Late 90s site sketch from my Logbook – Tom Rutledge.

HMS St. Lawrence: The Warship That Became a Brewery Warehouse

Introduction

HMS St. Lawrence was a 102-gun first-rate ship of the line constructed by the Royal Navy during the War of 1812. She was the largest and most powerful warship ever built for freshwater service, launched on Lake Ontario to secure British naval dominance. Despite never seeing combat, her sheer size and firepower ensured that the United States could not challenge British control of the lake.

After the war, HMS St. Lawrence was decommissioned and sold in 1832. What followed was an unusual second life—she was purchased for £25 and repurposed as a storage facility for Morton’s Brewery and Distillery in Kingston, Ontario. Eventually, she was scuttled in shallow waters, where her remains lie today.

Now a well-preserved shipwreck, HMS St. Lawrence offers an extraordinary glimpse into early 19th-century naval engineering and the industrial history of Kingston, Ontario.

Identification & Site Information

  • Vessel Name: HMS St. Lawrence
  • Type: First-Rate Ship of the Line
  • Location of Wreck: N 44° 12.952’, W 76° 30.269’ (Kingston, Ontario)
  • Depth: 30 feet (9.1 meters)
  • Built: 1814, Kingston Royal Naval Dockyard, Upper Canada
  • Launched: September 10, 1814
  • Decommissioned: 1815
  • Final Disposition: Sold in 1832, used as a brewery warehouse. Deteriorated and destroyed by Ice

Vessel Type & Description

HMS St. Lawrence was a first-rate ship of the line, a designation given to the most powerful warships of the British Navy. She was a scaled-down version of HMS Victory, featuring three decks of guns and an imposing wooden Hull designed for battle.

Key Specifications:

  • Length: 191 ft 2 in (58.3 m)
  • Beam: 52 ft 6 in (16 m)
  • Armament: 112 guns across three decks
  • Crew Capacity: 700–800 sailors
  • Gun Deck Layout: Three decks, making her more heavily armed than any ship on the Great Lakes

Unlike ocean-going first-rate ships, HMS St. Lawrence lacked a quarterdeck and poop Deck, giving her the appearance of a spar-Deck frigate. This design was intentional—she was built for the calmer waters of Lake Ontario, eliminating unnecessary superstructure for transatlantic sailing.

Historical Significance

Role in the War of 1812

During the War of 1812, Britain and the United States competed for control of the Great Lakes, and naval superiority was crucial. The British, under Commodore Sir James Lucas Yeo, needed a warship that could dominate Lake Ontario and deter American forces.

Construction began on April 12, 1814, and was completed in just 156 days by 200 shipwrights at the Kingston Royal Naval Dockyard. When HMS St. Lawrence was launched in September 1814, she instantly outclassed the entire U.S. fleet. The Americans, realizing they had no ship powerful enough to challenge her, avoided direct confrontation.

Although HMS St. Lawrence never fired a shot in combat, she effectively ended the naval arms race on Lake Ontario, ensuring British dominance for the remainder of the war.

Post-War Decommissioning and Sale

Following the Treaty of Ghent (1815), HMS St. Lawrence was decommissioned and moored in Kingston’s Navy Bay. Stripped of her guns, masts, and rigging, she remained unused for years.

By 1832, Britain began selling off its Great Lakes naval fleet, and HMS St. Lawrence was auctioned for £25 to Robert Drummond. Rather than being scrapped, she was repurposed for commercial use in Kingston.

Morton Brewery & The Industrial Repurposing of HMS St. Lawrence

James Morton, owner of Morton’s Brewery and Distillery, saw potential in the Hull of HMS St. Lawrence. Rather than dismantling the ship, he moored her near the brewery and converted her into a floating warehouse.

For nearly a decade, the ship served as a storage facility for grain, brewing materials, and barrels of beer. Steamships regularly docked alongside her Hull, making her an integral part of Kingston’s industrial economy.

The End of HMS St. Lawrence

By the mid-19th century, HMS St. Lawrence began to deteriorate, and the decision was made to scuttle? her in shallow water near the brewery.

Scuttling and Wreck Site

  • Scuttled: Mid-1800s, near Kingston, Ontario
  • Depth: 30 feet (9.1 meters)
  • Condition: Largely intact due to cold freshwater preservation
  • Access: Popular dive site, historically significant

The wreck remains remarkably well-preserved due to Lake Ontario’s cold freshwater environment. Parts of the Hull are still visible, allowing divers to explore a rare example of early 19th-century shipbuilding.

NOTMARs & Advisories

  • No official Notices to Mariners (NOTMARs) directly reference the wreck
  • Divers should be cautious of sharp objects, low Visibility, and entanglement hazards

Resources & Further Reading

Conclusion & Analysis

HMS St. Lawrence was a symbol of British naval dominance on the Great Lakes. Though she never saw combat, her presence alone secured Lake Ontario for Britain.

Her post-war transformation into a brewery warehouse highlights the resourcefulness of 19th-century industry—where decommissioned warships were repurposed for commercial use. Today, her remains serve as an important archaeological site, offering insight into both military history and early Canadian industry.

The wreck of HMS St. Lawrence is a rare time capsule, providing historians, divers, and researchers a unique look into the past.

Youtube Videos

Historical & Public Archives Photos

Keywords & Search Terms

#HMS St. Lawrence #Ship of the Line #War of 1812 Naval Battles #Lake Ontario #Shipwrecks Kingston# Royal Naval Dockyard #British Great Lakes Fleet #Morton Brewery Kingston #Scuttled Warship #19th-Century Naval Engineering