HMS Temeraire
1798 The Temeraire was launched, a 98-gun, three-decked ship of the line
1805 After a relatively undistinguished career, she took part in the Battle of Trafalgar under the command of Captain Eliab Harvey. When Admiral Nelson’s flagship HMS Victory came under heavy fire from the French, the Temeraire came to her defence. After a series of daring manoeuvres, and savage fighting she not only saved Nelson’s vessel, but also captured two French ships. The part played by the Temeraire made her the only ship specifically mentioned in Admiral Collingwood’s despatch on the battle, commended as ‘most noble and distinguished’.
At the end of the battle, the ship was in a dreadful state. She had lost all her upper masts, both quarter galleys, and her poop deck had been badly damaged when the main mast of the French warship Redoubtable fell across it. A long stretch of her hull had been stove in, her rudder-head had been shot away, and she had suffered well over a hundred casualties. She returned to Portsmouth to a hero’s reception however – her exploits had truly captured the nation's imagination.
1813 After repairs, she served until 1813, but her hull never really recovered from the damage received in the battle.
She was eventually retired from active service, first becoming a prison hulk, and then a ship housing new recruits.
1838 The remains of the hulk were sold for scrap; she was towed by 2 steam tugs to John Beatson's yard at Rotherhithe. Beatson donated some of her timbers to a relative who was building an extension to Rotherhithe parish church nearby[1]. She was immortalised by J. M. W. Turner in a highly fictionalised image of her final voyage.
1872 An ironclad frigate bearing this name was laid down at Portsmouth[2]
1904 The HMS Bellerophon and Temeraire were fitted up under the superintendence of Engineer-Capt. Haddy, R.N., as instruction ships and workshops. The work was undertaken by Palmers' Shipbuilding and Iron Company, Limited, Jarrow-on-Tyne.
1907 Construction started of the next ship bearing this name; she was sister ship to the HMS Bellerophon, one of the Dreadnought-type. Construction was undertaken at Devonport.