The English frigate Gloucester (spelt Glocester by contemporary sources) was a third rate, built for the Navy of the Commonwealth of England. The ship was ordered in December 1652 as part of the unprecedented expansion of the English navy during this period, during which 207 warships, mainly described as frigates, were built. She was named to commemorate the Parliamentary forces' successful defence of the English city of Gloucester during the 1643 siege by Royalist forces, rather than directly after the city itself. She was built by contract with shipwright Matthew Graves at Limehouse in East London, and launched in 1654.
Background Following the end of the English Civil War in 1649, the new Parliamentary regime was threatened by foreign powers and Royalist supporters exiled from England, who targeted maritime trade. To counteract these threats, the government began building up the strength of the navy. It pressed ahead with restoring naval discipline and morale, and reorganising administration to meet wartime needs. It was placing orders for new ships as early as March 1649 - by the close of 1651 the English navy had almost doubled in size since the end of the war, with 20 new warships built, and 25 ships acquired by being purchased or captured.
The Commonwealth navy supported the regime in several ways. It assisted in defeating Royalists who threatened English maritime trade, reducing the threat from Royalist-sponsored privateers to commerce, and deterring them by the increased power and size of the fleet. It played a central role in the recapture of the Isles of Scilly, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man, where important royalist privateering bases existed. It played an increasingly important part in consolidating the authority of the new regime in territories previously subject to Charles I. It provided protection for supplies transported by sea during the 1650 invasion of Scotland, and a squadron bombarded Leith (near Edinburgh) to cover the army's advance during the invasion. English naval power did much to persuade European governments of the need to recognize the Commonwealth, and had by 1653 become a major force in shaping international relations.
Development of the line of battle During the 1650s, the fleets of the European powers generally fought in a melee style that involved fighting between individual ships, but it became clear to the English that the tactic of firing guns from the broadsides of many ships was more effective, and the government worked to convert the fleet to fight in this way. A large warship was vulnerable to raking fire, a volley of cannonballs directly in front or behind it, which could cause considerable damage, and the best protection—and the best form of attack—was having ships sailing together closely and in a straight line. This tactic, known as a line of battle, was used by warships such as the Gloucester, which were large and powerful enough to take their place in the line. Such ships had multiple gun batteries on at least two decks. Up to around 100 ships could be formed into a line of battle.
The Dutch had mobilised quickly at the beginning of the First Dutch War of 1652 and had double the number of ships possessed by the English, but they were smaller and were unsuitable for attacking the English line of battle. Early in the war the English government, recognising the usefulness of large ships, had ordered 30 frigates, to be built at the end of 1652. An early example of a large frigate, the Speaker, launched in April 1650, provided the prototype for a class of ships. The , launched between 1650 and 1654, were about 750 tons and carried between 48 and 56 cannon. Their introduction caused the Dutch Navy, which was still reliant on the use of armed merchant ships, to become largely obsolete. Speaker-class ships had much in common with the old Great Ships planned in 1618, being of a similar size, with two decks and a large number of guns. The class set the pattern for all the two-deck ships built up to the 19th century.
Construction and commissioning
During wartime, third rates were usually built in commercial shipyards, where costs and construction time were reduced where possible. This was in contrast to the construction of all first rates and second rates, which were built in the Royal Dockyards, where quality control was maintained. The Gloucester cost the navy £5,473, and was built at Limehouse in East London under the direction of master shipwright Matthew Graves. She had a length at the gun deck of , a beam of , and a depth of hold of . The ship's tonnage was 755 tons burthen. Originally built for 52 guns, with 13 pairs of gunports on the loiwer deck, 12 pairs on the upper deck and 5 pairs on the quarterdeck by 1666 she was carrying 58 guns (20 demi-cannon, four culverins, and 34 demi-culverins). The ship had a crew of 210340 officers and ratings.
West Indies (1654–1655)
Gloucester was commissioned in 1654, with Benjamin Blake as captain. Under Blake, Gloucester was with Penn's fleet, an expedition that left England for the Caribbean on Christmas Day 1654. Known as the Western Design, the expedition—consisting of 17 men-of-war, 20 transports with 3000 troops and horses, and other small craft—was intended by Cromwell to end Spanish dominance in the West Indies. The expedition was split into two divisions: the first was led to Robert Blake (Benjamin Blakes's older brother) in his flagship George; the second, was under Penn on Swiftsure. Another Robert Blake in the expedition was the nephew of Benjamin Blake, who sailed with his uncle on the Gloucester.
Little was achieved. On 14 April 1655, English troops landed in Hispaniola and marched inland. After three days they retreated, exhausted by disease and a lack of supplies. A second attack failed, and eventually the troops had to be re-embarked. Penn then moved on to Jamaica and invaded the island, which surrendered on 17 May.
Penn was succeeded by William Goodsonn. His authority was challenged by Blake, his vice-admiral, who wanted to search for prizes, and attack the Caribbean Spanish settlements. Blake, who returned home to England after Goodsonn forced him to resign, was succeeded as captain of the Gloucester by Richard Newberry. In August 1655 the squadron returned to England, but the Gloucester and 14 other vessels remained out on Jamaica Station.
Operations in The Sound (1658) In November 1658, after a Dutch fleet commanded by Jacob van Wassenaer Obdam defeated the Swedes in the Battle of the Sound, and lifted the blockade of Copenhagen, the Commonwealth Protector Richard Cromwell ordered a fleet to be sent to the Sound to protect English interests. Gloucester, captained by William Whitehorne, and with 260 men and 60 guns, was one of 20 ships sent to conduct operations in the Sound, under the command of Goodsonn. The English government sent an expedition as a political gesture to dissuade the Dutch from sending a second fleet to the Baltic.
The expedition left the Thames on 18 November 1658. Goodsonn's flagship Swiftsure attempted to join the fleet, but was forced back to port by strong winds. On 3 December the fleet left England for the Skaw, which many were prevented from rounding when they encountered continuous winds. On 15 December, having accomplished little, Goodsonn decided to return home. That night, a gale damaged nearly every ship, including Goodsonn's flagship. None was lost, and from 22 December until the end of the year, they anchored on the English coast between Great Yarmouth and Harwich.
Incorporation into the Royal Navy in 1660 The Gloucester was commissioned into the Royal Navy as HMS Gloucester after the restoration of the English monarchy in 1660 (the prefix "His Majesty's Ship" is obviously not applicable to the Gloucester before the Restoration). She took part in the Battle of Lowestoft (3 June 1665). During 1666 she formed part of the fleet that attacked a Dutch convoy off Texel. She fought in the Four Days' Battle (14 June 1666) and also took part in the St James's Day Battle (5 July 1666). During the Third Anglo-Dutch War she participated in the attack on the Smyrna fleet (March 1672), the Battle of Solebay (28 May 1672), and the Battles of Schooneveld (7 June and 14 June 1673). At the end of 1673, having participated in the Battle of Texel (11 August 1673), she was sent to the Mediterranean. Gloucester underwent a comprehensive refit at Portsmouth in 1678, at great expense.
Service in the Royal Navy
Second and Third Anglo-Dutch Wars Battle of Lowestoft (1660) Renamed in 1660 as HMS Gloucester, the ship participated in the Battle of Lowestoft, forming part of the Red squadron (Van division). The Battle of Lowestoft took place on 3 June 1665, east of the Outer Gabbard and southeast of the English port of Lowestoft. The English under James Stuart, Duke of York, fought a Dutch fleet led by Obdam, in what was the first fleet action of the Second Anglo-Dutch War, The Dutch had 107 ships, of which 81 were warships and 11 substantial East Indiaman. The English fleet of 100 ships, which included 64 men-of-war and 24 merchant ships, was greatly superior in firepower.
At one point during the battle, the firing became heavy enough to be heard in the Hague. The principal event was the sudden explosion of the Dutch flagship Eendracht, which killed Obdam. The Dutch fleet disintegrated and attempted to escape in different directions. By the end of the battle, the English had captured or sunk 17 Dutch ships; a number that would have been larger had not the ensuing pursuit been prematurely called off.
Engagements from May to July 1666
On 5 May 1666, Gloucester, now captained by Robert Clark, saw action against the Dutch off the island of Texel, having been stationed there in April with a small squadron to observe the Dutch fleet. A day after his arrival, Clark intercepted a Dutch flotilla of twelve ships en route from the Baltic to Amsterdam, and captured seven of the ships. The approach of the enemy's fleet obliged him to leave his station a few days later.
Having met with the Duke of Albemarle at the Gunfleet on 24 May, Gloucester participated in the Four Days' Battle (14 June 1666). The battle was the longest in British naval history, and has been called the greatest battle of the Age of Sail. Gloucester formed part of the White squadron, Centre division. Clark "bore as distinguished a part in the action... as the size of the ship he commanded would allow". The English lost an opportunity to defeat the Dutch after the king decided to divide the fleet, sending Prince Rupert away down the English Channel with 20 ships towards Ireland, a decision that was reversed once the size of the Dutch threat became clearer. Once the English fleet had manoeuvred east of the Kentish Knock on 1 June, so as to reach the Dutch fleet, battle commenced off North Foreland. On 2 June, the English attacked the Dutch, but the Duke of Albemarle was forced onto the defensive. The situation was saved the following day when Prince Rupert's ships reappeared. On the last day, squadrons on both sides broke through enemy lines amid heavy fighting, but eventually the battered English fleet was forced to admit defeat and retreat. The English lost 10 ships, most notably the Prince Royal. Gloucester was totally disabled in the action, with 18 men from the ship killed and 27 men wounded. He was soon afterwards promoted to the command of the second rate HMS Triumph.