John Naish (died 1726) was an 18th century shipbuilder to the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by Kingdom of England, English and Kingdom of Scotland, Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were foug ...
mainly based at
Portsmouth Dockyard
His Majesty's Naval Base, Portsmouth (HMNB Portsmouth) is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy (the others being HMNB Clyde and HMNB Devonport). Portsmouth Naval Base is part of the city of Portsmouth; it is lo ...
. He first appears in
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by Kingdom of England, English and Kingdom of Scotland, Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were foug ...
records in February 1705 as Assistant Master Shipwright. Typically this would have followed at least seven years at sea training as a ships carpenter and a period on shore, and most at this stage are of age at least 30.
In August 1709 he was appointed Master Shipwright of
Harwich
Harwich is a town in Essex, England, and one of the Haven ports on the North Sea coast. It is in the Tendring district. Nearby places include Felixstowe to the north-east, Ipswich to the north-west, Colchester to the south-west and Clacton- ...
and in December 1711 was moved to
Sheerness
Sheerness () is a town and civil parish beside the mouth of the River Medway on the north-west corner of the Isle of Sheppey in north Kent, England. With a population of 11,938, it is the second largest town on the island after the nearby tow ...
. He worked briefly in Woolwich where in 1714 he redesigned the huge
HMS Royal William
Three ships of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS ''Royal William''
* HMS ''Royal William'' was a 100-gun first rate launched in 1670 as . She was rebuilt in 1692 and renamed HMS ''Royal William'', rebuilt again in 1719, and rearmed to 84 g ...
, before settling in the prestigious role as Master of
Portsmouth Dockyard
His Majesty's Naval Base, Portsmouth (HMNB Portsmouth) is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy (the others being HMNB Clyde and HMNB Devonport). Portsmouth Naval Base is part of the city of Portsmouth; it is lo ...
in July 1715 in place of
Richard Stacey
Richard Stacey (1663–1743) was an English shipbuilder and ship designer employed by the Royal Navy at several dockyards but predominantly Deptford.
Life
He was probably apprenticed as a shipwright around 1677. He was appointed a master ...
.
In 1721 Sir
Jacob Ackworth
Sir Jacob Ackworth or Acworth (1668–1748) was an English shipbuilder and ship designer employed by the Royal Navy. As a designer he adopted Newtonian theories to create lighter and faster ships but this approach marginalised him with the ver ...
sent him plans for the rebuilding of
HMS Victory
HMS ''Victory'' is a 104-gun first-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, ordered in 1758, laid down in 1759 and launched in 1765. She is best known for her role as Lord Nelson's flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar on 21 October 1805.
She ...
but these were not executed and the project was instead addressed by his successor
Joseph Allin
Joseph Allin was an 18th century shipbuilder to the Royal Navy. His works merge with those of his namesake son who was also a Master Shipwright at Portsmouth Dockyard and later Surveyor to the Navy at which point he became Sir Joseph Allin.
J ...
.
He died suddenly in December 1726 aged around 50. His will was concluded in March 1727 and is now held at the National Archive in Kew.
Ships built
*
HMS Montagu a 60-gun
ship of the line
A ship of the line was a type of naval warship constructed during the Age of Sail from the 17th century to the mid-19th century. The ship of the line was designed for the naval tactic known as the line of battle, which depended on the two colu ...
built at
Woolwich Dockyard
Woolwich Dockyard (formally H.M. Dockyard, Woolwich, also known as The King's Yard, Woolwich) was an English naval dockyard along the river Thames at Woolwich in north-west Kent, where many ships were built from the early 16th century until ...
in 1716
*
HMS Nonsuch
Several vessels of the Royal Navy have been named HMS ''Nonsuch'', presumably named after Nonsuch Palace:
* , a 38-gun great ship, rebuilt from a previous ship and sold c. 1645
* , a 34-gun ship launched in 1646 and wrecked 1664
* , an 8-gun ketc ...
a 50-gun ship of the line built at
Portsmouth
Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city status in the United Kingdom, city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is admi ...
in 1717
*
HMS Salisbury
Seven ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS ''Salisbury'' after the city of Salisbury in Wiltshire:
* was a 48-gun fourth rate, launched in 1698 and captured by the French in 1703. She was subsequently recaptured in 1708 and renamed ''Sal ...
a 50-gun ship of the line built at
Deptford
Deptford is an area on the south bank of the River Thames in southeast London, within the London Borough of Lewisham. It is named after a Ford (crossing), ford of the River Ravensbourne. From the mid 16th century to the late 19th it was home ...
in 1717
*Rebuilding of
HMS Monmouth
Seven ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS ''Monmouth''. Monmouth was the name of a castle and is now the name of a town in Wales; the name also recognises James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth, the "Black Duke".
* was an 8-gun yacht launch ...
a 70-gun ship of the line rebuilt at
Portsmouth
Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city status in the United Kingdom, city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is admi ...
in 1717
*Rebuilding of
HMS Kingston a 60-gun ship of the line rebuilt at
Portsmouth
Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city status in the United Kingdom, city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is admi ...
in 1717
*
HMS Royal William
Three ships of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS ''Royal William''
* HMS ''Royal William'' was a 100-gun first rate launched in 1670 as . She was rebuilt in 1692 and renamed HMS ''Royal William'', rebuilt again in 1719, and rearmed to 84 g ...
a 90-gun ship of the line designed and built at
Chatham in 1719
*"Old Truelove" a
Hoy
Hoy ( sco, Hoy; from Norse , meaning "high island") is an island in Orkney, Scotland, measuring – the second largest in the archipelago, after Mainland. A natural causeway, ''the Ayre'', links the island to the smaller South Walls; the two i ...
at Portsmouth in 1720
*
HMS Spy
At least two ships of the Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by Kingdom of England, English and Kingdom of Scotland, Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the firs ...
an 8-gun
sloop
A sloop is a sailboat with a single mast typically having only one headsail in front of the mast and one mainsail aft of (behind) the mast. Such an arrangement is called a fore-and-aft rig, and can be rigged as a Bermuda rig with triangular ...
designed and built by Naish in 1721
*Rebuilding of
HMS Captain a 70-gun ship of the line rebuilt at
Portsmouth
Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city status in the United Kingdom, city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is admi ...
in 1722
*Rebuilding of
HMS Canterbury a 60-gun ship of the line rebuilt at
Portsmouth
Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city status in the United Kingdom, city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is admi ...
in 1722
*Rebuilding of
HMS Portland
Eight ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS ''Portland'', either after Portland Harbour in Dorset or after holders of the title of the Duke of Portland:
* was a 50-gun fourth rate launched at Wapping in 1653 and burnt to avoid capture in 1 ...
a 50-gun ship of the line rebuilt at
Portsmouth
Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city status in the United Kingdom, city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is admi ...
in 1723
*
HMS Dreadnought a 60-gun ship of the line built at
Portsmouth
Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city status in the United Kingdom, city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is admi ...
in 1723
*
HMS Lowestoffe a 20-gun
frigate built at Portsmouth in 1723
*
HMS Kinsale a 40-gun ship built at Portsmouth in 1724
*
HMS Southsea Castle a 40-gun ship built at
Portsmouth
Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city status in the United Kingdom, city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is admi ...
in 1724
*
HMS Adventure
Twelve ships of the Royal Navy have been named ''Adventure''. A thirteenth was planned but never completed:
* was a 26-gun galley launched in 1594 and broken up 1645.
* was a 32-gun ship launched in 1646, rebuilt in 1691 and captured by the Fr ...
a 40-gun ship of the line built at
Portsmouth
Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city status in the United Kingdom, city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is admi ...
in 1726
*Rebuilding of the
HMS Salisbury
Seven ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS ''Salisbury'' after the city of Salisbury in Wiltshire:
* was a 48-gun fourth rate, launched in 1698 and captured by the French in 1703. She was subsequently recaptured in 1708 and renamed ''Sal ...
a 50-gun ship of the line rebuilt at
Portsmouth
Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city status in the United Kingdom, city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is admi ...
in 1726
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Naish, John
1726 deaths
People from Portsmouth
English shipbuilders