1650 Programme Group

Last updated

Class overview
Name1650 Programme Group
Builders
Operators
Preceded by 1649 Programme Group
Succeeded by 1651 Programme Group
Built1649 - 1650
In service1650 - 1745
Completed6
Lost5
Retired1
General characteristics
Type34-gun Fourth Rate
Tons burthen511+1694 tons (bm)
Length100 ft 0 in (30.48 m) keel for tonnage
Beam31 ft 0 in (9.45 m)
Sail plan ship-rigged
Complement150/1652, 160/1653
Armament34 guns

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 'frigates' 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, although this would increase over time [1]

Contents

Design and specifications

The construction of one vessel was assigned to Deptford Dockyard with the remainder contracted to private builders. The contract dimensional data was a keel length of 100 ft 0 in (30.48 m) and a breadth of 31 ft 0 in (9.45 m), producing a builder's measurement tonnage of 511+1694 tons at a contract price of 6.10.0d [Note 1] per ton; the actual measurements as built are set out below. Soon after their first service, most were modified to have a forecastle added (to protect the upper deck, but not to carry guns) and were girdled (another layer of timbers added on each side), increasing their breadth (and consequently their BM tonnage) and enabling them to carry a heavier armament without jeopardising their stability. The ships were originally to have 34 guns and a manning level of 150, however, this was later increased to 40 guns with 180 men by December 1653, and for the surviving ships by 1666 to 46 guns with 170 men (in Foresight and Assistance) or to 48 guns with 180 men (in Reserve, Advice and Centurion). The guns were generally culverins [2] [Note 2] on the lower deck (LD), demi-culverins [3] [Note 3] on the upper deck and sakers [4] [Note 4] on the quarterdeck (QD). [5]

Ships of the 1650 Programme Group

NameBuilderLaunch
year
Gundeck
length
Keel
length
Original
breadth
Original
burthen
tonnage
Breadth
after
girdling
Tonnage
after
girdling
Careers
and
Fates
Foresight (1650) Jonas Shish,
Deptford Dockyard
1650121 ft 0in101 ft 6 in30 ft 10 in513269431 ft 1 in5215994
  • Wrecked 4 July 1698 about 50 miles south of Cuba
Assistance (1650) Henry Johnson, Deptford1650121 ft 5.5 in101 ft 6 in
(102ft after
girdling)
30 ft 10 in513269432 ft 4 in5672094
  • Rebuilt Deptford 1687
  • Rebuilt Deptford Dockyard 1699
  • Rebuilt Limehouse 1712
  • Rebuilt Woolwich Dockyard 1720–25
  • Sunk as breakwater December 1745
Reserve (1650) Peter Pett II, Woodbridge, Suffolk 1650118 ft 4in100 ft 0 in31 ft 1 in513879432 ft 10 in5735994
Advice (1650) Peter Pett II, Woodbridge, Suffolk1650118 ft 6in100 ft 0 in31 ft 2 in516649432 ft 0 in5446494
  • Rebuilt at Woolwich 1700–01
  • Taken by six French privateers off Great Yarmouth on 27 June 1711
Pelican (1650) John Taylor, Wapping, London1650n/a100 ft 0 in30 ft 8 in5002294n/an/a
  • Accidentally burnt at Portsmouth on 13 February 1656
Centurion (1650) Peter Pett I, Ratcliffe, London1650n/a104 ft 0 in31 ft 0 in5315894n/an/a
  • Wrecked 25 December 1689 in Plymouth Sound

Notes

  1. The cost accounting for inflation of approximately £1,100 in reference to today
  2. The culverin was a gun of 4,500 pounds with a 5.5 inch bore firing a 17.5 pound shot with a twelve pound powder charge
  3. The 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
  4. The sacar or saker was a gun of 1,400 pounds with a 3.5 inch bore firing a 4 pound shot with an 4 pound powder charge

Citations

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

References