Since 1696, there have been eight vessels bearing the name 'Looe' serving in the Royal Navy. All we can say is watch this space.
HMS LOOE - [1697 - 1943] Research.
Research continues into the histories of the eight vessels to carry the name 'Looe' that have served in the British Navy.
We are now in a position to visit the Greenwich Maritime Museum and the Public Records Office in Kew, both institutions hold a wealth of documentation in the form of Admiralty papers relating to the earlier vessels.
It is intended initially to research documents for two vessels, the first HMS Looe 1697 and the fourth HMS Looe 1741/1744.
The intended 4 day visit will be toward the end of October, when upward of 100+ documents will be scanned by Colin Tregear and John Eckersall, one of which it is hoped will be the crew list for the first 'Looe' which would have had a West Country crew including maybe some from SE Cornwall.
One important document that we now have a copy of, is the original builders line drawings of the HMS Looe built in Limehouse in 1741.
A recent visit was made to RAF St Mawgan where contacts were made with the US Navy who have offered their assistance in further research in Florida where artefacts from the 1741 vessel were recovered from the wreck site off Looe Key in the 1950's.
Beryl & Colin Tregear: John Eckersall
LBOA Members