Royal Naval Drake Class armoured cruisers. The Drake Class consisted of HMS Drake, HMS Good Hope, HMS King Alfred and HMS Leviathan. These armoured cruisers were enlarged versions of the Cressy class but with increased armament of four 6 ins guns.

Displacement: 14,150 tons.    Horse power: 30,000.    Length: 500 ft.    Beam: 71 ft 4 ins.    Draught: 26 ft.    Armament: two 9.2 ins guns, sixteen 6 ins quick firing guns, fourteen 12 pounder guns, three 3 pounder guns and two 18 ins torpedo tubes.   Speed: 23 knots.    Complement: 900.

HMS Good Hope - Name History

The second “GOOD HOPE” is an 18-gun twin-screw cruiser, launched at Fairfield in 1901.  She is of 14,100 tons, 31,000 horse-power, and 24 knots speed.  Her length, beam, and draught are 500ft., 71ft., and 26ft.  This vessel’s original name was “Africa,” but it was changed to “Good Hope” before launching, in honour of the Cape Colony government, who had decided to present the Imperial government with a sum equivalent to the interest on her capital value. On November 25^th, 1992, the “Good Hope” left Portsmouth, commanded by Captain C.E. Madden and flying the flag of Rear-Admiral Wilmot H. Fawkes, conveying the Rt. Hon. Joseph Chamberlain to South Africa in connection with the settlement of many questions arising on the conclusion of the second Boer War.  She arrived at Durban on December 26^th, 1902, and Mr. Chamberlain returned to England in the following year in the Union Castle.  “Norman.”

HMS Good Hope, 1912.

A large image size 10" x 7" approx, is available.  Reproduced from the original negative / photo under license from MPL, the copyright holder.  A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price £25.   Order photograph here   Order Code  XMP948

Original republished © MPL Photograph (Postcard Size).  Price £5 Click here to order.  Order Code  MP948

HMS Good Hope before she was sunk by the German fleet off the coast of Chile on 1st November 1914. 

A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available.  Order photograph here  © Walker Archive. Order Code  PHC116

HMS Good Hope, sunk in the Battle of Coronel. 

A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available.  Order photograph here  © Walker Archive. Order Code  PHC117

HMS Good Hope.

A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available.  Order photograph here  © Walker Archive. Order Code  PHC561

HMS Good Hope.

A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available.  Order photograph here  © Walker Archive. Order Code  PHC574

HMS Good Hope

HMS Good Hope.  Contributed by email.

HMS Good Hope, flagship to Rear-Admiral Sir Christopher Cradock (inset) during 1914.

Ronald Mar, believes this ship either to be HMS Good Hope or HMS King Alfred 

A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available.  Order photograph here  © Walker Archive. Order Code  PHC118

The crew of HMS Good Hope pictured c.1914. 

A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available.  Order photograph here  © Walker Archive. Order Code  PHC119

HMS Good Hope.  

Inside the casement of HMS Good Hope.

HMS Good Hope from the fore bridge.

A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available.  Order photograph here  © Walker Archive. Order Code  PHC539

HMS King Alfred, 1910.

A large image size 10" x 7" approx, is available.  Reproduced from the original negative / photo under license from MPL, the copyright holder.  A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price £25.   Order photograph here   Order Code  XMP950

Original republished © MPL Photograph (Postcard Size).  Price £5 Click here to order.  Order Code  MP950

HMS King Alfred, 1906, Far East.

A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available.  Order photograph here  © Walker Archive. Order Code  LGE6A

HMS King Alfred

A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available.  Order photograph here  © Walker Archive. Order Code  PHC563

HMS King Alfred.  

A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available.  Order photograph here  © Walker Archive. Order Code  PHC120

HMS King Alfred.

A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available.  Order photograph here  © Walker Archive. Order Code  PHC

HMS King Alfred, c.1902

A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available.  Order photograph here  © Walker Archive. Order Code  PHC636

HMS King Alfred.

A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available.  Order photograph here  © Walker Archive. Order Code  PHC666

HMS King Alfred, 1903.

A large image size 10" x 7" approx, is available.  Reproduced from the original negative / photo under license from MPL, the copyright holder.  A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price £25.   Order photograph here   Order Code  XMP949

Original republished © MPL Photograph (Postcard Size).  Price £5 Click here to order.  Order Code  MP949

HMS King Alfred.  

Thanks to Peter Gillespie

HMS King Alfred.Contributed by email.

Spotlights shining, 1906.

The nearest ship is not HMS King Alfred, the far one may be, but it is more likely that the photo was taken from HMS King Alfred.

A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available.  Order photograph here  © Walker Archive. Order Code  LGE6H

HMS King Alfred, stranded at Shoeburyness, 5th May 1905.

A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available.  Order photograph here  © Walker Archive. Order Code  PHC810

Crossing the Line on HMS King Alfred, 1906.

A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available.  Order photograph here  © Walker Archive. Order Code  LGE6B

Crossing the Line on HMS King Alfred, 1906.

A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available.  Order photograph here  © Walker Archive. Order Code  LGE6E

Crossing the Line on HMS King Alfred, 1906.

A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available.  Order photograph here  © Walker Archive. Order Code  LGE6C

Captain of HMS King Alfred, 1906.

A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available.  Order photograph here  © Walker Archive. Order Code  LGE6D

Crew member of HMS King Alfred, 1906.

A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available.  Order photograph here  © Walker Archive. Order Code  LGE6F

Crew of HMS King Alfred, 1906.

Possibly playing cricket?

A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available.  Order photograph here  © Walker Archive. Order Code  LGE6G

HMS Leviathan.

A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available.  Order photograph here  © Walker Archive. Order Code  PHC725

HMS Leviathan.

A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available.  Order photograph here  © Walker Archive. Order Code  PHC654

HMS Leviathan pictured c.1912, with her war paint. 

A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available.  Order photograph here  © Walker Archive. Order Code  PHC122

The Armoured Cruiser Leviathan

A large image size 10" x 7" approx, is available.  Reproduced from the original negative / photo under license from MPL, the copyright holder.  A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price £25.   Order photograph here   Order Code  XMP951

Original republished © MPL Photograph (Postcard Size).  Price £5 Click here to order.  Order Code  MP951

The Leviathan was built at Clydebank and completed at Portsmouth. She had a water-line armour belt, while her two 9.2 in guns were placed in armoured barbettes, her 6 in quick firers were also well protected by armour. While en route to Portsmouth from the Clyde she maintained a speed of 19 knots while being able on paper to reach 23 knots. The ships in this class were a great improvement on the old protected cruisers.

HMS Leviathan

A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available.  Order photograph here  © Walker Archive. Order Code  PHC669

HMS Leviathan, 1909.

A large image size 10" x 7" approx, is available.  Reproduced from the original negative / photo under license from MPL, the copyright holder.  A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price £25.   Order photograph here   Order Code  XMP952

Original republished © MPL Photograph (Postcard Size).  Price £5 Click here to order.  Order Code  MP952

HMS Leviathan, at breakers, 1920s.

A large image size 10" x 7" approx, is available.  Reproduced from the original negative / photo under license from MPL, the copyright holder.  A signed numbered certificate is supplied. Price £25.   Order photograph here   Order Code  XMP953

Original republished © MPL Photograph (Postcard Size).  Price £5 Click here to order.  Order Code  MP953

Football team of the E.R.A's (Engine Room Artificers) of HMS Leviathan, 1916.

A reproduction of this original photo / photo-postcard size 10" x 7" approx available.  Order photograph here  © Walker Archive. Order Code  PHC808