HMS Trafalgar was a 120-gun first-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 21 June 1841 at Woolwich Dockyard. HMS Trafalgar was the last ship to complete the successful Caledonia class.[1]
The figurehead was a bust of Lord Nelson, and is now on display at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.[2] The ship was named by Nelson's niece Lady Bridport at the request of Queen Victoria, who with Prince Albert also attended the launch. The wine used was some kept from HMS Victory 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.[3] The launch was the subject of the most notable work by Woolwich-based artist William Ranwell.
Trafalgar was engaged in the Bombardment of Sevastopol on 17 October 1854 during the Crimean War.[4]
The ship was fitted with screw propulsion in 1859. As a training ship at Portland, she was renamed HMS Boscawen in 1873, and finally sold out of the service in 1906.[1] Commander Lawrence de Wahl Satow was appointed in command 15 April 1902.[5]
Media related to HMS Trafalgar (1841) at Wikimedia Commons