HMS Maidstone (1693)

Last updated

History
English Red Ensign 1620.svg England
NameHMS Maidstone
Ordered21 July 1693
Builder Royal Dockyard, Chatham
Launched31 December 1693
Commissioned1 January 1694
FateSold 29 July 1714
General characteristics
Type20-gun Sixth Rate
Tons burthen250+36⁄94 bm
Length
  • 94 ft 3 in (28.7 m) gundeck
  • 79 ft 6 in (24.2 m) keel for tonnage
Beam24 ft 4 in (7.4 m) for tonnage
Depth of hold10 ft 8 in (3.3 m)
Armament
  • initially as ordered
  • 20 × sakers on wooden trucks (UD)
  • 4 × 3-pdr on wooden trucks (QD)
  • 1703 Establishment
  • 20 × 6-pdrs on wooden trucks (UD)
  • 4 × 4-pdr on wooden trucks (QD)

HMS Maidstone was a member of the standardized 20-gun sixth rates built at the end of the 17th century. After commissioning she spent her career between Home Waters and North America with junkets to the West Indies and once to the Mediterranean. Mainly employed as a trade protection vessel. She was sold in 1714.

Contents

Maidstone was the second named vessel since it was used for a 40-gun ship launched by Mundy at Woodbridge in 1545, renamed Mary Rose in 1660 during the restoration of the Monarchy, she was captured by the French in the Atlantic on 12 July 1691. [1]

Construction

She was ordered in the First Batch of four ships from Chatham Dockyard to be built under the guidance of their Master Shipwright, Robert Lee. She was launched on 31 December 1693. [2]

Commissioned service

She was commissioned on 1 January 1694 under the command of Captain John Tuckey, RN for service in the English Channel. Captain Stephen Elliot, RN took command on 14 January 1695 with Berkley's Squadron. Captain Elliot was never a lieutenant and was appointed captain as he had escaped from a French prison with valuable information. [3] Captain Richard Culliford, RN took command on 9 June 1695 for service with the Channel fishery. Captain Jonathan Kelling, RN took command on 3 March 1697 for service in the West Indies. He held command until his death on 20 October 1698. [4] On 27 February 1699 she was ordered to Home Waters under the command of Captain Bennet Allen, RN.

On or about 27 June 1701 she was under the command of Commander William Fairbourne, RN for service in the Leeward Islands. He was followed by Commander Robert Coleman, RN on 10 March 1703. She moved to New York in 1705. [5] Commander Henry Long, RN was in command on 25 September 1705 for passage to the West Indies. She was under the command of Commander George Gordon, RN in the West Indies on15 March 1708. [6] She returned to Home Waters and joined Admiral Byng's Fleet in the Channel in 1708. She then moved on to Lisbon in October Then joined the Mediterranean convoy finally returning to New York in 1709. [7] On 9 April 1709 Commander Richard Davies, RN took command. She returned from America in 1710. She patrolled the North Sea during 1711 thru 1712. [8]

Disposition

HMS Maidstone was sold to James Jeff for £420 [Note 1] on 29 July 1714. [9]

Notes

  1. ↑ A total amount accounting for inflation of approximately £76,700 in today's money.

Citations

  1. ↑ Colledge
  2. ↑ Winfield
  3. ↑ Winfield
  4. ↑ Winfield
  5. ↑ Winfield
  6. ↑ Winfield
  7. ↑ Winfield
  8. ↑ Winfield
  9. ↑ Winfield

Related Research Articles

HMS Phoenix was built as a fireship as part of the 1693–94 programme of Fireships. After her commissioning she spent time in the English Channel then joined the Fleet for the Battle of Vigo Bay followed by the Battle of Velez-Malaga. She went aground in the Isles of Scilly and was salvaged. While laid up at Plymouth in 1708 was rebuilt as a 24-gun sixth rate. After recommissioning she spent her time in Home Waters, North America and the West Indies. She was rebuilt again in 1727 before finally being sold in 1744.

HMS Jersey was a member of the standardized 20-gun sixth rates built at the end of the 17th century. After commissioning she spent most of her career in the West Indies. She was wrecked there in October 1707.

HMS Queenborough was a member of the standardized 20-gun sixth rates built at the end of the 17th century. The bulk of her career was spent in Home Waters. During her time in the English Channel she took three French privateers. She went to the Leeward Islands where two of her Captains died before returning home. She was sold in 1719.

HMS Swan was a member of the standardized 20-gun sixth rates built at the end of the 17th century. After commissioning she went to the West Indies, then returned for service in the Irish Sea and English Channel. She then returned to the West Indies where she was lost with all hands in 1707.

HMS Solebay was a member of the standardized 20-gun sixth rates built at the end of the 17th century. After commissioning she spent her career mainly in the North Sea with a stint in the Irish sea. Mainly employed as a trade protection vessel. She was wrecked in 1709.

HMS Bideford was a member of the standardized 20-gun sixth rates built at the end of the 17th century. After commissioning she spent her short career in the West Indies, mainly employed as a trade protection vessel. She was wrecked in 1699.

HMS Penzance was a member of the standardized 20-gun sixth rates built at the end of the 17th century. After commissioning she spent her career in Home Waters with a foray to the Moroccan coast. Mainly employed as a trade protection vessel. She was sold in 1713.

HMS Dunwich was a member of the standardized 20-gun sixth rates built at the end of the 17th century. After commissioning she spent her career mainly in Home Waters with forays to Morocco, North America and the Mediterranean. She was involved in the capture of five privateers. She was sunk as a breakwater in 1714.

HMS Oxford was a member of the standardized 20-gun sixth rates built at the end of the 17th century. After commissioning she spent her career escorting convoys of merchant ships, participated with the fleet, including the Battle Velez-Malaga in 1704. She was sold in 1714.

HMS Lizard was a member of the standardized 20-gun sixth rates built at the end of the 17th century. She was commissioned for service in the East Indies, then Mediterranean, followed by Home Waters in the Irish Sea. She was sold in 1714.

HMS Flamborough was a member of the standardized 20-gun sixth rates built at the end of the 17th century. She was commissioned for service in Home waters, then Mediterranean. She was captured by the French in 1705 and scuttled.

HMS Seaford was a member of the standardized 20-gun sixth rates built at the end of the 17th century. After she was commissioned she had a very varied career, starting in the Mediterranean then the Irish Sea, then to Newfoundland, the North Sea followed by a great repair then to the Leeward Islands. She was dismantled in 1722 and rebuilt as a bomb vessel in 1727 than a 20-gun sixth rate in 1728. She served in the West Indies, America and the Mediterranean. She was finally broken in 1740.

HMS Deal Castle was a member of the standardized 20-gun sixth rates built at the end of the 17th century. After she was commissioned she was in Newfoundland, the West Indies, the Irish Sea, Jamaica, and back to Home Waters. She was captured by the French in 1706.

HMS Medway's Prize was a 28-gun sixth rate taken by HMS Medway on 17 August 1704. She was registered as a Royal Navy Vessel on 6 September 1704. She was commissioned into the Royal Navy in 1705 for service in Home Waters then Jamaica. She was sold in late 1713.

HMS Triton's Prize was a 30-gun French privateer, Le Royal of St Malo taken by HMS Triton on 3 February 1705. She was purchased on 3 March 1705. She was commissioned into the Royal Navy in 1705 for service in the English Channel. She went to the American colonies of New York and Virginia, remaining there until sold in 1703.

HMS Nightingale was a 24-gun sixth-rate ship of the Royal Navy, purchased in 1706 and in service in North America and English waters until 1716.

HMS Deal Castle was a 24-gun sixth-rate ship of the Royal Navy, purchased in 1706 and in service in West Indies, North America and English waters until 1727 when she was rebuilt at Sheerness. She commissioned after her rebuild in May 1727 and served in Home waters, North America and the West Indies. She was finally broken at Deptford in August 1746.

HMS Glasgow was the Royal Scottish Navy vessel Royal Mary transferred to the Royal Navy by the Act of Union of 1707. Her design was based on the standardize 20-gun sixth rates. After commissioning she was assigned to Home Waters. She took a privateer in 1708 and another in 1712. She was sold in 1719.

HMS Experiment was a fifth rate built under the 1689 programme built at Deptford Dockyard. Her guns were listed under old terms for guns as demi-culverines, sakers and minions. After commissioning she spent her career in Home Waters, North America, Mediterranean and the West Indies. She was reduced to a 20-gun sixth rate in 1717 then rebuilt as a 1719 Establishment sixth rate in 1724. Her breaking was finally completed at Portsmouth in 1738.

HMS Sheerness was a fifth rate built under the 1689 programme built at Sheerness Dockyard. Her guns were listed under old terms for guns as demi-culverines, sakers and minions. After commissioning she spent her career in Home Waters, North America, Mediterranean and the West Indies. She was reduced to a 20-gun sixth rate in 1717 then rebuilt as a Modified 1719 Establishment sixth rate in 1731. She was sold in 1744.

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.