Figurehead of the HMS Espiegle
Basic Information
- FigID
- F0211
- InstID
- Figurehead type
- Figurehead
- Title
- Figurehead of the HMS Espiegle
- Vessel name
- HMS Espiegle
- Type (Naval/Merchant)
- Naval
- Copyright owner
- © National Museum of the Royal Navy
- Copyright notes
- Photo: © National Museum of the Royal Navy
- Current location
- National Museum of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth
- Location date
Physical Information
- Description
- HMS 'Espiegle’s' name takes its origins from the french, L’Espiègle meaning ‘frolicsome’. The female, three-quarter-length figure wears a green full length dress with blue and gold details. On her wrists are carved gold, jewel encrusted bangles. She also wears a domino mask, the type worn for masquerades.
- Maker
- Unknown
- Date made
- Unknown
- Place made
- Unknown
- Size
- Materials
- Wood
- Object history
- Vessel history
- HMS 'Espiegle' was built and launched at Sheerness Dockyard in 1900. One of the last Royal Naval ships designed to carry sail and have a figurehead. Between 1902 and 1904 she served on the China Station. In 1905-1910 she became a training ship at Dartmouth. In 1914 she saw service in the Persian Gulf, gaining a battle honour for Mesopotamia. In 1923 she was sold in Bombay.
- Bibliography
- David Pulvertaft ‘The Warship Figureheads of Portsmouth’ (Stroud, 2009) p.94
Ownership Information
- Owner type
- Public Institution
- Owner name
- National Museum of the Royal Navy
- Contact details
- National Museum of the Royal Navy, HM Naval Base (PP66), Portsmouth PO1 3NH
- Ownership can be cited online
- Yes
- Accessible to public
- Yes
- Data verified by owner
- No
- Date verified
The figureheads database contains records of over 300 figureheads.