HMS Formidable arrives at Portishead

The “Formidable” Training Ship.

Collated by Mary Mason. Contemporary Ship Under Sail

1869 Sep 18. Excerpts from the Bristol Mercury.

“Her Majesty’s line-of-battle-ship Formidable, which has been granted by the admiralty as a training ship for Bristol, arrived off Portishead at mid-day on Saturday and now lies anchored about 500 yards off the pier of the Bristol and Portishead Railway Company. Not without considerable effort on the part of those interesting them selves in this matter-owing to the claims of other important cities being pressed upon the Government- Bristol has succeeded in securing one of the finest vessels (the largest, we believe, with one exception) yet granted for this object and the members of the Bristol Training Ship Association will shortly see the philanthropic labours fairly commenced in the reclamation of destitute and neglected boys of our city from the haunts of ignorance, wretchedness and vices.”

“Captain Poulden, R.N. late of H.M.S. Excellent at Portsmouth, was appointed to the command; and we may here state that already, during the gallant Captain’s limited connection with the association, its members have seen much to cause them to congratulate themselves on their choice. Captain Poulden has had twenty years experience in the navy; and in addition to this his unassuming thought polished manners, the invariable courtesy with which he received all who approached him, and the humane, Christian feeling which is evidently one of his ruling characteristics, must have most favourably impressed all who accompanied him on the voyage from Sheerness to our roadstead.”

“The Formidable, which was built in 1825 is a fine type of the old-fashioned two and three decker line of battle ships constructed before “Old England’s wooden walls” had given place to the huge armour-plated iron-built steam ships of war of modern times. Though furnished with parts for guns on upper, main, and lower decks, she is technically known as a “two-decker”. Her registered tonnage is about 2300 tons and she was pierced for fully 100 guns—there being twenty ports on the upper deck, thirty-six on the main deck, and forty on the lower deck, in addition to stern ports on each deck, for stern chasers. Her length of deck is 230 feet and breadth of beam about 55 feet.”

“The voyage from Sheerness to Kingroad has cost the company over £400, the Liverpool Company undertaking the work for that sum, the London Company requiring £250. In addition to this expense, a special crew of from 40 to 50 men had to be engaged to bring her round to Kingroad, and there was the further expense of pilots and other fees.”