May 07

Events - Transportation & Infrastructure

1765day.year

HMS Victory is launched at Chatham Dockyard, Kent. She is not commissioned until 1778.

The Royal Navy launched HMS Victory at Chatham Dockyard in 1765; she would later become Admiral Nelson's flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar.
HMS Victory, one of the most famous ships in naval history, was launched on May 7, 1765, from the Chatham Dockyard in Kent. Designed by Sir Thomas Slade, she was a first-rate ship of the line armed with 104 guns. Victory's construction represented the pinnacle of 18th-century British naval engineering and firepower. She was not commissioned until 1778, taking part in several key actions before gaining immortality under Admiral Horatio Nelson. At the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, Victory served as Nelson's flagship, securing British naval dominance. Today, HMS Victory remains preserved in Portsmouth as a museum ship, attracting visitors worldwide.
1765 HMS Victory Chatham Dockyard
1864day.year

The world's oldest surviving clipper ship, the City of Adelaide is launched by William Pile, Hay and Co. in Sunderland, England, for transporting passengers and goods between Britain and Australia.

The City of Adelaide, launched in 1864, is the world's oldest surviving clipper ship, built to transport passengers and goods between Britain and Australia.
On May 7, 1864, shipbuilders William Pile, Hay and Co. launched the City of Adelaide at Sunderland, marking the debut of one of history's most famous clippers. Designed for speed and efficiency, this three-masted vessel served the Britain-Australia trade route for decades. Its fine craftsmanship and sleek hull made it ideal for carrying both passengers and cargo across vast oceans. After years of service, the ship changed hands multiple times before being retired. Efforts to preserve the City of Adelaide led to its restoration as a museum ship. Today, it stands as a testament to 19th-century maritime engineering and the golden age of sail.
clipper City of Adelaide William Pile, Hay and Co.