HMS Benbow (1813)
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HMS Benbow was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built by Brent of Rotherhithe and launched on 3 February 1813.[1]
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In 1840 Benbow saw action in the bombardment of the city of Acre under the command of Admiral Robert Stopford. At the height of the battle either Benbow or the naval steamer Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". fired the shell that destroyed Acre's powder magazine, causing an explosion that greatly weakened the city's defences.[2]
Benbow was used for harbour service from February 1848 until August 1859, when she was converted to be used as a coal hulk. In 1892, after 79 years of service, she was sold out of the Navy, and was broken up in 1895 at Castle, Woolwich.[1]
Figurehead
The figurehead of Benbow is carved in the likeness of Vice Admiral John Benbow; a celebrated naval figure famed for seeing action against the Barbary corsairs, his exploits against the French and his death in active service.[3]
Carved in the form of a bust, Benbow is depicted in black armour. This was repainted metallic silver in the 1950s, before returning to the black the figurehead is seen in today.
Once removed from the ship in 1895, the figurehead became part of the collection at Chatham and featured in the Admiralty Catalogue of 1911. The figurehead did not join the Portsmouth collection until the 1940s.[4]
The figurehead is now part of the collection of the National Museum of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth.[5]
References
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Bibliography
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- Lavery, Brian (1983) The Ship of the Line - Volume 1: The development of the battlefleet 1650-1850. Conway Maritime Press. Template:ISBN.
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