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HMS Magnificent of the
Majestic Class battleships shown in old photographs leaving Chatham
dockyard to serve in Channel Squadron. HMS Magnificent was the flagship of
Rear-Admiral Alington, photographs collected from the Army & Navy
Gazette of 1896. HMS Magnificent 12 inch turrets were used for the
Monitors General Craufurd and Prince Eugene, she was used as a troop
transport in September 1915 and an ammunitions store in 1918. She was
finally scrapped in June 1921.
HMS Magnificent 1902
Armament: four 12 inch guns, twelve 6 inch guns, sixteen 12 pdr
guns, twelve 3 pdr guns, 2 maxims, two 2pdr boat guns and five torpedo
tubes. Displacement: 14,900 tons. Speed: 16.5
knots. Complement: 757. |
| HMS MAGNIFICENT |
19TH DECEMBER 1894 |
SOLD FOR B/U 9TH MAY 1921 |
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HMS Magnificent.
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The Magnificent photographed at the Royal Review
of 1902. She was the flagship of the Honourable A G Curzon-Howe, who was
second in command of the Channel Squadron at this time. |
HMS Magnificent.
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HMS Magnificent.
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HMS Magnificent.
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HMS Magnificent, 1895.
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HMS Magnificent, 1895.
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HMS Magnificent.
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HMS Magnificent - Prepare for Action.
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HMS Magnificent in dock at Chatham 1896.
The photograph shows HMS magnificent leaving the dock at Chatham where
she was finally completed for commission. The Photo was taken just before
the dock was filled and the gates opened for the Magnificent to pass out
into the basin and thence into the Medway for her passing round to Devonport
which was going to be her future port as senior ship of the second or
western Division of the Channel squadron.
Original
magazine photo page published 1895 - 1902. Price £25.
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HMS Magnificent Leaving Chatham 1896. The Magnificent
left Chatham for Devonport, her new port from 1896 onwards. Five days
after she hoisted the pennant under conditions of special eclat. Most of
the official heads of the Dockyard, from Admiral Superintendent downwards,
were present as she passed through the gates of the outer basin into the
fairway of the Medway, to give her a parting cheer and wish the
grand battleship God Speed. Those on board the Magnificent of course
returned the compliment with the usual ceremony on these occasions. The
Marines presenting arms to a parting salute and the band playing.
This photograph from the Navy and army Illustrated of Jan 31st 1896 shows
the scene on the quarter deck of the battleship. |
From Right Aft, Looking at After Barbette of HMS
Magnificent. Photo taken from the barbette of the Magnificent from a position right
aft, directly at the muzzles of the guns in the after Barbette of the
ship. One can see now at a glance how the armoured steel "hood"
closes over and protects the two heavy guns and the more or less intricate
mechanism of their breech loading apparatus, at the same time that it
adequately shelters the men who are handling the guns. This method of
protection designed particularly against the quick-firing guns of an
enemy. has until now been applied only in the Barfleur and Centurion among
our ships on the active list.
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The Men of HMS Magnificent 1896. These are
some of the crew who serve don HMS Magnificent while in the Channel
Squadron (1896). The ships company was at the time approx 750 men.
These comprise of Seamen, stokers, marines, marine artillerymen, and
officers of all grades, petty, warrant and commissioned. from Midshipmen
(some of whom are shown on the right side of the photograph) to the Rear
Admiral, second in command of the Squadron, whose flagship the Magnificent
is.
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The Commander of the Lion - 1896.
When this photograph was taken, Commander Thomas Young Greet was
in the Magnificent. As Commander he was responsible to the Captain
for the proper working and carrying on of the routine duties and the
general interior economy of the ship, with general supervision of
discipline among all ranks junior to him on board. Commander Greet
has since relinquished this appointment, and is now in charge of the Lion
training ship for boys at Devonport. |
The Captain of the Magnificent - 1896.
Captain Charles James Barlow, D.S.O., commissioned the Magnificent on
her completion for sea on the 12th of last December. He has a
distinguished record, for his services as Lieutenant of the Inflexible at
Alexandria, and in the later shore operations of July 1882; and for
services with a Naval Brigade in Burmah, while holding the post of
Commander of the Bacchante, then British flagship in the East
Indies. In the Channel Squadron, as Captain he has commanded both
the Endymion and the Empress of India. |
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Admirals Cabin aboard HMS Magnificent 1896.
Rear Admiral Alingtons cabin on board his flagship. A most comfortable
an apartment as can be found on board a Battleship at the time. The Dog on
the rug was the Admirals Special pet, "Bow"
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In the Ward Room of HMS Magnificent 1896.
In the Centre of the table, which is shown laid for dinner, is one of
the few pieces of plate that the officers of HMS magnificent have brought
over with them from their previous ship HMS Empress of India. it is the
cup that rear Admiral Dale, Admiral Alington's predecessor as second in
command of the Channel Squadron, presented, on striking his flag in the
spring of 1895, to the Officers of his Flagship HMS Empress of India.
Reproduction
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Mr Edward Braithwaite B.A The Naval instructor
for HMS Magnificent. with a group of "young Gentlemen" These
naval cadets are placed under his supervision to continue their naval
studies. (1896 ) He joined HMS Magnificent from HMS Empress of
India
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Rear Admiral A.H Alington with Flag
Lieutenant William George Elmhurst Ruck-Keene pictured on board HMS
Magnificent January 1896.
Rear Admiral A H Alington. entered the navy in 1852 and had seen service
during the Russian War 1854-1855. he joisted his flag on board HMS Empress
of India in April 1895, as second in command in the Channel, and on the
12th December turned over into HMS Magnificent while being
commissioned. Flag Lieutenant William George Elmhurst Ruck Keene
entered the Royal navy in 1880 and as a naval cadet saw service in the
Egyptian War. Both Officers have been awarded medals for saving Life. Original
magazine photo page published 1895 - 1902. Price £25.
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The Mascot of HMS Magnificent. The bear is
shown being fed a can of condensed milk on board HMS Magnificent. The Bear
was first obtained as a cub three months old by Admiral Heneage when on
board HMS Swiftsure was on the Pacific Station, from Juno Island Alaska.
On the Swiftsure paying off it was presented to the ships company of HMS
Anson who took it with them when they transferred to HMS Empress of India.
The ships company of Empress of India were turned over in December
1895 to HMS Magnificent and the bear accompanied them. Original
magazine photo page published 1895 - 1902. Price £25.
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The first pay day on board the Magnificent (1896).
Our illustration records the first pay day on board the Magnificent,
after she was commissioned in December at Chatham. The leading
figure of the group of officers is Fleet Paymaster W B Autridge, and with
him Lieutenant C H Dundas, the First Lieutenant of the Magnificent Mr
James Murray, Assistant Paymaster, Arthur R Martin, Chief Writer, and
(with the book, calling over the men's names) Master-at-Arms, James
Foster, the Chief of the Police on board. |
The Admiral's Stern-Walk on Board the
Magnificent
The view of the stern of the battleship
Magnificent shows the stern-walk of the Admiral's cabin. In this balcony
the Admiral can at any time watch the vessels of his fleet or squadron,
without being obliged to come on deck, and his presence there in no way interferes
with the general work of the ship. An Admiral, as a fact, is by way of
being only a passenger in his own flagship, and his appearance on deck is
more or less a matter of ceremonial, not differing greatly from that which
was observed in a ship of war on the Admiral coming over the side.
"The stern-walk" also, as an old Admiral - Sir Robert Stopford,
in his youth one of Nelson's Captains - used to say, " is an
Admiral's best place for health and recreation." Original
magazine photo page published 1895 - 1902. Price £25.
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Morning Prayers on Board the Magnificent
Every morning on board ship after the general
daily muster of the company for inspection, the men assemble aft on the
quarter-deck or the most spacious open space on board, for prayers. After
the order "Off Caps", on which everyone uncovers, the chaplain
reads the morning service, the men repeating the responses in a reverent
and decorous manner. It is a very ancient custom, dating from the earliest
days of the Royal Navy in Elizabeth's time, when it was also the usage of
the sea to sing hymns and psalms at the changing of every watch. This
usage of hymn and psalm singing lasted in the Navy till after the
Restoration. In the 19th century prayers were often read before going into
action. |
The Search Light on the Bridge of the Magnificent - 1896
Everybody, since the Naval Exhibition of five years ago, knows
something about the search light - what it is for, and how it is
used. The Magnificent is very efficiently equipped with no fewer
than six search light projectors, distributed at all points of the
ship. They are very powerful, and are worked by three dynamos, each
of 600 amperes. One of these search light projectors, with the men
to work it, forms the subject of our illustration. The hostile
torpedo boat that on a dark night was brought into view by its rays would
stand a poor chance against the hail of projectiles which would be poured
upon her.
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On the After Barbette of the Magnificent, looking Aft - 1896
From our point of vantage we may get something of an idea of the wide
sweep and command of fire of the Magnificent's big fifty ton guns.
We can, furthermore, see at close quarters something of the novel feature
of the mounting designed for the protection of the breech of the guns and
of the men forming the gun detachment. This, in the Magnificent and
the ships of her class, takes the form of "hoods" of thick
steel, revolving with the guns on a turntable within each barbette.
On deck aft, men of the ship's company are being told off for work.
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Rear-Admiral Alington and the Officers of the Magnificent
In this photograph we see Rear-Admiral Alington, the
officer second in command of the Channel Squadron on board the battleship
Magnificent, surrounded by the officers of the executive and civil
branches of the flagship. The Rear-Admiral is distinguishable by the broad
band of gold lace on his sleeve, the mark of a flag officer, with above it
a narrow ring of lace to note his grade as Rear-Admiral. Vice-Admirals
wear two rings above the broad band, Admirals three, Admirals of the
fleet, four. The Flag-Captain of the Magnificent wears four rings of lace
on his sleeve and no wide band, and the two commanders of the ship three.
Officers wearing aiguillettes denote that they belong to a flag-officer's
staff. Seated on the deck are shown the Midshipmen and Naval Cadets of the
Magnificent.
Original Photographic image from
quality magazine published in 1896 image size 10" x 8" approx ,
plus title and specifications. price £20 plus £3 post for UK £10 overseas, recorded airmail
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A Message for the Captain of the Magnificent
The two officers shown her are the captain and
commander of the battleship Magnificent during 1896, Captain Charles James
Barlow, DSO, flag-captain to Rear-Admiral Alington, second in command of
the Channel Squadron, and Commander Frederick Edward Errington Brock. They
are shown discussing a message written down on a signal-slate as received
by signal from another ship, and brought to Captain Barlow on the
quarter-deck by one of the signal men, who is seen standing nearby waiting
to return to the bridge with the slate and the captain's answer. The
noting down of messages on a slate on board ship in the 1890's was by then
common usage in the Royal Navy. In this way Nelson's famous message at
Trafalgar was noted down by Signal-Lieutenant Pasco of the Victory from
the Admiral's own lips, and as received on board the different ships, the
words were written on each ship's signal slate in the first place and
taken to the captain as the ships were going into action - so letters
written by officers after the battle relate.
Original Photographic image from
quality magazine published in 1896 image size 10" x 8" approx ,
plus title and specifications. price £20 plus £3 post for UK £10 overseas, recorded airmail
order number ANV1301 order
photograph here |
The
Magnificent c.1900
Admiral Jenkins, Captain Ferris and other officers |
HMS Magnificent Circa 1906
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Clearing for Action on Board the Magnificent 1896
Once a week on every Friday morning every British ship of war in
commission during 1896 rehearses as a matter of drill, all the operations
and incidents of a ship-to-ship battle; as if in the immediate presence of
an enemy. On the bugle sounding the call for action the guns' crew run to
their guns and clear them of all encumbrances and everything in the way of
straight shooting; the magazines are opened and dummy cartridges are
passed up to the guns; the torpedo men make ready their torpedoes; the
surgeon and assistants prepare and lay everything out ready for the
wounded; watertight compartments are closed and all doors shut; and so on.
All being ready, another bugle sounds and an imaginary battle begins, the
gun batteries drilling, imaginary outbreaks of fire and damage received
from hostile shots being attended to, and all contingencies that can be
thought of dealt with as though the ship were actually under fire. The
photograph shows the men getting the boats' davits and other obstacles out
of the way, so as to give a clear range of fire for the two 50 ton guns in
the after barbettes. |
HMS Magnificent |
| HMS
Magnificent - Sister ships of the Majestic Class |
| HMS CAESAR |
2ND SEPTEMBER 1896 |
SOLD FOR B/U 8TH NOVEMBER 1921 |
| HMS HANNIBAL |
28TH APRIL 1896 |
SOLD FOR B/U 28TH JANUARY 1920 |
| HMS ILLUSTRIOUS |
17 SEPTEMBER 1896 |
SOLD FOR B/U 18TH JUNE 1920 |
| HMS JUPITER |
18TH NOVEMBER 1895 |
SOLD FOR B/U 15TH JANUARY 1920 |
| HMS MAJESTIC |
31ST JANUARY 1895 |
TORPEDOED 27TH MAY 1915 |
| HMS MARS |
30TH MARCH 1896 |
SOLD FOR B/U 9TH MAY 1921 |
| HMS PRINCE GEORGE |
22ND AUGUST 1895 |
SOLD FOR B/U 21ST SEPTEMBER 1921 |
| HMS VICTORIOUS |
19TH OCTOBER 1895 |
SOLD FOR B/U 19TH DECEMBER 1922 |
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