The Cherokee class was a 10-gun class of brig-sloops of the Royal Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

. Brig-sloops are sloops-of-war with two masts (as per brigs) rather than the three masts of ship-sloops. The best known of the class was HMS Beagle

HMS Beagle

HMS Beagle was a Cherokee-class 10-gun brig-sloop of the Royal Navy. She was launched on 11 May 1820 from the Woolwich Dockyard on the River Thames, at a cost of £7,803. In July of that year she took part in a fleet review celebrating the coronation of King George IV of the United Kingdom in which...

, converted in 1825 into a three-masted exploration vessel for its first survey voyage, then considerably modified for the second voyage

Second voyage of HMS Beagle

The second voyage of HMS Beagle, from 27 December 1831 to 2 October 1836, was the second survey expedition of HMS Beagle, under captain Robert FitzRoy who had taken over command of the ship on its first voyage after her previous captain committed suicide...

 with Charles Darwin

Charles Darwin

Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...

 on board as a gentleman naturalist; however, a total of 114 vessels were ordered to this design, including 4 which were cancelled and 6 completed as steam vessels.

Design

The design for the Cherokee class was completed in 1807 by Henry Peake and approved on 26 November 1807, with the first four vessels having been ordered in March 1807 but not laid down until December; by the end of 1808 another 30 vessels had been ordered to this design. After these 34, a further 2 were ordered in 1812 which were built of teak at Bombay. The design was subsequently revived after the end of the Napoleonic Wars

Napoleonic Wars

The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...

, and another 78 were ordered in two batches between 1817 and 1827. The first batch of these later ships consisted of 34 orders whilst the second amounted to 44 new vessels of which 4 were cancelled and 6 replaced by orders for paddle vessels.

1808-1816 Vessels

The first four vessels listed below were ordered on 30 March 1807, two more on 26 November 1807 and the next twenty vessels on 31 December 1807. Eight more orders were placed during 1808.

Name	Launched
HMS Rolla	13 February 1808
HMS Cherokee	24 February 1808
HMS Leveret	24 February 1808
HMS Cadmus	26 February 1808
HMS Achates	1 February 1808
HMS Parthian	13 February 1808
HMS Briseis	19 May 1808
HMS Jasper	27 May 1808
HMS Ephira	28 May 1808
HMS Onyx	8 July 1808
HMS Badger	23 July 1808
HMS Opossum	9 July 1808
HMS Wild Boar	9 July 1808
HMS Rinaldo	13 July 1808
HMS Chanticleer HMS Chanticleer (1808) HMS Chanticleer was a Cherokee-class 10-gun brig of the Royal Navy. Chanticleer was launched on 26 July 1808. She served in European waters during the Napoleonic Wars and was paid off and laid up at Sheerness in July 1816. She was chosen for an 1828 scientific voyage to the Pacific Ocean...	26 July 1808
HMS Goldfinch	8 August 1808
HMS Woodlark	17 November 1808
HMS Shearwater	21 November 1808
HMS Calliope	8 July 1808
HMS Hope	22 July 1808
HMS Britomart	28 July 1808
HMS Prince Arthur	28 July 1808
HMS Cordelia	26 July 1808
HMS Redpole	29 July 1808
HMS Helicon	8 August 1808
HMS Lyra	22 August 1808
HMS Beaver	16 February 1809
HMS Drake	3 November 1808
HMS Rosario	7 December 1808
HMS Renard	5 December 1808
HMS Tyrian	16 December 1808
HMS Bermuda	20 December 1808
HMS Rhodian	3 January 1809
HMS Sarpedon	1 February 1809

Two vessels were ordered 2 October 1812. These were built at Bombay, using teak construction, but were otherwise identical to the earlier 34.

Name	Launched
HMS Sphinx	25 January 1815
HMS Cameleon	15 January 1816

1818-1838 Vessels

Unlike the wartime batch, all the following were built in the Royal Dockyards rather than by contractors. Note that several names of vessels from the 1808-1816 batch were re-used for vessels in the second or third batches (as indicated below).

Thirty-four vessels were ordered in 1817-1820.

Name	Built by HM Dockyard	Launched
HMS Alacrity	Deptford Deptford Deptford is a district of south London, England, located on the south bank of the River Thames. It is named after a ford of the River Ravensbourne, and from the mid 16th century to the late 19th was home to Deptford Dockyard, the first of the Royal Navy Dockyards.Deptford and the docks are...	29 December 1818
HMS Bustard	Chatham Chatham, Medway Chatham is one of the Medway towns located within the Medway unitary authority, in North Kent, in South East England.Although the dockyard has long been closed and is now being redeveloped into a business and residential community as well as a museum featuring the famous submarine, HMS Ocelot,...	12 December 1818
HMS Brisk	Chatham Chatham, Medway Chatham is one of the Medway towns located within the Medway unitary authority, in North Kent, in South East England.Although the dockyard has long been closed and is now being redeveloped into a business and residential community as well as a museum featuring the famous submarine, HMS Ocelot,...	10 February 1819
HMS Delight	Portsmouth Portsmouth Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...	10 May 1819
HMS Cygnet	Portsmouth Portsmouth Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...	11 May 1819
HMS Ariel	Deptford Deptford Deptford is a district of south London, England, located on the south bank of the River Thames. It is named after a ford of the River Ravensbourne, and from the mid 16th century to the late 19th was home to Deptford Dockyard, the first of the Royal Navy Dockyards.Deptford and the docks are...	28 July 1820
HMS Eclipse	Plymouth Plymouth Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...	23 July 1819
HMS Falcon	Pembroke Pembroke Dock Pembroke Dock is a town in Pembrokeshire, south-west Wales, lying north of Pembroke on the River Cleddau. Originally a small fishing village known as Paterchurch, the town was greatly expanded from 1814 onwards following the construction of a Royal Naval Dockyard...	10 June 1820
HMS Beagle	Woolwich Woolwich Woolwich is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.Woolwich formed part of Kent until 1889 when the County of London was created...	11 May 1820
HMS Barracouta	Woolwich Woolwich Woolwich is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.Woolwich formed part of Kent until 1889 when the County of London was created...	13 May 1820
HMS Emulous (2nd of name)	Plymouth Plymouth Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...	16 December 1819
HMS Frolic	Pembroke Pembroke Dock Pembroke Dock is a town in Pembrokeshire, south-west Wales, lying north of Pembroke on the River Cleddau. Originally a small fishing village known as Paterchurch, the town was greatly expanded from 1814 onwards following the construction of a Royal Naval Dockyard...	10 June 1820
HMS Lyra (2nd of name)	Plymouth Plymouth Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...	1 June 1821
HMS Jasper (2nd of name)	Portsmouth Portsmouth Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...	26 July 1820
HMS Britomart (2nd of name)	Portsmouth Portsmouth Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...	24 August 1820
HMS Partridge	Plymouth Plymouth Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...	22 March 1822
HMS Reynard (2nd of name)	Pembroke Pembroke Dock Pembroke Dock is a town in Pembrokeshire, south-west Wales, lying north of Pembroke on the River Cleddau. Originally a small fishing village known as Paterchurch, the town was greatly expanded from 1814 onwards following the construction of a Royal Naval Dockyard...	26 October 1821
HMS Weazle	Chatham Chatham, Medway Chatham is one of the Medway towns located within the Medway unitary authority, in North Kent, in South East England.Although the dockyard has long been closed and is now being redeveloped into a business and residential community as well as a museum featuring the famous submarine, HMS Ocelot,...	26 March 1822
HMS Kingfisher	Woolwich Woolwich Woolwich is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.Woolwich formed part of Kent until 1889 when the County of London was created...	11 March 1823
HMS Procris	Chatham Chatham, Medway Chatham is one of the Medway towns located within the Medway unitary authority, in North Kent, in South East England.Although the dockyard has long been closed and is now being redeveloped into a business and residential community as well as a museum featuring the famous submarine, HMS Ocelot,...	21 June 1822
HMS Algerine	Deptford Deptford Deptford is a district of south London, England, located on the south bank of the River Thames. It is named after a ford of the River Ravensbourne, and from the mid 16th century to the late 19th was home to Deptford Dockyard, the first of the Royal Navy Dockyards.Deptford and the docks are...	10 June 1823
HMS Magnet	Woolwich Woolwich Woolwich is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.Woolwich formed part of Kent until 1889 when the County of London was created...	13 March 1823
HMS Zephyr	Pembroke Pembroke Dock Pembroke Dock is a town in Pembrokeshire, south-west Wales, lying north of Pembroke on the River Cleddau. Originally a small fishing village known as Paterchurch, the town was greatly expanded from 1814 onwards following the construction of a Royal Naval Dockyard...	1 November 1823
HMS Opossum (2nd of name)	Sheerness Sheerness Sheerness is a town located beside the mouth of the River Medway on the northwest corner of the Isle of Sheppey in north Kent, England. With a population of 12,000 it is the largest town on the island....	11 December 1821
HMS Onyx (2nd of name)	Sheerness Sheerness Sheerness is a town located beside the mouth of the River Medway on the northwest corner of the Isle of Sheppey in north Kent, England. With a population of 12,000 it is the largest town on the island....	24 January 1822
HMS Plover	Portsmouth Portsmouth Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...	30 June 1821
HMS Ferret	Portsmouth Portsmouth Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...	12 October 1821
HMS Hope (2nd of name)	Plymouth Plymouth Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...	8 December 1824
HMS Mutine	Plymouth Plymouth Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...	19 May 1825
HMS Tyrian (2nd of name)	Woolwich Woolwich Woolwich is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.Woolwich formed part of Kent until 1889 when the County of London was created...	16 September 1826
HMS Philomel	Portsmouth Portsmouth Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...	28 April 1823
HMS Royalist	Portsmouth Portsmouth Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...	12 May 1823

In addition, another ship was ordered as HMS Halcyon, but was cancelled in 1831. Two more, HMS Griffon and HMS Forester were re-ordered in the third batch in 1826.

Forty-four vessels were ordered in 1823-1826, but of these only thirty-four were built as sailing brigs.

Name	Built by HM Dockyard	Launched
HMS Leveret (2nd of name)	Portsmouth Portsmouth Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...	19 February 1825
HMS Musquito	Portsmouth Portsmouth Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...	19 February 1825
HMS Hearty	Chatham Chatham, Medway Chatham is one of the Medway towns located within the Medway unitary authority, in North Kent, in South East England.Although the dockyard has long been closed and is now being redeveloped into a business and residential community as well as a museum featuring the famous submarine, HMS Ocelot,...	22 October 1824
HMS Myrtle	Portsmouth Portsmouth Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...	14 September 1825
HMS Lapwing	Chatham Chatham, Medway Chatham is one of the Medway towns located within the Medway unitary authority, in North Kent, in South East England.Although the dockyard has long been closed and is now being redeveloped into a business and residential community as well as a museum featuring the famous submarine, HMS Ocelot,...	20 February 1825
HMS Sheldrake HMS Sheldrake (1825) HMS Sheldrake was a 4-gun Cherokee class Royal Navy brig launched in 1825 at Pembroke. She was sold for scrap in 1855.-External links:*...	Pembroke Pembroke Dock Pembroke Dock is a town in Pembrokeshire, south-west Wales, lying north of Pembroke on the River Cleddau. Originally a small fishing village known as Paterchurch, the town was greatly expanded from 1814 onwards following the construction of a Royal Naval Dockyard...	19 May 1825
HMS Harpy	Chatham Chatham, Medway Chatham is one of the Medway towns located within the Medway unitary authority, in North Kent, in South East England.Although the dockyard has long been closed and is now being redeveloped into a business and residential community as well as a museum featuring the famous submarine, HMS Ocelot,...	16 July 1825
HMS Fairy	Chatham Chatham, Medway Chatham is one of the Medway towns located within the Medway unitary authority, in North Kent, in South East England.Although the dockyard has long been closed and is now being redeveloped into a business and residential community as well as a museum featuring the famous submarine, HMS Ocelot,...	25 April 1826
HMS Skylark	Pembroke Pembroke Dock Pembroke Dock is a town in Pembrokeshire, south-west Wales, lying north of Pembroke on the River Cleddau. Originally a small fishing village known as Paterchurch, the town was greatly expanded from 1814 onwards following the construction of a Royal Naval Dockyard...	6 May 1826
HMS Espoir	Chatham Chatham, Medway Chatham is one of the Medway towns located within the Medway unitary authority, in North Kent, in South East England.Although the dockyard has long been closed and is now being redeveloped into a business and residential community as well as a museum featuring the famous submarine, HMS Ocelot,...	9 May 1826
HMS Calypso (2nd of name)	Chatham Chatham, Medway Chatham is one of the Medway towns located within the Medway unitary authority, in North Kent, in South East England.Although the dockyard has long been closed and is now being redeveloped into a business and residential community as well as a museum featuring the famous submarine, HMS Ocelot,...	19 August 1826
HMS Spey	Pembroke Pembroke Dock Pembroke Dock is a town in Pembrokeshire, south-west Wales, lying north of Pembroke on the River Cleddau. Originally a small fishing village known as Paterchurch, the town was greatly expanded from 1814 onwards following the construction of a Royal Naval Dockyard...	6 October 1827
HMS Variable	Pembroke Pembroke Dock Pembroke Dock is a town in Pembrokeshire, south-west Wales, lying north of Pembroke on the River Cleddau. Originally a small fishing village known as Paterchurch, the town was greatly expanded from 1814 onwards following the construction of a Royal Naval Dockyard...	6 October 1827
HMS Briseis (2nd of name)	Deptford Deptford Deptford is a district of south London, England, located on the south bank of the River Thames. It is named after a ford of the River Ravensbourne, and from the mid 16th century to the late 19th was home to Deptford Dockyard, the first of the Royal Navy Dockyards.Deptford and the docks are...	3 July 1829
HMS Rapid	Portsmouth Portsmouth Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...	17 August 1829
HMS Recruit	Portsmouth Portsmouth Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...	17 August 1829
HMS Reindeer	Plymouth Plymouth Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...	29 September 1829
HMS Thais	Pembroke Pembroke Dock Pembroke Dock is a town in Pembrokeshire, south-west Wales, lying north of Pembroke on the River Cleddau. Originally a small fishing village known as Paterchurch, the town was greatly expanded from 1814 onwards following the construction of a Royal Naval Dockyard...	12 October 1829
HMS Rolla (2nd of name)	Plymouth Plymouth Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...	10 December 1829
HMS Savage	Plymouth Plymouth Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...	29 December 1830
HMS Saracen	Plymouth Plymouth Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...	30 January 1831
HMS Scorpion	Plymouth Plymouth Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...	28 July 1832
HMS Termagent	Portsmouth Portsmouth Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...	26 March 1838
HMS Lynx	Portsmouth Portsmouth Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...	2 September 1833
HMS Nautilus	Woolwich Woolwich Woolwich is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.Woolwich formed part of Kent until 1889 when the County of London was created...	11 March 1830
HMS Curlew	Woolwich Woolwich Woolwich is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.Woolwich formed part of Kent until 1889 when the County of London was created...	25 February 1830
HMS Delight (2nd of name)	Chatham Chatham, Medway Chatham is one of the Medway towns located within the Medway unitary authority, in North Kent, in South East England.Although the dockyard has long been closed and is now being redeveloped into a business and residential community as well as a museum featuring the famous submarine, HMS Ocelot,...	27 November 1829
HMS Algerine (2nd of name)	Chatham Chatham, Medway Chatham is one of the Medway towns located within the Medway unitary authority, in North Kent, in South East England.Although the dockyard has long been closed and is now being redeveloped into a business and residential community as well as a museum featuring the famous submarine, HMS Ocelot,...	1 August 1829
HMS Griffon (2nd of name)	Chatham Chatham, Medway Chatham is one of the Medway towns located within the Medway unitary authority, in North Kent, in South East England.Although the dockyard has long been closed and is now being redeveloped into a business and residential community as well as a museum featuring the famous submarine, HMS Ocelot,...	11 September 1832
HMS Forester (2nd of name)	Chatham Chatham, Medway Chatham is one of the Medway towns located within the Medway unitary authority, in North Kent, in South East England.Although the dockyard has long been closed and is now being redeveloped into a business and residential community as well as a museum featuring the famous submarine, HMS Ocelot,...	28 August 1832
HMS Partridge (2nd of name)	Pembroke Pembroke Dock Pembroke Dock is a town in Pembrokeshire, south-west Wales, lying north of Pembroke on the River Cleddau. Originally a small fishing village known as Paterchurch, the town was greatly expanded from 1814 onwards following the construction of a Royal Naval Dockyard...	12 October 1829
HMS Wizard	Pembroke Pembroke Dock Pembroke Dock is a town in Pembrokeshire, south-west Wales, lying north of Pembroke on the River Cleddau. Originally a small fishing village known as Paterchurch, the town was greatly expanded from 1814 onwards following the construction of a Royal Naval Dockyard...	24 May 1830
HMS Charybdis	Portsmouth Portsmouth Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...	27 February 1831
HMS Buzzard	Portsmouth Portsmouth Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...	23 March 1834

Six further vessels were re-ordered as paddle steamers in May 1824 - HMS Alban, HMS Carron, HMS Columbia, HMS Confiance, HMS Dee and HMS Echo. Four more vessels were cancelled - HMS Sealark, HMS Hyaena, HMS Foxhound and HMS Helena.