HMS Speedwell

Fifteen ships of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS Speedwell:

• Speedwell was a galley captured from the French in 1560 and broken up in 1580.
• Speedwell was a 40-gun galleon launched in 1573 as the 41-gun Swiftsure. She was rebuilt in 1592, renamed Speedwell and rearmed to 40 guns in 1607 and was lost in 1624.
• HMS Speedwell was a 20-gun ship launched in 1656 as HMS Cheriton. She was renamed HMS Speedwell in 1660 and was wrecked in 1676.
• HMS Speedwell was an 8-gun fireship purchased in 1688 and sunk as a breakwater in 1692.
• HMS Speedwell was an 8-gun fireship launched in 1690. She was rebuilt in 1702 as a 28-gun fifth rate and was wrecked in 1720.
• HMS Speedwell was a 14-gun sloop launched in 1744 and sold in 1750.
• HMS Speedwell was an 8-gun sloop launched in 1752. She was converted to a fireship and renamed HMS Spitfire in 1779 and was sold in 1780.
• HMS Speedwell was a cutter of unknown origin, that the French captured in 1761.
• HMS Speedwell was an 18-gun sloop listed in 1775 that the Spanish frigate Santa Bárbara (1768) captured on 26 October 1781 near Gibraltar.
• HMS Speedwell was a 16-gun cutter purchased in 1780 and converted to a brig in 1796. She foundered in 1807.
• HMS Speedwell was a 5-gun schooner purchased in 1815 and sold in 1834.
• HMS Speedwell was a survey cutter purchased in 1841 and sold in 1855.
• HMS Speedwell was a wooden screw Philomel-class gunvessel launched in 1861 and broken up in 1876.
• HMS Speedwell was a torpedo gunboat launched in 1889. She was converted to a minesweeper in 1909 and was sold in 1920.
• HMS Speedwell was a Halcyon-class minesweeper launched in 1935 and sold into civilian service in 1946, being renamed Topaz.

Also

There was a cutter Speedwell, possibly a Revenue cutter or a privateer, that captured two French privateers in early December 1782 near Weymouth. One was Complaisant,^[1] and the other was Poisson Volant. This Speedwell does not appear to be HMS Speedwell as at that time Speedwell was at Gibraltar under the command of Lieutenant Gibson.

See also

• HM Hired armed lugger Speedwell
• HMS Speedwell Prize
• HMS Speedy
• Speedwell (ship), 16th century English sailing ship

Citations

1. Lloyd's List, no. 1420..