The stamp is designed after a painting made by Willem van de Velde, the younger (1633-1707) and shows us the HMS HAMTON COURT in a gale.
Built as a wooden Third Rate ship-of-the-line by the master shipbuilder John Shish at the Deptford Dockyard for the Royal Navy.
April 1677 ordered, and the same year keel laid down.
10 July 1678 launched as the HAMPTON COURT.
Tonnage 1,036 ton (bm), dim. 150.6 x 40.1 x 17ft, length of keel 121.3ft. Draught 18.6ft.
Armament: 70 guns of various weights of shot.
22 July 1678 commissioned under command of Captain John Kirke.
1689 Was she under command of John Munden as flagship of Rear-Admiral Lord Berkely.
30 May 1690 took part in the Battle of Beachy Head.
1701 Rebuilt by the master shipbuilder Henry Johnson at Blackwall.
New tonnage 1,073 ton (bm), dim. 150.6 x 40.4 x 16.11ft., length of keel 123.10ft.
Armament: 70 guns of various weights of shot.
1702 Commissioned.
1702 Under command of Captain Charles Wager in the convoy service in the North Sea.
1703 Was she in the Mediterranean.
2 May 1707 Taken by a French squadron under command of Claude de Forbin which intercepted a large British convoy off Beachy Head, of which the HAMPTON COURT one of the escorts was. The Captain of the HAMPTON COURT, George Clements was killed.
She was brought to Dunkirk and became the French Le HAMPTON COURT a French naval vessel. 1712 Was she sold to Spain and renamed CAPITANA. 1715 Was she wrecked as a Spanish flagship of an ill-fated treasure fleet, which was wrecked during a hurricane. Her loss is given on this web-site: http://www.wreckoverysalvage.com/page11.html
Belize 1982 10c sg671, scott?
Maldives 2018 MVR 22 sg?, scott" (Although this issue was authorized by the postal administration of the Maldives, the issue was not placed on sale in the Maldives, and was only distributed to the new issue trade by the Maldives's philatelic agent.
Source: British Warships in the age of sail 1603-1714 by Rif Winfield.