HMS Discovery was the consort ship of James Cook's third expedition to the Pacific Ocean in 1776–1780. Like Cook's other ships, Discovery was a Whitby-built collier originally named Diligence when she was built in 1774. Purchased in 1775, the vessel was measured at 299 tons burthen. Originally a brig, Cook had her changed to a full-rigged ship. She was commanded by Charles Clerke, who had previously served on Cook's first two expeditions, and had a complement of 70. After Cook was killed in a skirmish following his attempted kidnapping of Hawaiian leader Kalaniʻōpuʻu, Clerke transferred to the expedition's flagship HMS Resolution and John Gore assumed command of Discovery. She returned to Britain under the command of Lieutenant James King, arriving back on 4 October 1780.
HMY Fubbs was a Royal Yacht of the Royal Navy of the Kingdom of Great Britain. She was scrapped towards the end of the eighteenth century after having been in service for 99 years.
The Antelope was a ship of the English Tudor navy, launched in 1546. She was rebuilt three times, in 1558, 1581 and 1618. She thus served in various forms from the time of King Henry VIII to the English Civil War. She is mostly remembered for being a part of the fleet that defeated the Spanish Armada.
Triumph of 1562 was the first vessel of record to hold the name. She was a 60-gun English galleon built in Deptford in 1561–62 and launched in October 1562, and once the flagship of Admiral Robert Blake.
Ark Royal was an English galleon, originally ordered for Sir Walter Raleigh and later purchased by the crown for service in the Tudor navy. She was used as the English flagship in a number of engagements, including the battles that resulted in the defeat of the Spanish Armada, and had a long career spanning over 50 years. Her fame led to a number of later warships of the Royal Navy being named Ark Royal in her honour, including a number of flagships of the fleet.
HMS Charles was a 96-gun first-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built by Christopher Pett at Deptford Dockyard until his death in March 1668, then completed by Jonas Shish after being launched in the same month. Her name was formally Charles the Second, but she was known simply as Charles, particularly after 1673 when the contemporary Royal Charles was launched.
HMS London was a 96-gun first-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built by Christopher Pett at Deptford Dockyard until his death in March 1668, and completed by Jonas Shish and launched in 1670.
HMS St Andrew was a 96-gun first-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built by Christopher Pett at Woolwich Dockyard under the supervision of Christopher Pett until his death in March 1668, completed by Jonas Shish, and launched in 1670. Commanded by George Churchill, she took part in the 1692 victory over the French navy at Barfleur & La Hogue.
The Prince Royal was a 55-gun royal ship of the English Royal Navy. It was later rebuilt and renamed HMS Resolution.
Merhonour was a ship of the Tudor navy of England. It was built in 1590 by Mathew Baker at Woolwich Dockyard, and was rebuilt by Phineas Pett I at Woolwich between 1612 and 1615, being relaunched on 6 March 1615 as a 40-gun royal ship. It was then laid up at Chatham, only briefly returning to service in the 1630s. It was nevertheless considered to be one of the fastest ships in the Navy.
Rainbow was a galleon of the English Tudor navy, built at Deptford Dockyard by Peter Pett, and launched in 1586. Commanded by Lord Henry Seymour, a younger son of Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset by his second wife Anne Stanhope, she fought against the Spanish during the Singeing the King of Spain's Beard and the Spanish Armada, including the Battle of Gravelines in 1588.
HMS Assurance was a 32-gun fourth-rate of the English Navy, built by Peter Pett I at Deptford Dockyard and launched in 1646. She was in the Parliamentary force during the English Civil War, then the Commonwealth Navy and was incorporated into the Royal Navy after the Restoration in 1660. During her time in the Commonwealth Navy she partook in the Battles of Dover, Portland, Gabbard and Texel. She foundered in a gale at Woolwich in 1660 and was salved. After the Restoration she partook in the Battle of Lowestoffe, the Four Days Fight and the Texel (1673). She was reduced to a Fifth Rate in 1690 before being sold in 1698.
Elizabeth was a 38-gun fourth rate vessel of the Kingdom of England, Her initial commission was in the Parliamentary Naval Force during the English Civil War. During the Anglo-Dutch War she missed all the major Fleet actions. During the Second Anglo-Dutch War she participated in the St James Day Fight. She was burnt by the Dutch off Virginia in March 1667.
The English ship Speaker was a 50-gun third-rate. Speaker was built for the navy of the Commonwealth of England by Christopher Pett at Woolwich Dockyard and launched in 1650. At the Restoration she was renamed HMS Mary. She was the prototype of the Speaker-class.
The Sussex was a fourth-rate frigate, built for the navy of the Commonwealth of England at one of the national Dockyards, and launched in late 1652. Her place of building is uncertain, with certain sources recording this as Portsmouth, others as Deptford and still others as Woolwich. A standard practice at this time was to build the hull in one location and masts and superstucture could be at a separate dock, and the fitting of equipment at a third location.
HMS Anne was a 70-gun third rate ship of the line of the English, built under the 1677 Construction Programme by Phineas Pett II at Chatham Dockyard during 1677/78. She fought in the War of English Succession 1688 to 1697. She fought in the Battle of Beachy Head where she was severely damaged and ran aground. She was burnt by the English to avoid capture by the French. The wreck is a Protected Wreck managed by Historic England.
HMS Pendennis was a 70-gun third rate ship of the line of the Kingdom of England built at Chatham in 1677/79. She was in the War of English Succession. She was in the Battle of Bantry Bay. She was wrecked on the Kentish Knock in October 1689.
HMY Mary, was an English royal yacht of the Royal Navy. She was built by master shipwright Phineas Pett and launched at Chatham Dockyard in 1677. She had eight guns and measured She now measured 155 bm. She experienced a very long career of naval service spanning 139 years, having been rebuilt in 1727.
HMS Squirrel was designed by Richard Stacey, Master Shipwright of Woolwich. Her design was based on the standardize 20-gun sixth rates. After commissioning she was assigned to Home Waters then the Mediterranean. She took a privateer in 1710. She was dismantled at Deptford with her timbers sent to Woolwich Dockyard for rebuilding as a 374-ton (bm). She was finally broken in 1749.
The 1646 Programme of fourth-rate vessels were basically three individual ships built to differing dimensions. With Parliament approving the disposal of six elderly ships, instructions were issued for the speedy building of other vessels in their place. The main specification was to build vessels to carry 32 to 34 guns. Each vessel would have 11 pairs lower deck gun ports and five or six pairs on the quarterdeck. The vessels would actually have varying number of guns and the dimensional data would vary considerably. Three vessels were ordered in December 1645.
England