Captain Geoffrey Hartgrove, chairman of Ipswich Maritime Trust, at the memorial to Sir Thomas Slade - Credit: Charlotte Bond Sea shanties have chimed over Ipswich Waterfront in memory of HMS Victory designer Sir Thomas Slade. The designer of Lord Nelson's famous ship, Sir Thomas came from a family of Ipswich and Harwich shipbuilders and, through his numerous warships, helped make the Royal Navy into a force to be feared worldwide. Behind other giant warships and frigates including the HMS Bellephon, HMS Windsor, and HMS Agincourt, Sir Thomas died in 1771 and was brought back to Ipswich to be buried next to his wife Hannah in the churchyard of St Clements Church.