The Gloucester
The Gloucester is in Ships.
1654. The Gloucester was a third-rate Speaker-class frigate launched in 1654 with 54 guns and 280 crew. She had a length at gundeck of 35.7m, a beam of 10.6m, and a depth of hold of 13 feet 6 inches (4.1 m). The ship's tonnage was 755 tons burthen.
She was built at Limehouse [Map] under the direction of Master Shipwright Matthew Graves, and was launched in March 1653 at a cost of £5,473.
In 1664 Admiral John Harman (age 39) was appointed Captain of the The Gloucester.
From 01 Jun 1666 to 04 Jun 1666 the English and Dutch fleets engaged in battle. The English lost ten ships and 1000 men. The Dutch lost four ships and 1500 men.
On 01 Jun 1666 William Berkeley (age 27) was killed.
The Gloucester took part.
On 25 Jul 1666 the English fleet inflicted a severe defeat on the Dutch. Dutch casualties amounted to 1200 men, English 300.
Captain George Batts fought in Richard Utber's division in the White Squadron..
The Gloucester fought.
On 12 Mar 1672 Admiral John Holmes (age 32), commanding The Gloucester, and Thomas Butler 6th Earl Ossory (age 37) attacked the Dutch Smyrna Fleet on its return from the Mediterranean beginning the Third Anglo-Dutch War.
On 28 May 1672 Philip Carteret (age 31) and Winston Churchill were killed at Solebay, Southwold [Map].
Edward Montagu 1st Earl Sandwich (age 46) was killed. His son Edward Montagu 2nd Earl Sandwich (age 24) succeeded 2nd Earl Sandwich.
George Legge 1st Baron Dartmouth (age 25) fought.
Charles Harbord (age 32) was killed. The inscription on his. Monument in Westminster Abbey [Map] reads ... Sr. Charles Harbord Knt. his Majesties Surveyor General, and First Lieutenant of the Royall James, under the most noble and illustrious captain Edward, Earle of Sandwich (age 46), Vice Admirall of England, which after a terrible fight maintained to admiration against a squadron of the Holland fleet for above six houres, neere the Suffolk coast, having put off two fireships, at last being utterly dissabled and few of her men remaining unhurt, was by a third unfortunately set on fire: but he (though he swam well) neglected to save himselfe as some did, and out of the perfect love to that worthy lord (whom for many yeares he had constantly accompanyed in all his honourable imployments, and in all the engagements of the former warr) dyed with him at the age of XXXIII, much bewailed of his father whom he never offended, and much beloved of all for his knowne piety, vertue, loyalty, fortitude and fidelity.
Captain John Cox was killed in action.
Admiral John Holmes (age 32) fought as commander of Rupert.
The Gloucester took part.
On 07 Jun 1673 and 14 Jun 1673 two naval battles took place between an allied Anglo-French fleet commanded by Prince Rupert Palatinate Simmern 1st Duke Cumberland (age 53) on his flagship the Royal Charles, and the fleet of the United Provinces, commanded by Admiral Michiel de Ruyter (age 66). The Dutch won both battles.
The Gloucester took part.
On 21 Aug 1673 the Battle of Texel was a naval battle between the English and Dutch. Prince Rupert Palatinate Simmern 1st Duke Cumberland (age 53) commanded the Allied fleet of about 92 ships and 30 fireships. Jean II d'Estrées commanding the van, and Sir Edward Spragge (age 53) the rear division. The Dutch fleet of 75 ships and 30 fireships was commanded by Admiral Michiel de Ruyter (age 66).
Although there were no major ship losses, many were seriously damaged and about 3,000 men died, two-thirds of them English or French.
The Gloucester fought.
In 1682 Captain Christopher Gunman (age 47) was court-martialled for the loss of the The Gloucester.
On 06 May 1682 The Gloucester sank during a strong gale when it struck a sandbank twenty-eight miles off Great Yarmouth, Norfolk [Map] on a journey from Portsmouth to Edinburgh. Of the estimated 330 people on board it is believed between 130 and 250 sailors and passengers perished.
The Duke of York (age 48) [the future King James II] and John Churchill 1st Duke Marlborough (age 31) were rescued in the ship's boat.
Robert Ker 3rd Earl Roxburghe (age 24) drowned. His son Robert Ker 4th Earl Roxburghe (age 5) succeeded 4th Earl Roxburghe.
John Hope of Hopetoun drowned. He gave up his seat in a lifeboat to the future King James II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 48) for which his son was rewarded with an Earldom twenty-one years later when he came of age.
Richard Hill drowned.
The pilot James Ayres was blamed for the disaster. The Duke of York (age 48) wished him to be hanged immediately. He was court-martialled and imprisoned.
In 2007 the wreck of The Gloucester was discovered by Norfolk-based printer brothers Julian and Lincoln Barnwell, together with their late father, friend James Little and another unnamed friend.
The shipwreck is split down the keel, with remains of the hull submerged in sand, and it is not known how much of it is intact. There are no plans to raise any part of it.
The finds included glasses found in the original case, clothes, shoes, navigational equipment, personal possessions and unopened wine bottles. One of the wine bottles bears a glass seal with the crest of the Legge family.
In 2012 the bell of the The Gloucester was raised to the surface providing evidence of the identity of the vessel.
