HMS Ludlow (1698)

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History
English Red Ensign 1620.svg England
NameHMS Ludlow
Ordered1697
BuilderMrs. Anne Mundy, Woodbridge
Launched12 September 1698
Commissioned1699
Captured16 January 1703
FateCaptured by French off Goree
General characteristics as built
Class and type32-gun fifth rate
Tons burthen382594 tons (bm)
Length
  • 108 ft 0 in (32.92 m) gundeck
  • 90 ft 0 in (27.43 m) keel for tonnage
Beam28 ft 3 in (8.61 m)
Depth of hold10 ft 7 in (3.23 m)
PropulsionSails
Sail plan Full-rigged ship
Complement145/110
Armament
  • as built 32 guns
  • 4/4 x demi-culverins (LD)
  • 22/20 x 6-pdr guns (UD)
  • 6/4 x 4-pdr guns (QD)

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

Contents

She was the first vessel to bear the name Ludlow in the English and Royal Navy. [1]

Construction and Specifications

She was ordered in 1697 to be built under contract by Mrs. Anne Mundy of Woodbridge. She was launched on 12 September 1698. Her dimensions were a gundeck of 108 feet 0 inches (32.92 metres) with a keel of 90 feet 0 inches (27.43 metres) for tonnage calculation with a breadth of 28 feet 3 inches (8.61 metres) and a depth of hold of 10 feet 7 inches (3.23 metres). Her builder's measure tonnage was calculated as 382594 tons (burthen). [2]

The gun armament initially was four demi-culverins [3] [Note 1] on the lower deck (LD) with two pair of guns per side. The upper deck (UD) battery would consist of between twenty and twenty-two 6-pounder guns [4] [Note 2] with ten or eleven guns per side. The gun battery would be completed by four 4-pounder guns [5] [Note 3] on the quarterdeck (QD) with two to three guns per side. [6]

Commissioned Service 1699-1703

She was commissioned in 1699 under the command of Captain Henry Lumley for service in North America and in the West Indies. In 1703 he was replaced by Captain William Cock remaining in the West Indies. [2]

Loss

She was taken by the 40-gun Frenchman L' Adroit off Gorre on 16 January 1703 losing 30 personnel killed and wounded. [2]

Notes

  1. 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
  2. A 6-ponder was a Dutch gun used to replace the saker
  3. A minion renamed the 4-pounder was a gun of 1,000 pounds with a 3.5 inch bore firing a 4 pound shot with an 4 pound powder charge.

Citations

  1. Colledge (2020)
  2. 1 2 3 Winfred 2009, Ch 5, The Fifth Rates, Vessels acquired from 16 December 1688, Fifth Rates of 32 and 36 guns, 1694 Programme, Ludlow
  3. Lavery (1989), Part V, Ch 18, culverins, page 101
  4. Lavery (1989), Part V, Ch 18, The 6-pounder, page 102
  5. Lavery (1989), Part V, Ch 18, Minion or 4-pounder, page 103
  6. Winfred 2009, Ch 5, The Fifth Rates, Vessels acquired from 16 December 1688, Fifth Rates of 32 and 36 guns, 1694 Programme

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References