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Hello Mr. Guttman, and thank you for taking the time to read this question.

I have been attempting to find out more about the Tudor warship Peter Pomegranate, sister ship to the more well-known Mary Rose. The fate of the Peter Pomegranate is unknown, but according to my quick Google search the last known mention of it was in records from 1558. If it is possible, I would like to know more about these records; what do they tell us in regards to the ship (its status, whereabouts at the time, or any other information of interest)?

Thanks again,

A. Taylor

 

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Dear Mr. Taylor,

I have not accessed the actual 1558 records, but a look at Angus Konstam’s book Tudor Warships (Part 1) reveals that the 500-ton Mary Rose and 450-ton Peter Pomegranate (or Peter Pomarnarde) were both laid down in Portsmouth in 1509. Three-misted carracks, they were the first gunships in King Henry VIII’s naval modernization program, but it was not until 1536-38, when they were rebuilt, that they had the timbers to accommodate a full suite of bronze cannon. By then Peter was only known by its reference to Saint Peter, having discarded from its titled the heraldric fruit of Henry’s by then divorced first wife, Catherine of Aragon, and carried a total of 60 guns. These half-sisters played an active role in fleet operations from France to Scotland and back, at least up to Mary Rose’s capsizing in the Solent on July 19, 1545. When it accompanied Edward Clinton’s invasion fleet to Scotland in 1547 Peter was described as carrying 185 sailors, 185 soldiers, 30 specialized gunners and 74 firearms of various calibers. It was still on Royal Navy strength in 1552, but aside from that last mention in 1558, Peter’s ultimate disposition remains unknown. 
Sincerely,

 

Jon Guttman

Research Director

World History

www.historynet.com

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