Historic Shipping - facts, pictures, presentations on ships from yesteryear; Robert Wigram, Family and Associates - Shipbuilders and Ship Owners Money Wigram & Company - Shipbuilders and Ship Owners The Plymouth Emigration Depot Plymouth Hulks - the forgotten ships around Plymouth Sound, The General Screw Steam Shipping Co. Ltd. The African Steam Ship Company

H.M.S. 'OPOSSUM'

Built by:Money Wigram & Son's, at the Northam Yard.
Yard No.
Launched:28th Febuary 1856. Laid down 10th September 1855
Tonnage:232 BM. - 235 26/94
Length:106 feet.
Breadth:22 . 1 feet
Depth:In hold 8 . 0 feet.
Machinery:210 ihp. By Maudslay, Sons & Field. No. of cly 2. Dia 16 ins. Stroke 9". Propeller 1. No. of blades, 2. Dia 6 ft. Pitch 8 ft.
Decks:
Built of:Wood
Type:Screw gunboat.
Registered:
Off Number:
Built for:H.M. Government.
Other info:Albacore class. 38 men.
Armament - 1 x 68 pdr SB, 1 x 32 pdr SB, 2 x 24 pdr howitzers.
History:1st January 1856. As from this date all gunboats were commissioned as independent commands with a crew of 36 men and officers.
28th February 1856. Commanded by Lieutenant Commander Colin Andrew Campbell, China station.
4th March 1856. The steam tug ‘Comet’ towed her from Northam to Portsmouth to be fitted out.
23rd April 1856. Present at the Fleet Review, Spithead.
13th May 1857. Arrived at Hong Kong from England, Lt. Campbell.
5th June 1857. Canton River.
10th July 1857. Hong Kong.
10th August 1857. Canton River.
30th October 1857. Hong Kong.
15th November 1857. Canton River.
28th November 1857. Hong Kong.
28th December 1857. Took part in the capture of Canton.
15th January 1858. Canton River.
27th February 1858. Hong Kong.
30th March 1858. Canton River.
5th May 1858. Gulf of Pechelee.
20th May 1858. Capture of the Forts at the Mouth of the Pel Ho.
23rd May 1858. Shanghai.
4th June 1858. Commanded by Lieutenant Commander William Henry Jones.
22nd June 1858. Gulf of Pechelee.
10th August 1858. Shanghai.
29th October 1858. Ningpo.
30th November 1858. Shanghai.
25th June 1859. Action at Peiho Forts, which were unsuccessful.
28th June 1859. Commanded by Lieutenant Commander Charles John Balfour, East Indies and China station.
5th July 1859. Gulf of Pechelee.
10th August 1859. Shanghai.
28th September 1859. Hong Kong.
13th October 1859. Shanghai.
15th November 1859. Hong Kong.
15th March 1860. Amoy.
25th April 1860. Hong Kong.
1st May 1860. Commanded by Lieutenant Commander Lindesay Brine, East Indies and China station.
23rd May 1860. Shanghai.
23rd June 1860. At the North.
26th July 1860. Gulf of Pechelee.
16th November 1860. At the North.
16th January 1861. Hong Kong.
15th February 1861. At the North.
2nd March 1861. Hong Kong.
15th December 1862. Remains at Hong Kong.
28th February 1867. Sailed from Hong Kong , for Deep Bay with a mandarin on board, on the information of four Chinese having been captured by pirates ten days before and held to ransom for $50 each at the village of Suntin in the Son-on district.
1st March 1867. Arrived at Deep Bay and proceeded about twelve miles beyond the anchorage for gunboats, and after considerable trouble succeeded in rescuing some captives.
2nd March 1867. Arrived back at Hong Kong and handed the captives to the Kowloon Mandarins.
31st Dec 1869. Note in the Log. 'I do not think this Gun Boat can be improved in any way'.
1870. China.
1874. Hulk.
25th June 1874. Hospital Ship for Contagions Diseases.
1876. Used as a hospital hulk.
1879. Hospital Ship for Contagious Diseases, Hong Kong.
1890. Hospital Ship, Hong Kong.
1891. Mooring vessel.
29th Nov 1895. Decayed and ordered to be sold locally.
1895. Renamed 'Siren'.
30th June 1896. Sold at Hong Kong.


Back to Home page | Back to the Money Wigram & Son's, Northam Yard - Shipbuilders & Ship Owners Index
Copyright © Historic Shipping 2011.