HMS Hibernia was a 110-gun first-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy. She was launched at Plymouth dockyard on 17 November 1804, and was the only ship built to her draught, designed by Sir John Henslow. She was later refloated, repaired, and returned to service.

Between 1807 and 1808, Hibernia, under the command of Sir William Sidney Smith, led the British escort of the Portuguese Royal Family during the transfer of the Portuguese Court to Brazil.

Hibernia was flagship of the British Mediterranean Fleet from 1816 until 1855, when she became the flagship for the Royal Navy's base at Malta and stationed in Grand Harbour. She remained in this role until she was sold in 1902.

The ten-day court-martial of the surviving officers and crewmen of the battleship for the loss of their ship in a 22 June 1893 collision with the battleship near Tripoli was held on Hibernias deck. The proceedings began on 17 July 1893.

Hibernia was sold for £1,010 to Michele Apap on 14 October 1902 and broken up at Pietà in 1903. Heavily painted timbers ended up being used to fire local bakeries, which led to an outbreak of lead poisoning on the island. A statue of the Virgin Mary, in her mantle as Queen of Heaven, was carved from a section of the ship's main mast and can be seen in the Collegiate Parish Church of St Paul's Shipwreck in Valletta. Her figurehead is now displayed at the Malta Maritime Museum, which is housed in the former Royal Naval Bakery building in Birgu, Malta.

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Figurehead HMS Hibernia 1804 MMM n01.jpg|Hibernias figurehead on display at the Malta Maritime Museum

HMS Hibernia in dry dock in Malta.jpg|Hibernia in drydock at Malta,

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References

Bibliography

  • Hough, Richard. Admirals in Collision. New York: Viking Press, 1959. Library of Congress Card Catalog Number 59-13415.
  • Lavery, Brian (1983) The Ship of the Line - Volume 1: The development of the battlefleet 1650-1850. Conway Maritime Press. .