| History | |
|---|---|
 Great Britain | |
| Name | HMS Duchess |
| Builder | John Shish, Deptford Dockyard |
| Launched | May 1679 |
| Renamed |
|
| Fate | Broken up, 1763 |
| General characteristics as built [1] | |
| Class & type | 90-gun second rate ship of the line |
| Tons burthen | 1546 bm |
| Length | 162 ft 8 in (49.6 m) (gundeck) |
| Beam | 45 ft 8 in (13.9 m) |
| Depth of hold | 18 ft 4 in (5.6 m) |
| Propulsion | Sails |
| Sail plan | Full-rigged ship |
| Armament | 90 guns of various weights of shot |
| General characteristics after 1709 rebuild [2] | |
| Class & type | 90-gun second rate ship of the line |
| Tons burthen | 1557 bm |
| Length | 162 ft 2.75 in (49.4 m) (gundeck) |
| Beam | 47 ft 2.25 in (14.4 m) |
| Depth of hold | 18 ft 10.25 in (5.7 m) |
| Propulsion | Sails |
| Sail plan | Full-rigged ship |
| Armament | 90 guns of various weights of shot |
HMS Duchess was a 90-gun second rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built by John Shish at Deptford Dockyard, and launched in May 1679. [3]
In 1696, the Duchess was lying in the Thames when passed by famed privateer Capt. William Kidd in the Adventure Galley . Kidd failed to offer the customary salute to the Duchess, and the irate Captain Stewart of the Duchess fired a shot off Kidd's bow, forcing Kidd (surrounded by a "forest of Royal Navy warships") to heave to and be boarded. Stewart then impressed 30 of Kidd's best hand-picked seamen. One of Kidd's influential backers came to his aid, getting Stewart to replace the impressed sailors, but rather than returning Kidd's original crew, he substituted his worst troublemakers. [4]
The Duchess was renamed HMS Princess Anne in 1701, HMS Windsor Castle in 1702, and HMS Blenheim in 1706. [1]
In 1709 Blenheim was rebuilt at Woolwich Dockyard, remaining a 90-gun second rate. She continued to serve until 1763, when she was broken up. [2]
