OSBORNE ex VICTORIA & ALBERT Royal Yacht 1844

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The 50p shows us the wooden paddle steamer HMY OSBORNE, she was the last of the paddle wheeled Royal yachts. The paddle wheels are hardly been seen on the Kiribati stamp.

The yacht was designed by Sir William Symonds, she was firstly know as Royal Yacht, the name VICTORIA & ALBERT was assigned on 21 December 1842.
Built at the Pembroke Dry-dock for the Royal Navy.
31 October 1842 ordered.
09 November 1842 keel laid down.
26 April 1843 launched as HMY VICTORIA & ALBERT.
Tonnage 1,034 (bm), dim. 200.1 x 33.0 x 22.1ft, length of keel 178.6ft.
Powered by a steam engine which was first intended for FIREBRAND, manufactured by Mandslay, Son & Field, 430 nhp, speed 15 knots.
23 August 1843 completed.
She was fitted out at Chatham and Deptford, using internal fittings from the old yacht ROYAL GEORGE of 1817.
Building cost £45,656.

01 July 1843 commissioned under command of Capt. Lord Adolphus Fitzelarence.
Principally used by the future King Edward VII the Prince of Wales.
1853 Lengthened, length 79.2m, tonnage 1381 ton (bm)
31 December 1853 under command of Capt. Joseph Deman and she was renamed OSBORNE, named after the Osborne House on the island of Wight and the private residency of Queen Victoria.

When King Edward VII was ascending the throne, he used the yacht less and less.
February 1855 paid off, fitted and thereafter recommissioned as an Admiralty yacht on 14 July 1856 under command of Master George Henry Kerr Bower and used as a tender to HMS ASIA.
July 1868 broken up at Portsmouth.

Sources: British Warships in the age of Sail 1817 – 1863 by Rif Winfield. Miramar. Royal yachts of Europe by R. Crabtree.

The stamps were she is showed as the VICTORIA & ALBERT (1) are given on: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=8247

Alderney 1997 26p sg A107. Scott?. Jersey 1977 7p sg 179, scott? Kiribati 1981 50c sg 151, as OSBORNE scott? Seychelles 1981 1r50 sg 505, scott? and 1983 50c on 1r50 sg 573, scott? Turks and Caicos Islands 55c sg 904, scott?