HMS Trafalgar (1841)
Encyclopedia
HMS Trafalgar was a 120-gun first rate ship of the line
Ship of the line
A ship of the line was a type of naval warship constructed from the 17th through the mid-19th century to take part in the naval tactic known as the line of battle, in which two columns of opposing warships would manoeuvre to bring the greatest weight of broadside guns to bear...

 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...

, launched on 21 June 1841 at Woolwich Dockyard
Woolwich Dockyard
Woolwich Dockyard was an English naval dockyard founded by King Henry VIII in 1512 to build his flagship Henri Grâce à Dieu , the largest ship of its day....

. She was the last to be completed of the successful Caledonia class
Caledonia class ship of the line
The Caledonia-class ships of the line were a class of nine 120-gun first rates, designed for the Royal Navy by Sir William Rule. A tenth ship was ordered on 29 October 1827 to the same design, but was launched in 1833 as the Queen to a fresh design by Sir William Symonds.The armament remained the...

.

The ship was named by Lady Bridport, niece of Lord Nelson at the request of Queen Victoria, who with Prince Albert
Prince Albert
Prince Albert was the husband and consort of Queen Victoria.Prince Albert may also refer to:-Royalty:*Prince Albert Edward or Edward VII of the United Kingdom , son of Albert and Victoria...

 also attended the launch. The wine used was some kept from after returning from Trafalgar. Five hundred people were on board the ship at the time of its launch, of whom 100 had been at Trafalgar. It was estimated 500,000 people came to watch the event and the Thames was covered for miles with all manner of boats. The launch was the subject of the most notable work by Woolwich-based artist William Ranwell
William Ranwell
William Ranwell was a notable English landscape artist during the early 19th century. Ranwell exhibited as a Royal Academician and with Suffolk Street Galleries....

.

Trafalgar was fitted with screw propulsion in 1859, and sold out of the service in 1906.
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