HMS Vivid (shore establishment 1890)

HMS Vivid was the Navy barracks at Devonport. It was commissioned in 1890, and operated as a training unit until 1914. The base was renamed HMS Drake in 1934, and as such is still existing as the name now refers to all of Her Majestys Naval Base Plymouth.

During the period 1912 - 1923 other, nominal bases were established for personnel on detached duty and attached to HMS Vivid for accounting purposes also named Vivid. Vivid II and III were for sections within Devonport, while Vivid IV was used for personnel at Falmouth (Cornwall) and then Queenstown in Southern Ireland from 1922 to 1923. Vivid V was used for Milford Haven(South Wales).

The reason for the ship and the naval establishment having the same name is that prior to 1959 the Naval Discipline Act only applied to Officers and Men of the Royal Navy who were borne or listed in the muster books of one of HM ships of War. Thus all personnel were allocated to a nominal depot ship when not actually serving on a proper seagoing warship. This was usually between Drafts or while undergoing Training or promotion/advancement courses. The shore establishment usually took the name of the original ship. Whenever the nominal depot ship changed then she also took the name of the previous ship.