HMS Sprightly (1818)

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

History
United Kingdom
Name	Sprightly
Ordered	1817
Builder	Pembroke Dockyard
Laid down	October 1817
Launched	3 June 1818
Completed	18 January 1820
Fate	Wrecked, 27 December 1820
General characteristics
Class and type	Nightingale-class cutter
Tons burthen	140 bm
Length	67 ft (20.4 m) (gundeck) 52 ft 7 in (16.0 m) (keel)
Beam	22 ft 5 in (6.8 m)
Draught	10 ft 5 in (3.2 m)
Depth	9 ft 6 in (2.9 m)
Sail plan	Fore-and-aft rig
Complement	34
Armament	2 × 6-pdr cannon; 4 × 6-pdr carronades

HMS Sprightly was a 6-gun Nightingale-class cutter built for the Royal Navy during the 1810s. She was wrecked off the Isle of Portland in 1821.

Description

Sprightly had a length at the gundeck of 67 feet (20.4 m) and 52 feet 7 inches (16.0 m) at the keel. She had a beam of 22 feet 5 inches (6.8 m), a draught of about 10 feet 5 inches (3.2 m) and a depth of hold of 9 feet 6 inches (2.9 m). The ship's tonnage was 140 tons burthen. ^[1] The Nightingale class was armed with two 6-pounder cannon and four 6-pounder carronades. The ships had a crew of 34 officers and ratings. ^[2]

Construction and career

Sprightly, the fourth ship of her name to serve in the Royal Navy, ^[3] was ordered in 1817, laid down in October 1817 at Pembroke Dockyard, Wales, and launched on 3 June 1818. ^[2] She was transferred to the Revenue Service in 1819 ^[3] and completed on 18 January 1820 at Plymouth Dockyard. ^[4] She was driven ashore and wrecked at Portland, Dorset on 27 December 1820. Her crew were rescued by HMRC Greyhound and HMRC Scourge. ^[5]

Notes

1. Winfield, p. 1181
2. Winfield & Lyon, p. 133
3. Colledge, p. 330
4. Phillips, p. 57
5. "(untitled)". The Times. No. 11139. London. 9 January 1821. col E, p. 3.

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 (2014). British Warships in the Age of Sail, 1817-1863. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth. ISBN   978-1848321694.
• 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.