An old engraving of the 1797 mutiny at Spithead, The Solent, near Portsmouth, England, UK. It is from a Victorian history book of Here sailors of HMS Royal George are hauling down the naval red ensign flag. The mutiny lasted from 16 April to 15 May 1797. Sailors on 16 ships in the Channel Fleet, commanded by Admiral Lord Bridport, protested against the living conditions aboard Royal Navy vessels and demanded a pay rise, better rations, increased shore leave, and compensation for sickness and injury.
An old engraving of the 1797 mutiny at Spithead, The Solent, near Portsmouth, England, UK. It is from a Victorian history book of Here sailors of HMS Royal George are hauling down the naval red ensign flag. The mutiny lasted from 16 April to 15 May 1797. Sailors on 16 ships in the Channel Fleet, commanded by Admiral Lord Bridport, protested against the living conditions aboard Royal Navy vessels and demanded a pay rise, better rations, increased shore leave, and compensation for sickness and injury. On 26 April a supportive mutiny broke out on 15 ships in Plymouth, who sent delegates to Spithead to take part in negotiations. The mutineers were led by elected delegates and tried to negotiate with the Admiralty for two weeks but because of mistrust, especially over pardons for the mutineers, the negotiations broke down, and minor incidents broke out, with several unpopular officers sent to shore and others treated with signs of deliberate disrespect. When the situation calmed, Admiral Lord Howe intervened to negotiate an agreement that issued a royal pardon for all crews, reassignment of some of the unpopular officers, and a pay raise. Afterwards, the mutiny was to become nicknamed the ‘breeze at Spithead’.
Size: 3184px × 4252px
Location: Spithead, The Solent, near Portsmouth, England, UK
Photo credit: © M&N / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: 1700s, 1797, 18th, black, boat, british, century, conditions, conflict, crew, early, eighteenth, england, engraving, ensign, flag, haul, historical, hundreds, maritime, mutineer, mutineers, mutiny, naval, navy, portsmouth, protest, red, royal, sailing, sailor, sailors, seventeen, ship, solent, spithead, uk, unrest, vessel, victorian, warfare, white
