HMS ''Vivid'' was an iron

screw A screw is an externally helical threaded fastener capable of being tightened or released by a twisting force (torque) to the screw head, head. The most common uses of screws are to hold objects together and there are many forms for a variety ...

yacht A yacht () is a sail- or marine propulsion, motor-propelled watercraft made for pleasure, cruising, or racing. There is no standard definition, though the term generally applies to vessels with a cabin intended for overnight use. To be termed a ...

purchased from civilian service in 1891, where she had been named SS ''Capercailzie''. She became the Devonport base ship and

flagship A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of navy, naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically ...

in 1893 and was also used as the yacht for the

Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth The Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth, was a senior commander of the Royal Navy for hundreds of years. Plymouth Command was a name given to the units, establishments, and staff operating under the admiral's command. Between 1845 and 1896, this offi ...

and was sold in 1912, later being wrecked in 1913.

Early civilian service

SS ''Capercailzie'' was built by Barclay, Curl, and Co. in 1883 on the Clyde. She was owned by

George Burns George Burns (born Nathan Birnbaum; January 20, 1896March 9, 1996) was an American comedian, actor, writer, and singer, and one of the few entertainers whose career successfully spanned vaudeville, radio, film, and television. His arched eyeb ...

, a shipping company owner, who sold her to the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

in 1891.

Military service

On 26 September 1891, SS ''Capercailzie'' was purchased by the Royal Navy and renamed SS ''Vivid'' for use as tender for the

Devonport naval base Devonport Naval Base is the home of the Royal New Zealand Navy, located at Devonport, New Zealand on Auckland's North Shore, New Zealand, North Shore. It is currently the only base of the navy that operates ships, and has been in use as a n ...

Plymouth Plymouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Devon, South West England. It is located on Devon's south coast between the rivers River Plym, Plym and River Tamar, Tamar, about southwest of Exeter and ...

and as a yacht for the

port admiral Port admiral is an honorary rank in the United States Navy, and a former appointment in the British Royal Navy. Royal Navy In British naval usage, the term 'port admiral' had two distinct (and somewhat contradictory) meanings, one generic, one sp ...

. She was later designated flagship for the Commodore-in-Command of the Royal Naval Barracks, Devonport. Staff Commander W. Way was in command in early 1900. Captain Sir Richard Poore, 4th Baronet was appointed

flag captain In the Royal Navy, a flag captain was the captain of an admiral's flagship. During the 18th and 19th centuries, this ship might also have a " captain of the fleet", who would be ranked between the admiral and the "flag captain" as the ship's "Firs ...

for command of the RN Barracks on 9 March 1900, succeeded by Captain Harry Seawell Niblett in December 1902.

Later Civilian Service

In 1912, she was sold to the Royal Technical College, Glasgow for use as a

training ship A training ship is a ship used to train students as sailors. The term is mostly used to describe ships employed by navies to train future officers. Essentially there are two types: those used for training at sea and old hulks used to house class ...

. The purchase was a major investment for the college, spending an estimated £3000 on the ship and refit. On 8 July 1913 she ran aground and was wrecked at

Colonsay Colonsay (; ; ) is an island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland, located north of Islay and south of Isle of Mull, Mull. The ancestral home of Clan Macfie and the Colonsay branch of Clan MacNeil, it is in the council area of Argyll and Bute and ...

en route from Rhu (at the time spelt ‘Row’) to

Stornoway Stornoway (; ) is the main town, and by far the largest, of the Outer Hebrides (or Western Isles), and the capital of Lewis and Harris in Scotland. The town's population is around 6,953, making it the third-largest island town in Scotlan ...

on her first voyage as a civilian training ship.

References

External links

HMS Vivid (1891) on Wreck Site

SS Capercailzie on the Clyde-built ships database

The loss of the ''Vivid'' – The biography of a shipwreck
Detailed article describing the history behind the purchase of HMS ''Vivid'' as a training ship by the Royal Technical College, Glasgow, her wreck and aftermath {{DEFAULTSORT:Vivid, HMS Ships built on the River Clyde 1883 ships Maritime incidents in 1913 Steam yachts Ships of the Royal Navy Shipwrecks in the Atlantic Ocean