Monmouth Class armoured cruisers of the Royal Navy. Cruisers in the class were HMS Monmouth, HMS Bedford, HMS Berwick, HMS Cornwall, HMS Cumberland, HMS Donegal, HMS Essex, HMS Kent, HMS Lancaster and HMS Suffolk.

In response to the number of amoured cruisers being built by Germany, France and The United States, The Royal navy ordered the 10 cruisers of the Monmouth class, over the naval programmes of 1898 / 1899 and 1900.  These ships were planned to have the same speed as th4e Drake Class, but be smaller and so be cheaper to Build, they also had the same armour arrangement as the Cressy class but the armour was of a reduced thickness. These differences made these ships inadequate to fulfill their functions and were considered by many to be second rate cruisers.   they were good steamers but due to the weight of their turrets pitched heavily in bad weather.  All the class served in Home waters except HMS Lancaster and HMS Monmouth which served in the Mediterranean. From 1906 all the ships were dispersed to overseas stations. 

HMS Bedford.

HMS Bedford.

HMS Bedford in 1902.

HMS Cornwall at Swinemunder Harbour, Germany.  

The quarter deck of HMS Cornwall.

HMS Cumberland 

HMS Cumberland ships company (rugby or football team)

HMS Cumberland photographed on Coronation night.  

HMS Donegal

A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available.  Order photograph here  © Walker Archive. Order Code  PHC132

HMS Donegal  

HMS Donegal.

HMS Donegal

Crew of HMS Donegal, 1913.

In the photo opposite of the crew of HMS Donegal, third from right, bottom row, as shown above is the grandfather of the contributor.

HMS Essex.  

HMS Essex pictured c.1912. 

HMS Essex.

HMS Kent 

HMS Kent.

The launch of the armoured cruiser HMS Kent on 6th March 1901 at Portsmouth Dockyard.

Artist's Impression of HMS Kent sinking Nurnberg off the Falkland Islands, December 8th 1914.

Sent in by John Valentine, whose father served during this battle;

My father, Frederick Valentine, served as a sub-lieutenant on board HMS Kent during the Falklands navel battle. I am at present scanning his photographs of these events and attempting to restore the images, many of which are in very poor condition.  I would be interested in identifying some of the ships and, who knows, finding relatives of the other men who served with my father under Captain Allen.  I have a copy of the "Daily Colonist" a Vancouver newspaper dated June 6th 1915. This is where the Kent was refitted after suffering considerable damage in her battle with the Nuremberg. There is a photograph of the Kent's officers with their names. My father was listed as "midshipman" as he was serving as an RNVR, having spent several years in sail on The Mersey, running between England and Australia. He was trained on HMS Conway. Also included are photographs of the ships company and Captain Allen.  Also in the paper, printed across the top of two inside pages (see above), is an artists impression of the Nuremberg going down with the Kent standing off at a distance my father described as "unrealistically close in naval terms". The detail is such that I imagine the engraver used photographs as his source.  The paper had been triple-folded  and squashed into the back of the album for nearly ninety years, so it is rather delicate.  

If you know of anyone who has a relative who served on the Kent at this time, I would be interested in making contact. The album had been hidden away in a cupboard since my father's death in 1968, but it has recently come into my possession. I want it to be shared by all who may be interested. The originals are not of course for sale under any circumstances.

HMS Lancaster.

HMS Lancaster c.1910 

Crew of HMS Lancaster with Montana Liz.  A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available.  Order photograph here  © Walker Archive. Order Code  PHC138

The Captain of HMS Lancaster with Montana Liz.  

Some of the crew of HMS Lancaster.

The Launch of HMS Lancaster in 1902.

Sir William White designed the ship and Messrs Hawthorn, Leslie and Co. made the machinery. The christening of the vessel was performed by Mrs Douglas, wife of Vice-Admiral Douglas.

Crew members possibly from the cruiser HMS Monmouth at Wei Hai Wei in September 1913. 

HMS Monmouth 

HMS Monmouth.

HMS Monmouth.

HMS Monmouth which was sunk by the German Navy near the coast of Chili during world war one.

HMS Suffolk

A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available.  Order photograph here  © Walker Archive. Order Code  PHC142

HMS Suffolk at Vladivostock c.1912   

HMS Suffolk at Malta c.1910 

HMS Suffolk.

HMS Suffolk.