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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
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Photo # NH 71227:  HMS Northumberland moored to a buoy, circa 1868-1875

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- SHIPS of the BRITISH NAVY --

HMS Northumberland (Broadside Ironclad, 1868-1927)

HMS Northumberland, a 10,780-ton broadside ironclad built at Millwall, England, was a modification of the type represented by HMS Minotaur and HMS Agincourt. Of very similar appearance to those two, with five masts atop a long hull, Northumberland had a shorter battery with an armored bulkhead at each end, and an armored conning tower. Like her near-sisters, she was laid down in 1861 and took a long time to complete. Her launching in 1866 was a prolonged affair as she stuck fast on the slipway and did not enter the water for a month. Further delayed by the financial collapse of her builders, the ship was commissioned in October 1868.

Northumberland's first seven years of service was mostly spent with the Channel Squadron, but in mid-1869 came a special task. In company with HMS Agincourt she towed a large floating drydock to Madeira, where the ironclads Warrior and Black Prince took over and took the dock to its final destination at Bermuda. While at Funchal, Madeira, on Christmas Day 1872 her anchor chain parted during a storm and Northumberland drifted across the battleship Hercules' ram bow. Though she suffered serious underwater damage, her compartmented iron hull limited the flooding and she was able to steam to Malta for repairs.

Beginning in 1875 Northumberland underwent an extensive refit, losing two of her five masts and receiving a new set of guns. She rejoined the Channel Squadron in 1879. Except for another period of dockyard refit in 1885-1887, she was active for the next decade, including a tour as flagship toward the end of this time. Northumberland, now quite outdated, was harborbound from the early 1890s onward, initially in reserve and then as a stokers training ship (under the name Acheron). In 1909 she was converted to a coal hulk and had eighteen years' employment in that humble, but important role. Sold by the Navy in 1927, the old former battleship was used as a hulk (named Stedmound) at Dakar until 1935 and then scrapped.

This page features all the views we have concerning the British broadside ironclad Northumberland.


If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

Photo #: NH 61441

HMS Northumberland

(British Broadside Ironclad Battleship, 1868)

Engraving published in "Harper's Weekly" in 1866, while the ship was still under construction.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 154KB; 740 x 615 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 71222

HMS Northumberland

(British Broadside Ironclad Battleship, 1868)

In harbor, while fitted with her original five-masted rig, circa 1868-1875.

Copied from the photographic album "Types of Ships in the British Navy", prepared in 1877.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 53KB; 740 x 535 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 71227

HMS Northumberland

(British Broadside Ironclad Battleship, 1868)

Moored to a buoy, while carrying her original five-masted rig, circa 1868-1875.

Copied from the photographic album "Types of Ships in the British Navy", prepared in 1877.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 49KB; 740 x 490 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 71226

HMS Northumberland

(British Broadside Ironclad Battleship, 1868)

Seen from astern while alongside a wharf, while carrying her original five-masted rig, circa 1868-1875.
Note her sternwalk and boats.

Copied from the photographic album "Types of Ships in the British Navy", prepared in 1877.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 73KB; 740 x 485 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 58651

HMS Northumberland

(British Broadside Ironclad Battleship, 1868)

At anchor, after her rig was reduced from five to three masts in 1875-1879.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 53KB; 740 x 455 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 75980

HMS Northumberland

(British Broadside Ironclad Battleship, 1868)

In harbor, drying canvas aloft, after her rig was reduced to three masts during the later 1870s.

Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, D.C.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 84KB; 740 x 555 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 75982

HMS Northumberland

(British Broadside Ironclad Battleship, 1868)

In harbor while serving as the Channel Fleet's Second Flagship, 1890.

Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, D.C.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 78KB; 740 x 575 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 75997

HMS Northumberland
(British Broadside Ironclad, 1868), center, and
HMS Agincourt (British Broadside Ironclad, 1868), at left

Photographed together while serving in the Channel Fleet after 1879, when Northumberland was reduced from five-masted to three-masted rig, but prior to 1889, when Agincourt was placed in reserve.

Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, D.C.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 71KB; 740 x 585 pixels

 


In the following photographs HMS Northumberland may be among the ships present:

Photo #: NH 89536

Funchal, Madeira


View of Funchal harbor, taken by local photographer M.d.O. Perestrello during the 1870s or 1880s.
Four British battleships are present, among them two of the three "five masters" (Minotaur, Agincourt and Northumberland). The ship at far right, partially hidden by the land, appears to be HMS Monarch.

Collection of Captain E.L. Bennett, USN.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 253KB; 1200 x 935 pixels

 


If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


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Page made 10 May 2006