Timeline

1758 December

British Government decides to build 12 new ships of the line, one of these, as yet unnamed, is to be a first rate ship of 100 guns.

1759 -  23th July

Keel of new 1^st rate is laid down at Chatham Dockyard

1760 - 13th October

Named Victory

1765 - 7th May

Floated out of dock at Chatham. Placed in reserve.

1778 - 13th April

Commissioned for service in the American War of Independence under Admiral Augustus Keppel

1778 - 27th July

Fights in the inconclusive first Battle of Ushant

1780

Middling repair at Portsmouth. Copper sheathing fitted to Victory for first time.

1781 - 12th December

Under Admiral Richard Kempenfelt, captures a convoy of troopships at second Battle of Ushant

1782 - 20th October

In action of Cape Spartel, flying flag of Admiral Richard Howe

1793-1794

Flagship of Mediterranean fleet under Admiral Lord Hood.

1795 - 13th July

Took part in the unsuccessful action off Hyères 

1797 - 14th February

Flagship of Admiral Sir John Jervis at Battle of Cape St Vincent.

1798 - 1799

Fitted as hospital ship

1800 - 1803

Great repair at Chatham

1803 - 1805

Flagship of Admiral Nelson in the Mediterranean

1805 - 21st October

Fights at the Battle of Trafalgar

1806 – 1808

Repaired at Chatham

1808 – 1812

Flagship of Admiral Sir James Saumarez in the Baltic

1812 - 7th November

Enters Portsmouth Harbour for the final time.

1814 - 1816

Great repair at Portsmouth. Victory is extensively rebuilt.

1824 - 1830

Flagship of the Port Admiral in Portsmouth

1869 - 1891

Tender to HMS Duke of Wellington

1903

Rammed and severely damaged by HMS Neptune.

1922

Placed into dry dock for extensive repair guided by the Society for Nautical Research

1928

Repairs completed, Victory is opened to the public.

1941 - 10th March

Damaged in bombing raid.

1955

Start of another ‘Great Repair’

2009

Celebrates 250^th anniversary of the laying of her keel.

2012 - 29th March

Custodianship of Victory transferred to the National Museum of the Royal Navy.