The HMS Sirius is Coming!

Modellers Shipyard is proud to announce we have commissioned a model of the HMS Sirius to be built. The model is being built by Master Period Ship Modeller Leon Griffiths. The model is due for release late 2010. You can view the progressive completion of this model on the Modellers Shipyard blog were a build log is underway. With regular updates make sure to check back to watch this model progress from beginning to end. Check back for regular updates, Part 1 will be out in this next 2 weeks!

Sirius History

The HMS Sirius had a relative short career, playing a minor role in Britain’s withdrawal from America and a major role in British expansion into the Pacific. Originally a Baltic trading ship named the Berwick, she made several voyages to America before being recommissioned as the 20 – gun HMS Sirius, to escort the first fleet to Australia in 1787-88. The role accomplished the Sirius assumed the mantle of protector and provider to the infant colony until her loss in 1790,at Norfolk Island.

The Berwick was built in 1780-1781, at London’s Rotherhithe, then a shipbuilding village on the Thames. Originally built for the Baltic trade, the Berwick was purchased by the British navy prior to completion and fitted out as an armed storeship. After purchase by the navy the Berwick was taken to Deptford on 1 December to commence work. In the month of January 1782 she was coppered plated. The armed storeship Berwick sailed on 25 April 1782. These few years were a time of stress for the British government, facing defeat against her American offspring.

The Berwick was initially stationed at the Nore, off Sheerness at the mouth of the Thames. In 1782-1783 she twice visited Halifax harbour, Nova Scotia and New York before returning to Deptford for a refit on 25 October 1783. After her refit the Berwick sailed again on the 7 May 1784, firstly being sent to America and then onto the West Indies. The Berwick returned to Deptford on 5 February 1785, where she lay idle, effectively out of commission for much of the next twenty months.

On the 23 August 1786 orders arrived from the Admiralty to the Navy Board to prepare the Berwick to be employed on ‘foreign service’. Work began on the 6th September, commencing a comprehensive refitting of the Berwick. On the 12 October 1786 Admiral Howe wrote to the Navy Board requesting his Majesty’s storeship the Berwick, be registered on the list of the Royal Navy as a 6th Rate by the name of the Sirius.

The Sirius, captained by John Hunter, led the first fleet on their journey departing Great Britain on 13 May 1787. The First Fleet was made up of eleven vessels, two navy ships HMS Sirius and HMS Supply and nine privately owned, contracted transports, all under the command of Captain Arthur Phillip.

The First Fleet reached Tenerife in the Canary Islands on the 3 June, before moving onto a month long stopover in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil at the end of August. They arrived at the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa on October 13. They departed for the final leg of their journey on November 11 with the entire first fleet reaching Botany Bay between 18-20 January 1788 and Port Jackson on January 26. It took 184 days to complete the voyage at sea having travelled 15063 miles.

With most of the settlements concentration on the establishment of the colony the HMS Sirius remained ideal until September when Phillip made the decision to send her to Cape Town, South Africa for much needed supplies. Captain John Hunter set off east with the wind towards Cape Horn, seeking to travel through the dangerous passage of ice and storms through the roaring forties. They arrived safely at Cape Town leaving port for the return voyage in February 1789. It was towards the end of the return voyage the HMS Sirius was almost lost off the east coast of Tasmania, facing terrific storms which battered the vessels, it was so violent the figurehead was lost, with further damaged sustained. The Sirius limped into Port Jackson on 9 May 1789, with vital supplies for the colony.

After some much needed repairs the Sirius was once again prepared for sea. In February 1790 the shortage of supplies in the settlement had reached a critical stage. In an attempt to relieve pressure on the Port Jackson settlement, Governor Phillip determined on decisive action. He would send both the Sirius and the Supply to Norfolk Island to transport a number convicts and marines to the Island. The Sirius would later proceed to China to buy supplies.

After a stormy passage the Sirius made Norfolk Island the morning of 13 March, moving around to Cascade bay on the North east side of the Island where marines and convicts were landed. With the onset of bad weather the Sirius and Supply were driven out of sight of the Island. On the 19 March the gale moderated and the Sirius moved close to Phillip Island to unload supplies. Unfortunately the Sirius ran aground on the reef, with waves pushing her further onto the reef, there was little chance to refloat her. The hull of the Sirius withstood the powerful surf for a full two years before breaking up.