List of hospitals and hospital ships of the Royal Navy


HMHS is an acronym for His/Her Majesty's Hospital Ship.

Early modern era

Seventeenth century

The earliest record of British hospital ship was Goodwill, which briefly accompanied a Royal Navy squadron in the Mediterranean in 1608 or 1609. From 1665 the Royal Navy formally maintained two hospital ships at any time, these being either hired merchant ship or elderly sixth rates, modified from their original design by the removal of internal bulkheads and addition of ports cut through the deck and hull for ventilation. The limit of two hospital ships at a time remained in place until the Nine Years' War at century's end. In 1691 there were four hospital ships in service, rising to five in 1693 and six in 1696.
In addition to their sailing crew, these seventeenth century hospital ships were staffed by a surgeon and four surgeon's mates. Standard medical supplies were bandages, soap, needles and bedpans, and patients were issued with a clean pair of sheets. Infectious patients were quarantined from the general population behind a sheet of canvas. In addition to her sailing crew, each vessel was staffed with a surgeon and four surgeon's mates. The quality of food was very poor. In the 1690s the surgeon aboard Siam complained that the meat was in an advanced state of putrefaction, the biscuits were weevil-ridden and bitter, and the bread was so hard that it stripped the skin from patient's mouths.
Vessel nameTons burthenGunsCrewHospital service
Goodwillnot recordednot recordednot recorded1608 or 1609
Joseph101430-401665
Loyal Catherine29836-40351665-1666
Maryland Merchantnot recorded41401666
John's Advice3301640-541672-1674
Unity1186-8not recorded1683
Welcome7810not recorded1683
Helderenberg24218-30501688
Concord35222-30451690-1695
Society35722-30451690-1697
Baltimore300/32420451691
Spencer2452040-451691
London Merchant25022-3030-451692-1696
Siam33322-3045-581693-1697
Bristol5322040-451692-1694, 1696-1697
Josiah66430301696
Muscovy Merchant25024451696
London Merchant25022-3030-451692-1696

Eighteenth century

Vessel nameTons burthenGunsCrewHospital service
Lewis46042501701
Suffolk 4778-3050-701701, 1713
Siam3332-3045-581702-1703
Antelope55024-3060-831702-1703, 1706-1708
Princess Anne48424-3070-831702-1706
Jeffreys51320-2660-731702-1708
Sarah and Betty3702445-581702-1703
Smyrna Factor3552445-501702-1703, 1705-1709
Suffolk not recorded10-30801703-1704
Matthewsnot recordednot recorded50-601705-1708
Marthanot recorded2270-801707-1710
Leakenot recorded1450-801708-1711
Arundelnot recordednot recordednot recorded1709
Pembrokenot recorded2860-951709-1713
Delicianot recorded2263-651710-1713
Looe55312-42601717-1718
Portsmouthnot recordednot recordednot recorded1731
Princess Royal54118771740-1741
Scarborough50118601740-1744
106560not recorded1771-1779
63726721779-1783
71126721780-1783

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