When I attended the IMEHA conference in Greenwich in June I took the opportunity to have a look at some of the major museums in London. I had the chance to see both the Docklands Museum and of course the National Maritime Museum. I also went to have a look at the Tower of London with its amazing architecture and the crown jewels. The Tower among other things used to house an arsenal. Most of it has been moved to the Armouries Museum in Leeds. However, there are a few guns left. And among them there is one with a Danish twist.
The Dano-British gun in a corner of the museum shop in Tower of London.
This 4-pounder bronze gun, cast in Woolwich in 1785 bears both the Danish coat of arms and the arms of Charles, the 3rd Duke of Richmond, Master General of the Ordnance, and the British coat of arms. The reason why it has this peculiar heraldic combination is the fact that it originally was part of the armament of the Danish Crown Prince’s Pleasure Frigate. Crown Prince Frederick of Denmark was a nephew of Britain’s George III (“The Mad King George”). And in 1785 George presented his relative with a rather luxurious gift of a frigate. Not just a small pleasure craft, but an 89.9 feet long, 23.6 feet wide frigate armed with 10 4-pounder guns. The complement was 59 sailors and officers. The frigate was built at Deptford Royal Dockyard.
But why is the gun now in England? That has something to do with the British attack on Copenhagen in 1807. After the attack the Danish Navy was forced to surrender its entire fleet along with the equally valuable naval stores in Copenhagen to the British. 17 ships of the line and as many frigates were surrendered and brought to British port. The Danes were infuriated but powerless. When the Naval Dockyards were surveyed after the British had left, one vessel was found left by the enemy – the Crown Prince’s Pleasure Frigate… It had not been thought proper to seize this present from the British King to the Danish Crown Prince.
However, as a bold gesture, Crown Prince Frederick returned the frigate to the British in 1808. He manned it with captured British sailors that were to be exchanged with Danish sailors. The British sailed the ship back to England, and word has it that Frederick sent a message with it somewhat along the line that the frigate seemed to have been inadvertently forgotten! I have tried to establish what became of the frigate after it had been returned, but with no avail. However, it was a 22 year old ship so it might not have been found fit for fighting service. At least, now I know what became of one of its guns.
The text in Tower of London:
“The arms of Charles, 3rd Duke of richmond, Master General of the Ordnance, appear on the chase. The Royal arms appear on the reinforce with those of Denmark nearer the breech. The base ring bears the date and name of Peter Verbruggen, joint Master Founder with his father, John.
This gun is from “The Crown Prince’s Pleasure Frigate” presented by George III to Frederich, Crown Prince of Denmark. When the Danish fleet was captured in 1807 the frigate was not removed to England, out of courtesy, but it was sent back by Frederich with at message that the Prince imagined “it had been left in mistake”.
Transferred from Central Ordnance Depot, Donnington, 1964. XIX.44.”