HMS Victory Teak

HMS Victory

Over the many years since HMS Victory was completed in 1765 she has undergone
many repairs and restoration work. It is understood that less than twenty percent of the ship is still original from when she was launched.

Quoted from The National Museum of the Royal Navy
• “for the first thirteen years of the HMS Victory's existence she was in reserve.
During this time approximately one third of the ship was replaced due to decay”
• “Since 1765 the ship has gone through five major repairs; she had been almost completely rebuilt by the time of the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805”

The Burmese Teak I have bought from the HMS Victory Preservation Trust to make pens would have been used during these repairs or restoration work. As more knowledge & the availability of woods more resistant to rot and infestations of wood eating beetles, the woods used in the works changed to include these more suitable woods. The wood will have been removed over the last few years.

The scale of the work currently being undertaken is huge. Recent photos(Feb 26) showing some of the work in progress.

Above photo showing Teak laminated to provide wood thick enough to make the replacement section.