British Other Vessels sheer hulk 'Chatham Hulk' (1694)

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George SimpsonBritish
Merchant Sailor
Service 1799-1802
John LuardBritish
Merchant Sailor
Service 1795-1797
Earl of Mornington (14) 1799-1804
British 14 Gun
Merchant Packet
(1799)
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(1803)
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Chatham Hulk
Nominal Guns	Unarmed	B028
Nationality	Kingdom of England
Operator	Royal Navy
Launched	9.10.1694	BWAS-1603
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1603
Shipyard	Chatham Dockyard - Chatham	B028
Constructor	Robert LeeBritish Designer Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1681-1698	BWAS-1603
Category	Other Vessels	B028
Ship Type	Sheer Hulk	B028
Broken Up	10.1813	B028

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1793
Length of Gundeck153' 0"Imperial Feet46.6344
Length of Keel131' 0"Imperial Feet39.9288
Breadth32' 0"Imperial Feet9.7536
Depth in Hold13' 0"Imperial Feet3.9624
Burthen713 ⁵⁰⁄₉₄Tons BM

3 Warrant Officers

DatesRankNameSource
1736 - 23.8.1736Boatswain ADM 6/15/31ADM 6/151771 - 28.10.1771Boatswain Transfered ADM 6/20/409ADM 6/2028.10.1771 - 1771Boatswain ADM 6/20/409ADM 6/20

Service History

DateEventSource
10.1741Middling Repair at ChathamBWAS-1793
3.1770Started great repair at ChathamBWAS-1793
10.1770Completed great repair at ChathamBWAS-1793
10.1813Broken up at ChathamBWAS-1793

Notes on Ship

The first of only three purpose built sheer hulks in Royal Navy history

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

ADM 6/15 Archive

ADM 6/20 Archive

B028J. J. Colledge, Book

BWAS-1603Rif Winfield, Book

BWAS-1793Rif Winfield, Book

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Jon Miller on Sunday 24th of May 2026 03:29

London, 12 January 1751: Yesterday the Lords of the Admiralty gave orders for the rebuilding of the Chatham man of war. She is esteemed the oldest ship in the Royal Navy, on board of which the brave Admiral Benbow first hoisted his Flag. [Ipswich Journal, 19 January 1751]

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Recent comments to other pages

Date posted	By	Page
Tuesday 28th of July 2026 10:52	Jon Miller	George SimpsonBritish Merchant Sailor Service 1799-1802
Tuesday 28th of July 2026 10:51	Jon Miller	John LuardBritish Merchant Sailor Service 1795-1797
Tuesday 28th of July 2026 10:50	Jon Miller	British Merchant packet 'Earl of Mornington' (1799) (14) 1799-1804 British 14 Gun Merchant Packet
Tuesday 28th of July 2026 10:49	Jon Miller	British Merchant east indiaman 'Georgiana' (1791) (Unknown) 1791-1813 British Unknown Gun Merchant East Indiaman
Tuesday 28th of July 2026 10:46	Jon Miller	British Merchant east indiaman 'Union' (1803) (Unknown) 1803-1818 British Unknown Gun Merchant East Indiaman

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