Warrior Class ironclad battleships
of the pre dreadnought era. Class included HMS Warrior and HMS Black
Prince. They were the first Ocean going iron armoured naval ships. when
completed they were the most powerful naval ships afloat. both ships had
ship rig. and HMS Warrior could make 13knots under sail and the Black
prince 11 Knots. Initially they were classified as frigates and
planned to carry forty 68pdr guns. but this was modified while under
construction to carry ten 110 pdr and twenty six 68 pdr SB guns and Four
70 pdr. Both ships were refitted in 1867 / 1868 when both were re
armed with armament as listed below. and a second refit was
carried out in 1872/1875 during this refit a poop and steam
capstan were fitted. In 1880 they were re classified as armoured
cruisers. and put into the reserve fleet.
HMS Warrior was built by Ditchburn
and mare at Blackwall and laid down on the 25th May 1859, launched 29th December
1860 (she froze tot he slipway. and when Sir John Pakington, The First
Sea Lord came to launch her she was frozen solid to the slip way, extra
tugs were called to pull her free) and completed 24th October
1861.(total cost £390,000) initially fitted with an
armament often 110 pdr and twenty six 68 pdr SB guns and Four 70 pdr.
Her fist captain was The Hon. Arthur Cochrane. (son of the earl of
Dundonald). HMS warrior joined the Channel squadron in June 1862. She
was withdrawn from active sea servcie in 1883. In 1902 HMS Warrior
was converted into a depot ship and in 1904 renamed HMS Vernon
III at Portsmouth. joining HMS Vernon the navy Torpedo
Training School. and in 1923 she was hulked, and offered for sale
but no one purchased her. In March 1929 she left Portsmouth
Harbour for Pembroke Dock Milford haven. renamed again as C77 and became
a oil pipeline pier at Pembrok Dock, amore than 5,000 ships had been refueled
alongside the Old warrior in her Fifty years service as C77. In 1979 The
Hulk was moved to Hartlepool for restoration. Work completed HMS warrior
was moved back to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard and can be seen today in
her full glory.
Displacement: 9137 tons, Speed: 14.
08 knots. under sail 13 knots. Compliment 705 Armament: Four
8 inch Guns, twenty Eight 7 - inch MLR and four 20 pounder BL.
HMS Black Prince. Built at Glasgow
by Napier initially to be called HMS Invincible but this was changed as
she was laid down. (12th October 1859) launched 27th February 1861. and
completed 12th September 1862. She became a training ship in 1899
and was renamed HMS Emerald in 1903. and in 1910 became HMS Impregnable
III. Sold and scrapped 21st March 1923.
Displacement: 9250 tons, Speed: 13.6
knots. under sail 11 knots. Compliment 705 Armament: Four 8
inch Guns, twenty Eight 7 - inch MLR and four 20 pounder BL.
The compliment of the ships was
705 . This was 42 officers, 3 Warrant Officers, 455 Seamen, 3
Royal marine Officers, 6 Royal marine NCO's 118 Royal marines
artillerymen, 2 chief engineers, 10 Engineers, 66 Stokers and
trimmers.
