The Loss of HMS Captain - September 1870

Up Main Characters The Building The Specification The Final Disaster The Survivors The Court Martial After the Court Martial Relief Fund Captain in Context "The London Times"

The Story of HMS Captain (cont) - The Main Characters

Up
Main Characters
The Building
The Specification
The Final Disaster
The Survivors
The Court Martial
After the Court Martial
Relief Fund
Captain in Context
"The London Times"

Four men take a central role in this sad story -

Captain Cowper Phipps Coles - the designer of HMS Captain

- described by Arthur Hawkey, perhaps a little unfairly, as "the man who was wrong".

Edward James Reed - Chief Constructor of the Navy, 1863-1870

- always unhappy with Coles's ideas; perhaps he was "the man who was right".

Captain Hugh Talbot Burgoyne, V.C.

- from a distinguished family and with a distinguished career, but did not survive the fateful night.

Sir Hugh Childers - First Lord of the Admiralty

- a great supporter of Coles's ideas, but at loggerheads with Reed; lost his son on board Captain that night.