Thomas Slade
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Sir Thomas Slade (? - 1771) was an English naval architect, most famous for designing the HMS Victory, Lord Nelson's flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.
Like almost all of those who rose to the pinacle of the design of British sailing warships, Thomas Slade began as a shipwright in the Royal Dockyards. In 1744 he became Deputy Master Shipwright at Woolwich Dockyard. He became Master Shipwright at Plymouth Dockyard on 22 November 1750 (a Master Shipwright was responsible for all ship construction and repair at the dockyard in which he served). On 27 May 1752 he was transferred temporarily back to Woolwich Dockyard as Master Shipwright, and from there to Chatham Dockyard on 17 June 1752 and subsequently on 15 March 1753 to Deptford Dockyard, where he remained until 5 August 1755.
He was appointed Surveyor of the Navy in August 1755 by George Anson, First Lord of the Admiralty, serving until his death in February 1771. For the first decade, he shared the appointment with William Bately, formerly the Deputy Surveyor of the Navy, until the latter's retirement in June 1765. On Bately's retirement, John Williams was appointed to share the post. Nevertheless, Slade was clearly the senior Surveyor throughout his tenure.
During this tenure, Slade created a "generic design" that was used as a template for the Royal Navy's 74-gun ships and frigates. His "74" designs, starting with the Dublin-class, were an evolution of current British ships, built to compete with the new French "74"s, some of which had been captured during the War of Austrian Succession in 1747. At least 46 "74"s were built to his designs; the last was launched in 1789.
- Slade's birthdate is not known
- His will was proven on 19 March 1771 (Prob. 11/965)
- Slade Point (21° 04'S, 149° 14'E) on the central Queensland coast was named after him.
[edit] References
- The Billy Ruffian: The Bellerophon and the Downfall of Napoleon (2003) - David Cordingly, Bloomsbury, USA.
- British Napoleonic Ship-Of-The-Line (2001) - Angus Konstam [Tony Bryan, Illustrator], Osprey Publishing.
- British Warships in the Age of Sail, 1714 to 1792 (2007) - Rif Winfield, Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84415-700-6.
- British Warships in the Age of Sail, 1793 to 1817 (2005) - Rif Winfield, Chatham Publishing.
- The 74-gun ship Bellona (1985) - Brian Lavery. ISBN 0-85177-368-0.
