HMS Bramble (1822)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Bramble.

HMS Bramble
History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Bramble
Ordered	20 March 1819
Builder	Plymouth Dockyard
Laid down	August 1820
Launched	8 April 1822
Commissioned	21 June 1824
Decommissioned	1876
Fate	Sold as a lightship, 23 December 1876
General characteristics
Class and type	Bramble-class cutter
Tons burthen	161 bm
Length	70 ft 9 in (21.6 m)
Beam	26 ft (7.9 m)
Draught	10 ft 3 in (3.1 m)
Sail plan	Fore-and-aft rig
Armament	10 guns

HMS Bramble was a 161-ton, 10-gun cutter launched on 8 April 1822 from Plymouth Dockyard.

Naval career

She operated from April 1842 to April 1847, under the command of Lieutenant Charles Bampfield Yule as a tender to HMS Fly. In the East Indies Station she undertook surveys around Australia. After April 1847, still commanded by Charles Yule as a tender to HMS Rattlesnake, she undertook surveys and explored the southern part of New Guinea and the Louisiade Archipelago.

Between 1855 and 1859 she was assigned as a tender to HMS Calliope undertaking survey work around Australia and also for diving operations at Sydney. Bramble was then assigned to the Australia Station in 1859 before being decommissioned in 1876.

Civilian career

She was sold as a lightship and was anchored at Sow and Pigs reef situated just on the eastern side of the channel between Middle Head and South Head, Sydney Harbour. She was purchased by Colonial Sugar Refining Co. and was fitted out as a lighter. In 1938, during the Sesquicentennial celebrations, she was chartered to the Maritime Services Board, who made the vessel into a replica of the historic HMS Supply. Afterwards she was reconverted into a lighter and was known as Registered lighter No. 79.

See also

• European and American voyages of scientific exploration