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HMY William & Mary (1694)

British royal yacht-IMG 8873.jpg
Scale model of an English royal yacht, probably William & Mary. On display at the Musée national de la Marine, Paris.
History
Great Britain
Name: William and Mary
Namesake: William III and Mary II
Ordered: February 1693
Builder: Robert Lee, Chatham Dockyard
Launched: September 1694
Commissioned: 1695
Decommissioned: 1800
Refit: 1765
Fate: Sold, 1801
General characteristics
Type: Yacht
Tons burthen: 152 1894 (bm)
Length:
  • 76 ft 6 in (23.32 m) (overall)
  • 61 ft 5 in (18.72 m) (keel)
Beam: 21 ft 7 in (6.58 m)
Depth: 9 ft 6 in (2.90 m)
Sail plan: Ketch-rigged
Complement:
  • 1694:
  • 1765:40
Armament:
  • 1694:8 × 3-pounder guns
  • 1765:10 × 2-pounder guns

HM Yacht William and Mary was a royal yacht of the Kingdom of Great Britain, named after the joint monarchs who ruled between 1689 and 1694. She was launched in 1694 and completely rebuilt in 1765. In all, she remained in service for over a century before being sold in 1801.

King William III and his wife Queen Mary II ordered her built in February 1693. She was designed and built by Robert Lee, a Master Shipwright at Chatham Dockyard and launched in September 1694.

William and Mary, like other Royal yachts, was generally used as a transport for senior military, political, and diplomatic figures, as well as for the Royal family. She frequently carried William III or his officers and staff to Holland when there were crises warranting their presence.

In 1697 Tsar Peter the Great visited western Europe. William III sent HMS York to bring Peter from Holland to England. On York's arrival at the Thames, Peter transferred to William and Mary, and in her sailed up the river to London Bridge, where he alighted to reach the Palace of Whitehall.

From 1695 to 1701, William and Mary's captain was Sir William Saunderson. In 1702 Captain William Robinson replace Sanderson. Robinson was in command when she participated in the battle of Malaga in 1704. He remained in command until January 1713, when she was paid off and sent to Deptford Dockyard for repairs, which were completed by December 1714.

In 1719 William and Mary was recommissioned under Captain John Guy, who remained her commander to 1720. In 1721 Captain William Moses replaced Guy, and remained in command until May 1727. On 4 May 1727 Captain Timothy Brett replaced Guy. She returned to Deptford for major repairs that took place between February 1736 and May 1737. Brett died on 3 May 1739, and his replacement that year was Captain William Parry. Between May and August 1742 William and Mary underwent smaller repairs at Deptford. More extensive repairs followed between September 1746 and May 1747. On 7 February 1753, Captain John Moore replaced Parry. Moore remained in command until 1755.


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