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| Name | Speedwell (1861) | Explanation | |
| Type | Gunvessel | ||
| Launched | 12 February 1861 | ||
| Hull | Wooden | ||
| Propulsion | Screw | ||
| Builders measure | |||
| Displacement | 570 tons | ||
| Guns | 5 | ||
| Fate | 1876 | ||
| Class | Philomel | ||
| Ships book | ADM 135/443 | ||
| Note | |||
| Snippets concerning this vessels career | |||
| Date | Event | ||
| 8 September 1863 - 26 February 1865 | Commanded (from commissioning at Woolwich) by Commander George Frederick Cottam, West coast of Africa (until Cottam was invalided) | ||
| 26 February 1865 - 16 February 1867 | Commanded (until paying off at Woolwich) by Commander James Elphinstone Erskine, West coast of Africa | ||
| 19 July 1867 - 21 November 1871 | Commanded (from commissioning at Woolwich until paying off at Sheeness) by Commander John Parry Jones-Parry, west coast of Africa, then (April 1869) south-east coast of America | ||
| Extracts from the Times newspaper | |||
| Date | Extract | ||
| We 13 February 1861 | The Speedwell, screw gunvessel, of 5 guns and 427 tons was successfully launched yesterday from Deptford dockyard, in the presence of Capt.-Superintendent Buckle and several visitors. The ceremony of naming the vessel was performed by Miss Fincham, daughter of the master-shipwright. The Jaseur, a similar vessel, is to be immediately commenced on the slip vacated by the Speedwell. | ||
| Fr 16 August 1861 | Her Majesty's gunboat Speedwell, in command of Mr M'Intosh Hall, which went down the river on Tuesday last from Woolwich on a first trial of her machinery, made a second trial yesterday, the first having been unsatisfactory. The engines are of 80-horse power. The Speedwell was recently built at Deptford and is intended to carry five Armstrong guns. | ||
| Tu 26 November 1861 | Her Majesty's screw steam-gunvessel Speedwell, built at Deptford, having undergone the manufacturer's trial of her machinery satisfactorily, proceeded on Saturday to the Lower Hope from Woolwich Dockyard, in command of Master Commander J.M. Hall, on an Admiralty test, under the supervision of Mr. Patridge. This second trial gave equal satisfaction, the engines performing 10¼ knots at full speed and eight at half power, The vessel is ordered to be taken into the second-class reserve. | ||
| Tu 8 September 1863 | The Recruit, 6,160-horse power, Commander George F. Cottam, iron paddlewheel steamer, was put out of commission yesterday in Chatham harbour, and her officers and crew turned over to the Speedwell, 5, 80-horse power. The paddlewheel steamer Medusa, 4, 312-horse power, Master-Commander J. Loane, steamed into the harbour at an early hour yesterday morning and received on board the officers and crew of the Recruit for conveyance to the Speedwell, at Woolwich. Commander Cottam, hauled down his pennant yesterday afternoon. Upwards of 12,000l. have been spent in repairing the Recruit and fitting her for sea, She goes into the first-class steam-reserve until final order respecting her have been received from the Admiralty. Her internal fittings, bulkheads, &c., are undisturbed. | ||
| Tu 8 September 1863 | The Recruit, 6, 160-horse power, Commander George F. Cottam, iron paddlewheel steamer, was put out of commmision yesterday in Chatham harbour, and her officers and crew turned over to the Speedwell, 5, 80-horse power. The paddlewheel steamer Medusa, 4, 312-horse power, Master-Commander J. Loanc, steamed into the harbour at an early hour yesterday morning and received on board the officers and crew of the Recruit for conveyance to the Speedwell, at Woolwich. Commander Cottam hauled down his pennant yesterday afternoon. Upward of 12,000l. have been spent in repairing the Recruit and fitting her for sea. She goes into the first-class steam-reserve until final orders respecting her have been received from the Admiralty. Her Internal fittings, bulkheads, &c., are undisturbed. | ||
| We 9 September 1863 | The Speedwell gunboat, 428 tons and 80-horse power now fitting for service in the inner basin at Woolwich, was yesterday commissioned by Mr. George Metter for Commander George Cottam, late of the Recruit, the officers and crew of the latter vessel having been transferred to the Speedwell. The crews are berthed for the present on board the receiving ship Salsette, as the Speedwell is not expected to be ready for sea before the end of October; Her armament will consist of one 68-pounder, 95 cwt. pivot gun, two 24-pounder howitzers, and two 20-pounder Armstrong guns. Commander Cottam has borne the brunt of much hard and dangerous service. His appointment to the gunboat Speedwell is therefore a matter of surprise, and is accounted for on the supposition that the Speedwell is the only vessel of that class now to be commissioned, and that the gallant Commander's services will be requited shortly by his removal to a more honourable command. | ||
| We 9 September 1863 | The Speedwell gunboat, 428 tons and 80-horse power now fitting for service in the inner basin at Woolwich, was yesterday commissioned by Mr. George Metter for Commander George Cottam, late of the Recruit, the officers and crew of the latter vessel having been transferred to the Speedwell. The crews are berthed for the preseut on board the receiving ship Salsette, as the Speedwell is not expected to be ready for sea before the end of October. Her armament will consist of one 68-pounder, 95cwt. pivot gun, two 24-pounder howitzers, and two 20-pounder Armstrong guns. Commander Cottam has borne the brunt of much hard and dangerous service. His appointment to the gunboat Speedwell is therefore a matter of surpvise, and is accounted for on the supposition that the Speedwell is the only vessel of that class now to be commissioned, and that the gallant Commander’s services will be requited shortly by his removal to a more honourable command. | ||
| Tu 29 September 1863 | Her Majesty's 6-gun paddle sloop Hydra, ordered to replace the surveying ship Medina in the Mediterranean, -was yesterday taken out of the fitting basin at Woolwich and moored in the river to be completed; and the 5-gun vessel Speedwell, Commander Cottam, commissioned for service on the West Coast of Africa, was yesterday undocked and was made fast alongside the receiving hulk for the transfer of her crew. | ||
| Sa 10 October 1863 | The Speedwell, 5, gun vessel, Commander George F. Cottam, yesterday bent sails alongside the receiving hulk Salsette, at Woolwich, and received over her crew, under orders to go down the river this morning, and test her machinery and rate of speed at the measured mile. After this she will return to the Arsenal buoy, and ship her powder and proceed to her destination - the West Coast of Africa. | ||
| Fr 16 October 1863 | The gunboat Speedwell, Commander Cottam, commissioned to replace the Recruit (intended for service on the West Coast of Africa, and afterwards condemned), was inspected yesterday. The crew were mustered at the powder buoy at Woolwich, by the Commodore, Sir Frederick Nicolson, and Commander Luke, superintendent of the Steam Reserve. The Speedwell afterwards left Woolwich for Greenhithe to adjust compasses for sea. | ||
| Tu 20 October 1863 | The gunboat Speedwell, Commander George F. Cottam, has sailed from Greenhithe, after the adjustment of compasses, for her station on the West Coast of Africa, and the iron storeship Supply, Master Commander Bawden, has also sailed from Greenhithe, with a cargo of victualling and dockyard stores from Deptford and Woolwich, for Gibraltar and Malta. | ||
| We 21 October 1863 | The screw steam gunvessel Speedwell, 4, Commander Cottam, from Sheerness, arrived at Plymouth on Monday evening, and is now in the Sound, receiving coal, preparatory to her departure for the West Coast of Africa. | ||
| Ma 26 October 1863 | The screw steam gun vessel Speedwell, 4, Commander Cottam, has left Plymouth for the West Coast of Africa. | ||
| Th 27 October 1864 | The Queen of Spain has awarded to Commander George Cottam, of the gunvessel Speedwell, a sword of honour, in recognition of the prompt services rendered by him to the Spanish Government in the month of November last by conveying from Palma to Santa Cruz, Tenerife, 673 Spanish soldiers, the transport ship General Alava, which was taking the troops out to San Domingo, having been destroyed by fire. The troops were much wanted at San Domingo to assist in quelling the insurrection. The sword has, by direction of the Lords of the Admiralty, been presented to Commander Cottam by Commodore A. P. Eardlay Wilmot, in command of the squadron on the West African station. | ||
| Fr 1 February 1867 | The Speedwell, 5, screw gunvessel, 423 tons, 80-horse power, Commander James E. Erskine, arrived at Spithead on Wednesday from the West Coast of Africa, and waits orders at Spithead relative to the port selected for her dismantling and paying out of commission. | ||
| Th 7 February 1867 | Her Majesty's screw gunvessel Speedwell, Commander James Elphinstone Erskine (August 4, 1862), from the West Coast of Africa, having been inspected at the powder buoy off Woolwich Arsenal, by Commodore Superintendent Edmonstone and Mr. Lory, Naval Secretary [Francis James Lory, Paymaster, secretary to the Commodore Superintendent], yesterday went into the outer basin at the dockyard, and commenced dismantling, in preparation for being paid out of commission, as ordered, on Saturday, the 16th inst. She was fitted for service at Woolwich, and commissioned in September, 1863, the whole of the officers having been since removed with the exception of the Assist.-Paymaster in charge. Edward S.M. Power, who has returned with the ship to Woolwich. | ||
| We 5 June 1867 | Her Majesty's ships Nymphe and Speedwell, in basin at Woolwich, and now ready for the pennant, are ordered to be placed in the first-class steam reserve, in preparation to be commissioned for service. | ||
| Sa 13 July 1867 | Her Majesty's paddle storeship Dee, master-commander George Raymond, on particular service, went into basin yesterday at Woolwich, to ship machinery and steam gear, for the western yards. The Industry Iron storeship, employed on the foreign victualling service, was taken out of No. 1 dock at Woolwich, and gave place to Her Majesty's gun vessel Speedwell, recently commissioned by Commander Parry, and preparing for service on the West Coast or Africa, to aid in the suppression of the slave trade. She is to have a complement of 65 men and lads, and is ordered to be ready for sea during the first week in August. | ||
| Ma 12 August 1867 | Her Majesty's 5-gun vessel Speedwell, Commander Parry, was on Saturday inspected at her moorings, at Greenhithe, by Commodore Edmonstone, Superintendent of Woolwich Dockyard, and Mr. Lory, Secretary [Francis James Lory, Paymaster, secretary to the Commodore Superintendent], in preparation for service on the station she formerly occupied on the West Coast of Africa. | ||
| Th 15 August 1867 | The screw steam gun vessel Speedwell, 5, Commander Parry, from Woolwich, arrived at Plymouth yesterday, bound for the West Coast of Africa. | ||
| We 19 May 1869 | The Speedwell, Commander J.P.J. Parry, was at Ascension on the 6th of April, on her way to the south-east coast of America. | ||
| We 15 November 1871 | The Speedwell, 5, screw gun-vessel, 428 tons, 80-horse power, Commander John P.J. Parry, which has been on service on the south-east coast of America for some years, has arrived at Sheerness to be paid off and put out of commission; and yesterday War Department vessels left Chatham Gun-wharf to take on board her guns, shot, shell, powder, &c. | ||
| Th 23 November 1871 | The Speedwell, 5, screw gun-vessel, 428 tons, 80-horse power, Commander J. Parry, lately returned from service on the south-east coast of America, and now in the great basin at Sheerness, having been dismantled, was paid one of commission on Tuesday, and her crew proceeded for the usual six weeks' leave. She will be placed in the fourth division of the Steam Reserve. | ||
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