There have been sixteen ships named HMS Cumberland in the Royal Navy. The name comes from the traditional county of Cumberland, England. The sixth HMS Cumberland, built in 1842, was a 70-gun third-rate that served until 1863. It gained battle honours in the Baltic in 1854 although it saw no great action, the Cumberland being too large for the narrow seas.

When Cumberland was decommissioned she became a reformatory training ship moored at Gareloch on the Clyde from 1869. Young offenders were trained in seamanship with the intention of them joining the merchant navy. In 1889 there were 396 of them on TS Cumberland. On 19th February 1889 the ship was seriously damaged by fire (arson) and the ship was sold for scrap to Joseph J King of Manchester.

James Mangnell (HM109) was a chief engineer on the vessel in 1861 when it was stationed at Sheerness.


[Last updated 24 Dec 2005]