HMS Skylark (1826)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Skylark.

History
United Kingdom
Name	Skylark
Namesake	Skylark
Ordered	25 March 1823
Builder	Pembroke Dockyard
Laid down	May 1825
Launched	6 May 1826
Completed	22 February 1827
Fate	Wrecked, 25 April 1845
General characteristics
Class and type	Cherokee-class brig-sloop
Tons burthen	236 78/94 bm
Length	90 ft 2 in (27.5 m) (gundeck) 73 ft 9 in (22.5 m) (keel)
Beam	24 ft 9 in (7.5 m)
Draught	9 ft 4 in (2.8 m)
Depth	11 ft (3.4 m)
Sail plan	Brig
Complement	Royal Navy:52 Packet service:21
Armament	Royal Navy: 2 × 6-pounder guns + 8 × 18-pounder carronades Packet service: 2 × 6-pounder guns

HMS Skylark was a 10-gun Cherokee-class brig-sloop built for the Royal Navy during the 1820s. She was wrecked in 1845.

Construction and description

Skylark, the second ship of her name to serve in the Royal Navy, ^[1] was ordered on 25 March 1823, laid down in May 1825 at Pembroke Dockyard, Wales, and launched on 6 June 1826. ^[2] She was completed on 22 February 1827 at Plymouth Dockyard. ^[3]

Skylark had a length at the gundeck of 90 feet (27.4 m) and 73 feet 3 inches (22.3 m) at the keel. She had a beam of 24 feet 11 inches (7.6 m), a draught of about 9 feet 4 inches (2.8 m) and a depth of hold of 11 feet (3.4 m). The ship's tonnage was 234 67/94 tons burthen. ^[3] The Cherokee class was armed with two 6-pounder cannon and eight 18-pounder carronades. The ships had a crew of 52 officers and ratings. ^[2]

Career

The Royal Navy had taken over the Post Office Packet Service and she became a Falmouth packet. ^[4]

On 25 March 1842, Skylark was driven ashore at Greenock, Renfrewshire. She was refloated and taken into port. ^[5]

Fate

On 25 April 1845, Skylark was driven ashore and wrecked at St Alban's Head, Dorset. Her crew survived. ^[6]

Notes

1. Colledge, p. 324
2. Winfield & Lyon, p. 124
3. Winfield, p. 1077
4. Lloyd's Register (1827), "Falmouth Packets", Seq.No.31.
5. "Shipping Intelligence". The Morning Chronicle. No. 22576. London. 29 March 1842.
6. "Ship News". The Times. No. 18909. London. 28 April 1845. col E-F, p. 7.

References

• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN   978-1-86176-281-8.
• Phillips, Lawrie; Lieutenant Commander (2014). Pembroke Dockyard and the Old Navy: A Bicentennial History. Stroud, Gloucestershire, UK: The History Press. ISBN   978-0-7509-5214-9.
• Winfield, Rif (2008). British Warships in the Age of Sail, 1793-1817: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates (epub). Barnsley, UK: Seaforth. ISBN   978-1-84415-700-6.
• Winfield, R.; Lyon, D. (2004). The Sail and Steam Navy List: All the Ships of the Royal Navy 1815–1889 . London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN   978-1-86176-032-6.