HMS Megaera (1849)

HMS Megaera (1849)

HMS Megaera was originally constructed as an iron screw frigate for the Royal Navy, and was one of the last and largest ships built by William Fairbairn's Millwall shipyard.

Launched on 22 May 1849, HMS Megaera was one of the first iron ships ordered by the Royal Navy. She was named after the mythological figure Megaera, one of the Erinyes (or Furies, in Roman mythology).

The Admiralty was at the time sceptical about iron ships in general and this slow ship did nothing to change its mind. Megaera never saw service as a frigate, the Admiralty instead ordering her to be converted to a troopship and storeship. On her maiden voyage as a troopship on 7 June 1851, she broke down and had to be towed back to port. Megaera was refitted and sailed again, ordered to use her sails to conserve coal. She became an operational ship and made several voyages to the Crimea but was not well liked.