The Hecla class was a class of bomb vessels of the Royal Navy of the early 19th century. They were designed for use as bomb or mortar ships and were very heavily built. Eight ships were launched; all were converted for use as exploration or survey ships. Four ships of the class are known for the role they played in Arctic and Antarctic exploration.
Ships
Builder: Mrs Mary Ross, Rochester Ordered: 5 June 1813 Laid down: September 1813 Launched: 4 April 1814 Completed: Notes: Converted to Arctic discovery vessel in 1821 Fate: Bilged in Prince Regent Inlet, and abandoned in the Arctic on 25 August 1825; anchors recovered and now displayed at Fort Saint-Jean (Quebec)
Builder: Barkworth & Hawkes, North Barton (Hull) Ordered: 5 June 1813 Laid down: July 1813 Launched: 22 July 1815 Completed: Notes: Arctic discovery vessel from 1819 to 1827. Converted to survey ship in December 1827 Fate: Sold on 13 April 1831; re-sold to M. Wright, master, Elder & Co. and left and wrecked state c. 1845
Builder: Barkworth & Hawkes, North Barton (Hull) Ordered: 5 June 1813 Laid down: July 1813 Launched: 26 July 1815 Completed: Notes: Fate: Sold on 13 April 1831
Builder: Pembroke Dockyard Ordered: 18 May 1819 Laid down: May 1820 Launched: 25 June 1823 Completed: 26 July 1823 Notes: Survey ship, renamed HMS Beacon in June 1832 Fate: Sold on 17 August 1846
Builder: Chatham Dockyard Ordered: 18 May 1819 Laid down: September 1821 Launched: 14 May 1824 Completed: June 1824 Notes: Converted to survey ship in 1826. Receiving ship at Portsmouth in 1839. Fate: Sold on 20 February 1846
Builder: Chatham Dockyard Ordered: 18 May 1819 Laid down: May 1824 Launched: 26 January 1826 Completed: 21 February 1826 Notes: The last bomb-ship in Royal Navy service. Converted to survey ship in December 1835. Receiving ship at Woolwich from May 1843 Fate: Broken up by 20 November 1857
Builder: Deptford Dockyard Ordered: 18 May 1819 Laid down: November 1826 Launched: 4 August 1829 Completed: 26 October 1829 Notes: Converted to survey ship in January 1833 Fate: Broken up in March 1851
HMS Vesuvius Builder: Deptford Dockyard Ordered: 18 May 1819 (Order transferred to Chatham Dockyard, reordered on 30 August 1828) Laid down: August 1830 Launched: Completed: Notes: Fate: Cancelled on 10 January 1831
HMS Devastation Builder: Plymouth Dockyard Ordered: 18 May 1819 Laid down: 1820 Launched: Completed: Notes: Suspended on 10 January 1831 Fate: Cancelled on 11 July 1833
HMS Volcano Builder: Plymouth Dockyard Ordered: 18 May 1819 Laid down: 1821 Launched: Completed: Notes: Suspended on 10 January 1831 Fate: Cancelled on 11 July 1833
HMS Beelzebub Builder: Plymouth Dockyard Ordered: 18 May 1819 Laid down: Launched: Completed: Notes: Suspended on 10 January 1831 Fate: Cancelled on 11 July 1833
Builder: Pembroke Dockyard Ordered: 9 January 1823 Laid down: October 1824 Launched: 7 June 1826 Completed: February 1828 Notes: Arctic discovery vessel in 1839, fitted with screw in 1845 Fate: Abandoned in Arctic on 22 April 1848; discovered underwater in Queen Maud Gulf in 2014 and now preserved as Erebus and Terror National Historic Site of Canada
Service Fury and Hecla sailed with William Edward Parry on his explorations in search of the Northwest Passage, with Fury being lost to ice on the second. Meteor was renamed Beacon and used as a survey ship, while Aetna and Thunder were both used as survey ships. Sulphur was also used as a survey ship, at one time being commanded by Edward Belcher who later commanded an expedition in search of John Franklin (though not in Sulphur). Erebus was one of two ships commanded by James Clark Ross during his exploration of Antarctica and by Franklin on his ill-fated search for the Northwest Passage. The other was the bomb vessel . Both ships were lost during this last voyage.
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