HMS Dreadnought (1875) Ironclad Turret Ship
Laid down on 10 September 1870 with the name Fury, HMS Dreadnought was an ironclad turret ship of the Royal Navy. Construction was halted in 1871 following the loss the HMS Captain in a heavy storm. A redesign improved stability and buoyancy. Renamed Dreadnought on 1 February 1875 just before her launch on 8 March 1875 she was completed on 15 February 1879. The ship was then immediately placed in reserve until 1884 when she was commissioned for service with the Mediterranean Fleet.
Dreadnought returned to Britain in in September 1894 for a refit that included the replacement of her Nordenfelt guns with six quick-firing (QF) 6-pounder 2.2 in (57 mm) and ten QF 3-pounder 1.5 in (37 mm) Hotchkiss guns. Dreadnought became a coast guard ship at Bantry Bay, Ireland in March 1895.
Two years later, she was moved to Devonport as a depot ship. In 1898 Dreadnought received new boilers and an increased number of quick-firing guns. She was redesignated a second-class battleship in 1900 and participated in Royal Navy fleet manoeuvres that year and again in 1901.
In June 1902, she underwent refitting at Chatham for service as a tender to HMS Defiance, the torpedo training ship at Devonport. She participated in the fleet review at Spithead on 16 August 1902, held to mark the coronation of King Edward VII, and was formally commissioned as Defiance’s tender on 20 August.
Dreadnought was withdrawn from service in 1905 and moved to the Kyles of Bute. She remained there until being sold for scrap on 14 July 1908. The ship was subsequently dismantled, with the work completed by February 1909.
