HMS Mary (1677)

HMS Mary was an 8-gun yacht of the Royal Navy. She was built by master shipwright Phineas Pett and launched at Chatham in 1677. She experienced a very long career of naval service spanning 139 years, having been rebuilt in 1727.

Early Service
Her first captain, Christopher Gunman, was court martialled for the loss of HMS Gloucester in 1682. Lawrence Wright then took command until 1685. She was briefly commanded by W. Fazeby in 1688, then by Greenville Collins from 1689 and employed on the "British Coastal Pilot" service. From 1694 to 1718 she was commanded by J. Guy and during this period saw service in the Baltic Fleet in 1700. Command passed to C. Molloy in 1719.

Rebuild
Mary was rebuilt in 1727 under the direction of Richard Stacey at Deptford Dockyard. Her dimensions now measured: 76'6" along the gundeck; 61'6" along the keel; breadth 22'7"; and depth of hold 9'8". She weighed 164 tons, was armed with 8 guns, and had a complement of 40 men.

Later Service
Captain Molloy returned to command of Mary until 1743. She was then commanded by Captain Robert Allen from 1744 until his death in 1752, when command passed to Captain J. Campell. During the period from 1756 to 1763 she was unemployed except for undertaking a Royal Escort in August-September 1761. Captain Campell recommissioned her in December 1763 and continued in command until 1770. Richard Edwards then took over command until 1776.

She was unemployed between 1777 and 1780. Following a large repair at Deptford, she was recommissioned by Captain Hon. P.T. Perceval in 1781 and paid off in 1795. She was commissioned again in February 1797 under Captain James Hill, only to be paid off again in December of that year.

She was recommissioned by Captain Sir T. Thompson in July 1801 and he stayed in command until 1805. Sir Edward Hamilton was given command in July 1806, and remained in Mary until 1815, except for a brief period in 1809 when  Thomas Francis Fremantle acted as captain.

Fate
Mary's long career came to an end when she was broken up in 1816.