Hulks in Hong Kong (19th century)

Submitted by Klaus on Thu, 06/27/2024 - 23:48

A hulk is a ship that is afloat, but incapable of going to sea. Hulks served different purposes:

  • An accommodation hulk is a hulk used as housing, generally when there is a lack of quarters available ashore (barracks).
  • A receiving ship is a ship used in harbour to house newly recruited sailors before they are assigned to a ship's crew
  • A prison hulk was a hulk used as a floating prison
  • Hulks used for storage (depot ship)
  • Hulks used as hospital ships

(source Wikipedia

In the history of Hong Kong, many hulks have been stationed in Victoria Harbour, the best known being HMS Tamar. David posted already in 2010 a list of hulks used in Hong Kong in the 19th and early-20th centuries. This post tries to give information and, if available, photos of these ships in Hong Kong. Some ships have pages of their own, attached are links to these. The list gives the name of the ship, its class, the years of service in Hong Kong and finally their use. Additionally, this compilation deals only with larger hulks first stationed in the 19th century. Most hulks from the second half of the 19th century were (small) gunboats which are difficult to find on photos.

 

HMS Minden

ex 74

1842-1861

seamen's hospital

  •  74-gun Ganges-class third-rate ship of the line
  • launched on 19 June 1810 from Bombay
  • arrived in Hong Kong late 1842 as hospital ship, later store and military stationary ship, sold August 1861
HMS Minden (??) 1860
HMS Minden (??) 1860, by Klaus

 

HMS Alligator

ex 28

1848-1865

seamen's hospital

  • 28-gun Atholl-class sixth rate
  • launched at Cochin, British India on 29 March 1821
  • 1848 service in Hong Kong as Seamen’s hospital, sold in October 1865

[small ship, difficult to find on photos from this time]

 

HMS Hercules

ex 74

1853-1865

army depot

  • 74-gun third-rate ship of the line
  • launched on 5 September 1815 at Chatham
  • 1853 arrived in Hong Kong, served as depot and receiving ship, sold in August 1865 to be broken
HMS Hercules (?) 1860
HMS Hercules (?) 1860 , by Klaus

 

 

HMS Melville

ex 74

1857-1873

hospital ship

  • 74-gun third rate ship of the line
  • launched on 17 February 1817 at Bombay Dockyard.
  • 1857 converted to a hospital ship, sold 1873
HMS Melville (?) 1860
HMS Melville (?) 1860, by Klaus

 

 

HMS Princess Charlotte

ex 110

1858-1875

barracks

  •  104 Gun 1st Rate Ship of the line.
  • Launched 14th September 1825 in Portsmouth 
  • Arrived Hong Kong 6th January 1858, Sold 1875,
  • replaced by HMS Victor Emmanuel
HMS Princess Charlotte c. 1868
HMS Princess Charlotte c. 1868, by Klaus

 

HMS Meeanee

ex 80

1867-1906

army hospital

  • two-deck 80-gun second rate ship of the line
  • launched on 11 November 1842 at Bombay Dockyard
  • 1867/80 hospital ship in Hong Kong, sold and broke up in 1906
HMS Meanee
HMS Meanee , by Klaus

 

HMS Victor Emmanuel

battleship

1874-1897

base ship

 

  • 91-gun second-rate ship of the line
  • 1855: Launched as Repulse at Pembroke Dockyard, then later in the year renamed to Victor Emmanuel after he visited the ship.
  • 1874: Arrived in Hong Kong on 11th December to replace Princess Charlotte as the receiving ship.
  • 1897-09-30: Paid off and replaced by HMS Tamar.
HMS Victor Emmanuel
HMS Victor Emmanuel, by Klaus

 

HMS Flamer

gunboat

1868-1874

hospital ship

  • wooden gunboat 232 tons
  • Launched 10 April 1856
  • 1867 converted to a hospital, wrecked in the 1874 typhoon
HMB Flamer stranded during 1874 typhoon
HMB Flamer stranded during 1874 typhoon, by Klaus

 

 

HMS Tamar

troopship

1897-1941

base ship

  • troop ship
  • built by the Samuda Brothers at Cubitt Town, London, launched in 1865
  • 1897 converted to a hulk,
  • 1897-10-01 in service until 11 December 1941, when she was scuttled just before the Japanese captured Hong Kong
0003-1925 Hong Kong - HMS Tamar (1863-1941) Ship Dressed overall.jpg
0003-1925 Hong Kong - HMS Tamar (1863-1941) Ship Dressed overall.jpg, by Godfrey-Wetoasthk

 

Addendum: hulk not related to the Royal Navy

Small Pox Hulk "Hygeia"

hospital ship

1891-1909

hospital ship

  • 1891 built as hospital ship by HK and Whampoa Dock Company
  • served as small pox hospital ship
  • damaged in the 1906 typhoon, refloated, finally sold in 1909. (Source)
Small Pox Hulk "Hygeia" 1905 : Kennedy Town.jpg
Small Pox Hulk "Hygeia" 1905 : Kennedy Town.jpg, by Susann

 

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