HMS Southampton is the sixth ship to bear the name. The first Southampton was built in 1693 in Southampton, only a short distance up river from Woolston.
The Second HMS Southampton
The second ship was a frigate built in 1757, which saw action throughout the heyday of the Royal Navy, being involved at Belle Isle, Glorious first of June and the Battle of Cape St Vincent among other actions. This famous ship, thought to be the first true frigate ever built, was finally wrecked off the Bahamas in 1812.
The third Southampton was built in 1820 and served throughout the world until 1867 when she started work as a training ship at Hull. She was finally broken up in 1912.
The Fourth HMS Southampton
The fourth Southampton was a light cruiser built in 1912, and saw action throughout the First World War, including the battle of Jutland, being finally scrapped in 1926.
The Fifth HMS Southampton
The fifth ship of the name was built in 1936 and saw continuous action during the Second World War before being sunk while escorting a convoy in the Mediterranean in January 1941.
The Sixth HMS Southampton
The present Southampton was built by Vosper Thorneycroft (UK) Ltd at Southampton. She was laid down on Trafalgar Day (21 October) 1976, launched on 29 January 1979 and commissioned into service on 31 October 1981. The Ship's initial trial period was curtailed by the Falklands War in June 1982 just a few days after the Argentine surrender. In 1991 the ship emerged from Swan Hunters after an extensive repair package due to a collision with the container ship MV Tor Bay near the Straits of Hormuz. More recently, the ship underwent a major refit with Babcock Rosyth Defence Ltd in January 1998 to May 1999 and a Docking Period in Portsmouth July 2003 to February 2004 when various equipments were exchanged and the ship's fighting capability further enhanced.
| Emeraude 1757 | Belle Isle 1761 | Belle Isle 1761 | First of June 1794 |
| St Vincent 1797 | Heligoland 1914 | Dogger Bank 1915 | Jutland 1916 |
| Norway 1940 | Spartivento 1940 | Malta Convoy 1941 |