1637 Group

Last updated

Class overview
Name1637 Group
Builders
  • Matthew Graves, Bermondsey
  • Mr Trackmore, St Savior's Dock, Bermondsey
Operators English Red Ensign 1620.svg English Navy Royal

Flag of The Commonwealth.svg Commonwealth Of England

English Red Ensign 1620.svg Kingdom of England
Preceded by Crane Group
Succeeded by 1646 Programme Group
Built1590
In service1637 - 1638
In commission1638 - 1668
Completed2
Lost1
Retired1
General characteristics
TypeSmall Ship
Tons burthen304.2/405.5 tons bm
Length90 ft 0 in (27.4 m) keel
Beam26 ft 0 in (7.9 m)
Depth of hold13 ft 0 in (4.0 m)
Sail plan ship-rigged
Complement120 - 1652
Armament30 guns

The 1637 Group of two 300 ton 'pinnances' to carry fourteen pieces of ordnance and sixteen banks of oars were ordered on 12 December 1636. These vessels would carry thirty pieces of ordnance with ten pairs of gun ports on the lower deck with two pair forward and four pairs aft on the upper deck. The waist would be unprotected until two more pairs of gun ports were added later. Their measurements would compare favourably to the 'frigate' type vessels built a decade later. Their beam to length ratio of 3.46 to 1 would make a more true frigate than the Constant Warwick. [1]

Contents

Design and specifications

The ships were built in Bermondsey under contract. Only order dates and launch dates are available for each ship. The specification dimensions are keel for tonnage 90 feet 0 inches (27.4 metres) with a breadth of 26 feet 0 inches (7.9 metres) and depth of hold of 13 feet 0 inches (4.0 metres). The builder's measure tonnage was 304.2 and 405.5 tons. When the vessels were remeasured their dimensions were keel 90 feet 1 inch (27.5 metres) with a beam of 27 feet 4 inches (8.3 metres) and depth of hold of 11 feet 0 inches (3.4 metres). Their builder's measure was 357+93⁄94 tons. [2]

The gun armaments will be specified on within the ship articles as they varied between the vessels. As built they carried thirty guns of culverins, [3] [Note 1] demi-culverins, [4] [Note 2] and sakers. [5] [Note 3] The initial manning of the ships was120 personnel in 1652, increasing to 140 souls by 1653. [6]

Ships of the 1637 Group

NameBuilderLaunch dateRemarks
Expedition Matthew Graves, Bermondsey20 March 1637
  • Converted to a fireship June 1667 then sold October 1667
Providence Mr Trackmore, St Savior's Dock, Bermondsey21 March 1637
  • Wrecked Tangier 31 October 1668

Notes

  1. ↑ A culverin was a gun of 4,500 pounds with a 5.5 inch bore firing a 17.5 pound shot with an twelve pound powder charge.
  2. ↑ A demi-culverin was a gun of 3,400 pounds with a four inch bore firing a 9.5 pound shot with an eight pound powder charge.
  3. ↑ A sacar or saker was a gun of 1,400 pounds with a 3.5 inch bore firing a 5.5 pound shot with an 5.5 pound powder charge.

Citations

  1. ↑ Winfield
  2. ↑ Winfield
  3. ↑ Lavery, page 100
  4. ↑ Lavery, page 101
  5. ↑ Lavery, page 102
  6. ↑ Winfield

Related Research Articles

The Pelican was one of six 40-gun fourth-rate frigates, built for the Commonwealth of England under the 1650 Programme. After commissioning she partook in the First Anglo-Dutch War being present at the Battles of Kentish Knock, Portland, the Gabbard and Scheveningen. She was accidentally burnt at Portsmouth in early 1656.

Laurel was a 48-gun fourth-rate of the navy of the Commonwealth of England. She participated in almost all major Fleet Actions of the First Anglo-Dutch War. She was an active participant in the battles of Kentish Knock, Dungeness, Portland, The Gabbard and Scheveningen. She went to the west Indies with Admiral William Penn. She was wrecked in May 1657.

HMS Southsea Castle was a 32-gun fifth rate built at Deptford Dockyard in 1694/95. She was assigned to the West Indies. She was wrecked along with HMS Bideford on Hispaniola in November 1699.

The 1693 Programme of fifth rates were derived from the 1689 programme vessels as demi-batterie ships. The concept was to have one tier of ordnance flush on the upper deck for use in all weathers on a freeboard of at least seven feet. The ordnance would be arranged with a minimum of ten gun ports on the upper deck. The lower deck would be provided with four ports for heavier guns that could only be used in calm weather. For added propulsion ten oar ports per side would be provided with a central loading port. Four 32-gun vessels to these specifications were ordered in early 1693 with three to be built by Contract and one in dockyard.

The 1650 Programme of six 510 ton Fourth Rate vessels was initiated by the Council of State on 16 November 1649. On 2 January 1650 the Admiralty Committee confirmed that six 'frigrates' had been ordered at a cost of 6.10.0d per ton. The ships would be built under contract with the exception of one ship built in Dockyard. The ships were all named by 16 August 1650 and launched by the end of the year. Each ship was to carry initially 34 guns and 150 men. This would increase over time

Quittance was a small galleon in the service of the English Navy Royal. She spent her early career in expeditions as far as Cadiz. She was later assigned to the Channel Guard during two more attempts by Philip II of Spain to invade England. she maintained this assignment until she went to Monson's squadron then back to the English Channel. She was condemned in 1618.

Answer was a small galleon in the service of the English Royal Navy. She spent her early career in expeditions as far as Cadiz and the Azores. She was later assigned to the Channel Guard during two more attempts by Philip II of Spain to invade England. She maintained this assignment until she went to the Irish Station then back to the English Channel. She was finally sold in 1629.

Advantage was a small galleon in the service of the English Navy Royal. She spent her career in the Channel Guard during two more attempts by Philip II of Spain to invade England. She maintained this assignment until she went to the English Channel. She was accidentally burnt in Scotland in 1613.

Mary Rose was a 26-gun ship in the service of the English Navy Royal. After commissioning she mainly served in Home waters. With the outbreak of the English Civil War in 1642 she was in the service of the Parliamentary Forces. She served until wrecked in a storm in 1650.

Amity was a 36-gun fourth rate vessel, formerly belonging to the Commonwealth of England. She was hired by Parliament in November 1649, and later purchased on 18 January 1650, thus renamed. She was commissioned into the Parliamentary Naval Force as Amity. During the First Anglo-Dutch War she partook in the Battle of Portland and the Battle of The Gabbard. Later, after the Restoration in May 1660, she was incorporated into the English Navy. During the Second Anglo-Dutch War she participated in the Battle of Lowestoft, the Four Days' Battle and the St James Day Fight. She was sold on 27 November 1667.

HMS Milford was a 32-gun fifth rate built under contract by William Hubbard of Ipswich in 1694/95.

HMS Hastings was a 32-gun fifth rate built under contract by Thomas Ellis of Shoreham in 1694/95. She spent her brief career on counter piracy patrols and trade protection duties in Home Waters. She was wrecked in a storm off Waterford in December 1697.

HMS Looe was a 32-gun fifth rate built at Plymouth Dockyard in 1695/96. Shortly after commissioning she was wrecked in Baltimore Bay, Ireland on 30 April 1697.

HMS Fowey was a 32-gun fifth rate built by Mr. Flint of Plymouth in 1695/96. She was employed in trade protection and counter-piracy patrols in Home Waters and North America. She was in on the capture of a 50-gun Frenchman while returning from Virginia. She was taken by the French off the Scilly Islands in August 1704.

HMS Southsea Castle was a 32-gun fifth rate built under contract by John Knowler of Redbridge (Southampton) in 1695/96.

HMS Hastings was a 32-gun fifth rate built by Isaac Betts of Woodbridge in 1696/98. She was employed in convoy service, trade protection and counter piracy patrols. She was wrecked off Greater Yarmouth in February 1707.

HMS Looe was a 32-gun fifth rate built by Portsmouth Dockyard in 1696/97. She was first employed off the Irish coast. She went to Newfoundland in 1702. On her return she was wrecked on the Isle of Wight in December 1705.

HMS Ludlow was a 32-gun fifth rate built by Mrs. Anne Mundy of Woodbridge in 1697/98.

HMS Falcon was a 32-gun fifth rate built at Deptford Dockyard in 1703/04. Her initial assignment was with Sir Cloudesley Shovell's Fleet. She was then assigned to the Mediterranean where she was taken by the French in 1709.

HMS Fowey was a 32-gun fifth rate built at Chatham Dockyard in 1703/05. She spent her career in the Mediterranean and was taken by the French off Cape Gato, Spain in April 1709.

References

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.