of the ship and the greater part of her crew, was read, and sworn to by the Rear-Admiral, and proved by all the survivors to be a just and faithful statement. It went to prove, that the loss of the ship, was solely owing to the ignorance of the Pilot and Master, who was himself a North Sea Pilot; for, from Yarmouth Roads, or rather after getting through the Thackle, the ship was steering with a free wind, and till half an hour before she struck, they had the advantage of the land in sight, to assist them. When she struck the Pilot and Master asserted that it must be on a bank unknown, or on a knowl that had been recently made by some convulsion. However they were deceived, and it proved to be no other than Hammond’s Knowl, on which they were drawn by a most rapid tide, allowance for which they had not made. After all the evidences were examined and after a very short deliberation, Rear-Admiral Totty, the surviving officers, and crew were acquitted. By every thing that appeared, the steady, cool subordination that prevailed, from her first striking, until the fatal moment that she went down, bespoke her high state of discipline, and makes us the more to deplore the loss of an officer like Capt Rennie, who could, out of a raw ship’s company, produce such order and regularity to the last. The feeling that Admiral Totty and the survivors shewed during the whole proceedings was extremely creditable to themselves. When the Admiral spoke of his Captain, it was with such feeling and emotion that he could with difficulty support himself. [Hampshire Telegraph, 6 April 1801]

Posted by Jon Miller on Monday 13th of July 2026 03:21

Source for list of those saved is Hampshire Telegraph, 30 March 1801

Posted by Jon Miller on Monday 13th of July 2026 03:08

Officers and men saved from the Invincible:
Rear Adm Totty
Lieutenants - Tucker, Quash, Eveley (belonging to the London)
Purser - McClyne
Boatswain - Knowles
Master’s Mates - Tucker, Whiteway, Stout
Midshipmen - Wilson, Pope, Finny, Preston
Seamen - John Hodson, Henry Gilbert, Thomas Person, William Master, Thomas Mollone, Joseph Pratman, Richard Fairclaw, John Lyons, Edward Burn, Michael Murray, John Madison, Allen Hunn, John Roberts, Daniel Fendall, Noah Meadows, John Bird, Samuel Collins, Richard Bordy, James Bordy, Michael Thomas, William Cox, Joseph Bradley, John Hudson, Josiah Clear, Solomon Smithey, George Bradley, Cornelius Donovan, Alex Monroe, Nicholas Hanson, Daniel Learey, John Dean, William Gribble, Richard Rowland, James Hull, John Harris, John Smith, James Barry, James Wats, John Anderson, Samuel Christie, George Lee, Nathaniel Bolton, Francis Syms, Hugh Williams, Francis Jacks, Cornelius Hill, Joseph Parks, John Cullen, Edward Elfe, Edward Burke, James Simpson, Dems McNichols, Edward McGuire, Thomas Colbertson, John Jacks, George Hudson, Henry Heather, William Matthews, James Glynn, Christ Morgan, John Carmichael, James Kennedy, Alex Richie, William Boyles, James Porter, Thos Chamberlain, Thomas Flynn, Samuel Turner, Forest Hamilton, Robert Browne, Thomas Wine, John Kennedy, Joseph Foster, Andrew Rubert, Joseph Cotterell, Joseph Moss, Samuel Cherren, Alex Wilson, William Wolfe, Alex McKenzie, Robert Driver, George Ashton, John Marshall, Samuel Robins, Thomas Skinner, John Rice, Ed De La Force, Thomas Hasbett, George Jones, Robert Vickers, Simon Tool, John Kittoe, William Rewman, Robert English, James Duncan, William Lowden, John Barrow, Wm Standewick, Richard Coults, Allen Morrison, W Brewer, Charles Cope, Antonio Francis, James Dawson, W Flitts, Richard Jones, Donald McDonald, James Williams, John Cropper, Samuel Gibson, W Badds, Robert Gibson, Thos Waddington, Thomas Lovewell, Michael Kennedy, Nathaniel Bin, Gilbert Rudger, John Brown (1st), Mark Smith, John Ellis, John McCarthy, Joseph Green, Rd Cooperhall, Richard Hall, Jos Manchester, Cornelius Johnston, W Littlemore, W Jonathan, John Jones (7th), Thomas Read (2d), Robert Clark, John Delany, Francis Peters, John Jones (2d), Patrick Pettit, W Drummond, Lewis le Fevre, Thomas Powell (2), James Collins, John Fisher, Henry Wilson, John McMorris, Robert Briggs, John Fox, Harrison Trandell, Thomas Varley, James Powell, James Johnson, Thomas Paisley, W McGee, W Waddison, Edward Mills, James Morgan, Dd Richards, D McVickers, Peter Johnson, Joseph Powell, W Brandon, John Whittyford, John Taylor, John Elder, Thomas Morris, Thomas Turnbull, John Crocker, Thomas Rurshill, Rd Harris, Rd Arden
Marines - Joseph James, Thomas Murray, Lan Jay, John Titmouse, Thos Richardson, Thomas Heath, Robert Williams, Robert Walker, John Jay, W Davis, Sampson Groves, Joseph Day, W Berkwood, Robert Skipage, Thomas Hill, George Powell, Charles Whitworth, Henry Saunders, James Barrow.
180 Seamen, 19 Marines, Total Number Saved 199

Posted by Jon Miller on Sunday 12th of July 2026 06:30

London, 20 March 1801: It gives us great pain to be obliged to state the loss of the Invincible, of 74 guns, which sailed from Yarmouth in order to join the North Sea fleet. Soon after sailing, which was about twelve o’clock, she struck on Ridge Sand, fourteen miles from Winterton, where she remained, notwithstanding every exertion that was made by cutting away her masts, &c, till Tuesday morning, when she was got off the sand; but, unfortunately, had sustained so much damage that she soon after sunk in deep water. Admiral Totty was taken out of her by the Lively excise cutter, Captain Gunthorpe. According to one account 125, according to another 197, of the men were also saved; but Captain Cayley, and the remainder of the crew, perished.
The Invincible first struck upon the fatal bank, between two and three in the afternoon. In this situation she remained near three hours, when the mizen-mast went by the board, and the main-mast was immediately after cut away. The ship, to the infinite joy of the crew, then dropped from about 3½ into 17 fathom water, where, however, unfortunately losing her rudder, she soon became unmanageable, and was again driven upon the bank.
A fishing smack now approached the wreck; on which two boats belonging to the Invincible were ordered out. On board one of these, the admiral, the purser, four midshipmen, three of the admiral’s servants, and six or eight seamen, reached the fishing smack in safety, as did also the other boat full of people. Both of them immediately returned to the ship, but on re-approaching the smack, one was forced away, and every person on board would inevitably have perished, had not a collier which happened to be passing, at this critical moment, happily picked them all up. This vessel afterwards afforded every assistance that humanity urged, or that she was capable of giving, and was the means of saving the lives of many of the crew.
The fishing-smack, with the admiral on-board, being unable to afford the least assistance to the ship, remained at anchor, during the whole of Monday night. On the approach of day, the master of this vessel expressed an unwillingness to go any nearer the wreck; but Admiral Totty, in direct opposition to him, caused the cable to be cut, and immediately proceeded to the ship. Melancholy, however, to relate, while he was doing every thing of which human exertion is capable, to assist the unhappy people on-board, the wreck once more got into deep water, and gradually sunk, to the infinite distress of the admiral and the other spectators, who were nearly frantic with grief, at this tremendous scene of human misery and destruction.
While the ship was thus rapidly going down, the launch was hove out:- as many of the crew as she could possibly hold, immediately jumped on-board, and had only time to clear the poop, when the vessel, with upwards of 400 souls, entirely disappeared, and went to the bottom. A number of the unhappy sufferers attempted to get on-board the already over-laden launch, but as no more could be permitted to enter, without the certain loss of the whole, they were struck away with the oars, and in a few seconds became wholly ingulphed in the pitiless waters.
Captain Rennie, after the ship had sunk, attempted to swim to the launch, and after a severe exertion got within reach of the oars, when exhausted with fatigue, and unable to make any farther effort, he calmly resigned himself to his fate. Lifting up his hands, as if if to implore the blessing of Heaven, and immediately after placing them upon his face, he went directly down without another struggle. All the other commissioned officers of the ship, except Lieutenants Tucker and Quash, together with all the officers of marines, and most of their men, likewise went to the bottom. About 70 or 80 of the crew were saved by means of the launch, the whole of whom had assembled on the forecastle; but those who remained in the poop, were lost.
The total number of human beings, who thus found a watery grave, amounts to upwards of 400, among whom were several passengers, on their way to join other ships belonging to the North Sea fleet. The number saved, including officers, is stated at 195.
The Invincible was one of the oldest ships in the navy. She was built in 1766, and had not returned many months from the West Indies, where she had been stationed under the command of Captain Caley since 1795.
This afflicting disaster is attributed solely to the ignorance of the pilot. He belonged to Harwich, and was taken on-board at Sheerness. Instead of taking the ship through the ordinary channel from Yarmouth, he steered her through the narrow passage of the cockle, and when she ran upon the sands, he insisted that the fatal spot was not laid down in any chart. In this point, however, he was soon confuted by the gunner of one of the ships of Admiral Parker’s fleet, who was only a passenger on-board the Invincible. This man soon convinced the pilot of his error, by shewing him the exact spot distinctly marked. But the pilot is among the numerous sufferers; and, in common charity, death must now be considered as having expiated all his faults. When the mizen-mast went over-board, he also fell from the deck, and was never after seen. [Hampshire Chronicle, 23 March 1801]

Posted by Jon Miller on Sunday 12th of July 2026 03:26

Portsmouth, 28 March 1801: Yesterday two seamen belonging to his Majesty’s late ship the Invincible arrived at the Admiralty, having survived the rest of the unfortunate crew, who went down in her, by adhering to a part of the quarter gallery, which broke away, for two days and nights from whence they were providentially taken up by the brig Briton, of Sunderland. They had no other sustenance till they were released from their perilous situation, but what they derived from a small quantity of tobacco, which one of them had fortunately in his jacket pocket. One of them, whose name is Daniel Brian, has lost his hearing, and is much bruised. We understand that three others were also saved, in the same miraculous manner. The whole were landed at Yarmouth. [Hampshire Chronicle, 30 March 1801]

Posted by Jon Miller on Tuesday 23rd of June 2026 04:57

London, 5 March 1765: This day at 3 o’clock, was launched, for his Majesty’s service, at Mr West’s dock, at Deptford, the Invincible of 74 guns. [Exeter Mercury, 15 March 1765]

Posted by Jon Miller on Tuesday 23rd of June 2026 04:47

London, 12 March 1765: The Invincible is order’d to be rigg’d and fitted out for the sea, and it is said will be a flag ship in a squadron that will put to sea in about six weeks. [Exeter Mercury, 22 March 1765]

Posted by Jon Miller on Wednesday 17th of June 2026 05:19

The following is an accurate state of our present naval strength at Plymouth, including those ships under repair, together with the names of those new building, and ordered to be built:- On commission, the Ulysses, of 44, Crescent of 32, and Apollo, of 32 guns; under repair, the Hero and Kent of 74 guns each; building, the Royal Sovereign of 100, Glory of 90, Anson of 64, Medusa of 50, and Narcissus of 20 guns; ordered to be built, the Caesar of 74 guns. The under-named ships are in Plymouth Sound, with orders to be ready for sailing at a moment’s warning, and are supposed to be intended to proceed with, or immediately follow Adm Rodney to Gibraltar, viz the Invincible, of 74, the Marlborough, of 74, the Hector, Biensaisant , and Resolution of 64 guns each; .Exckusive of the above named are, the Formidable of 84, and the Queen of 98, guns, both ordered by an express from the Admiralty to to be sheathed with coppered immediately. [Exeter Flying Post, 7 January 1780]

Posted by Louise Watling on Thursday 12th of April 2012 15:00

According to reports at the time of her loss, HMS Invincible sunk after striking Hammond's Knoll.