HMS Sheerness (1691)

Last updated

History
English Red Ensign 1620.svg England
NameHMS Sheerness
Ordered28 June 1689
Builder Royal Dockyard, Sheerness
Launched6 March 1691
Commissioned1691
Reclassifiedsixth rate in 1717
Captured28 March 1760
FateTaken by the French and burnt
General characteristics
Type32-gun fifth rate
Tons burthen3591/94 bm
Length
  • 105 ft 9 in (32.2 m) gundeck
  • 89 ft 3 in (27.2 m) keel for tonnage
Beam27 ft 6 in (8.4 m) for tonnage
Depth of hold10 ft 0 in (3.0 m)
Sail plan ship-rigged
Complement
  • as fifth rate 145/100
  • as sixth rate 115/85
Armament
  • as Built
  • 4 × 4 demi-culverines on wooden trucks (LD)
  • 20 × sakers on wooden trucks (UD)
  • 4 × 4 minions on wooden trucks (QD)
  • 1703 Establishment
  • 4 × 4 9-pdr guns on wooden trucks (LD)
  • 22/20 × 6-pdr guns on wooden trucks (UD)
  • 6/4 × 4-pdr guns on wooden trucks (QD)
  • as sixth rate
  • 20/18 × 6-pdrs on wooden trucks (UD)
General characteristics as rebuilt 1731
Type20-gun Sixth Rate
Tons burthen428+13⁄94 bm
Length
  • 106 ft 0 in (32.3 m) gundeck
  • 87 ft 0 in (26.5 m) keel for tonnage
Beam30 ft 5 in (9.3 m) for tonnage
Depth of hold9 ft 2 in (2.8 m)
Sail plan ship-rigged
Armament20 x 6-pdr 19 cwt guns on wooden trucks (UD)

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, [Note 1] sakers [Note 2] and minions. [Note 3] 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. [1] [2]

Contents

Sheerness was the second named vessel since it was used for a2-gun smack built at Chatham in 1673 and sunk 24 April 1695 as a foundation at Sheerness. [3]

Construction

She was ordered on 28 June 1689 from Chatham Dockyard to be built under the guidance of Master Shipwright Daniel Furzer. She was launched on 6 March 1691. [4]

Commissioned service

HMS Sheerness was commissioned in 1691 under the command of Captain Anthony Roope, RN for service in the North Sea. With the death of Captain Roope on 25 June 1692 Captain Thomas Fowlis took over. January 1693 saw Captain John Norris, RN in command with the Smyrna convoy in June 1693. September 1693 she was under Captain Lord Archibald Hamilton, RN. In 1694 she temporarily under the command of Captain James Lawrence. Captain Valentine Bowles, RN was in command for service in the West Indies in 1697. Captain Bowles was dismissed by court-martial on 27 October 1698. [5] Captain William Urry, RN was in command in 1701. she was off Dunkirk in 1702 then went to the Orkney Islands with Beaumont's squadron then was with Shovel's Fleet in October. In 1703 Captain Thomas Mitchell, RN was in command for service in Newfoundland in 1703. She then proceeded to the Leeward Islands in 1704 followed by the North Sea in 1705. [6]

In 1706 she was under the command of Captain William Bloys, RN for service in the Leeward Islands. She took the privateer, La Trompeuse on 27 June 1709. She spent 1709–10 in the North Sea with service at the Firth of Forth in 1712. She underwent a great repair at Sheerness between November 1712 and February 1713 at a cost of £928.11.0 1/2d. [Note 4] She spent 1713 'owling'. She paid off at Portsmouth in December 1714. She was reduced to a 20-gun sixth rate by Admiralty Order (AO) 23 February 1717 at a cost of £4,387.9.51/4d [Note 5] from February to August 1717.

Commissioned Service as a Sixth Rate

She recommissioned under Captain Arthur Delgarno, RN for service at Sale, Morocco in 1718. She under went a great repair at Deptford for £1,082.4.9d [Note 6] between April and October 1722. This repaired her head that was damaged by a collier at Woolwich. In April 1724 her commander was Captain James Cornwall, RN for service in New England. She was surveyed in 1729 then docked at Deptford on 7 March 1730 for dismantling and preparation for rebuilding. [7]

Rebuild to Modified 1719 Establishment Sixth Rate 1731

She was ordered to be rebuilt on 116 December 1729 at Deptford Dockyard under the guidance of Master Shipwright Richard Stacey. Her keel was laid in December 1730 and launched on 4 January 1732. The dimensions after rebuild were gundeck 106 feet 0 inches (32.3 metres) with a keel length of 87 feet 0 inches (26.5 metres) for tonnage calculation. The breadth would be 30 feet 5 inches (9.3 metres) with a depth of hold of 9 ft 2 in (2.8 m). The tonnage calculation would be 42813/94 tons. [8] The gun armament as established in 1713 would be twenty 6-pounder 19 hundredweight (cwt) guns mounted on wooden trucks. [9] She was completed for sea 11 February 1732 at a cost of £6,026 [Note 7] [10]

Commissioned Service After 1731 Rebuild

She was commissioned in January 1732 under the command of Captain Robert Fytche, RN for service at Newfoundland and moved to the Mediterranean in 1733. In 1734 she was under the command of Captain Miles Stapleton, RN for service in the West Indies. She took the Nuestra Senora del Rosario off Cartegena in December 1739. In May 1741 under Captain Robert Maynard, RN she partook in Santiago operations from July to October 1741. In 1742 under Captain Henry Ward, RN returned Home in September 1742. [11]

Disposition

She was sold by AO 23 May 1744 for £240 [Note 8] on 5 June 1744. [12]

Notes

  1. ↑ A demi-culverine 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 sacar or saker was a gun of 1,400 pounds with a 3.5-inch bore firing a 5.5-pound shot with a 5.5-pound powder charge.
  3. ↑ A minion was a gun of 1,000 pounds with a 3.5-inch bore firing a 4-pound shot with a 4-pound powder charge.
  4. ↑ A total cost accounting for inflation of approximately £147,700 in today's money.
  5. ↑ A total cost accounting for inflation of approximately £710,000 in today's money.
  6. ↑ A total cost accounting for inflation of approximately £181,200 in today's money.
  7. ↑ A total cost accounting for inflation of approximately £1,100,400 in today's money.
  8. ↑ A total cost accounting for inflation of approximately £43,800 in today's money.

Citations

  1. ↑ Winfield 2009
  2. ↑ Winfield 2007
  3. ↑ Colledge
  4. ↑ Winfield 2009
  5. ↑ Winfield 2009
  6. ↑ Winfield 2009
  7. ↑ Winfield 2009
  8. ↑ Winfield 2007
  9. ↑ Winfield 2009
  10. ↑ Winfield 2007
  11. ↑ Winfield 2007
  12. ↑ Winfield 2007

Related Research Articles

HMS Aldborough was a 24-gun sixth-rate ship of the Royal Navy, purchased in 1706 and in service in Mediterranean and English waters until 1727 when she was rebuilt as a 374 ton sixth rate in accordance with the 1719 Establishment for Sixth Rates. After the rebuild she spent her career in the West Indies, Home Waters and the Mediterranean. She was finally broken at Deptford on 31 March 1742.

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 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 Nightingale was a development of the standardize 20-gun sixth rates and were built at the beginning of the 18th Century. After she was captured by French privateer galleys in 1707 then recaptured four months later. She was renamed HMS Fox and continued service until she was rebuilt at Deptford. Her breaking was completed in January 1738.

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 Squirrel was designed by Richard Stacey, Master Shipwright of Woolwich. Her design was based on the standardize 20-gun sixth rates. After commissioning she was assigned to Home Waters then the Mediterranean. She took a privateer in 1710. She was dismantled at Deptford with her timbers sent to Woolwich Dockyard for rebuilding as a 374-ton (bm). She was finally broken in 1749.

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 Gibraltar was the name ship of the Gibraltar Group of 24-gun sixth rates. After commissioning she spent her career in Home waters and North America on trade protection duties. She was rebuilt at Deptford between 1725 and 1727. After her rebuild, she served in Home Waters, North America, the West Indies, and the Mediterranean on trade protection. She was sold in 1749.

HMS Blandford was a member of the Gibraltar Group of 24-gun sixth rates. After commissioning she spent her career in Home Waters and the Baltic on trade protection duties. She was lost with all hands in a storm in the Bay of Biscay in March 1719.

HMS Seahorse was a member of the Gibraltar Group of 24-gun sixth rates. After commissioning she spent her career in Home waters and North America on trade protection duties. She was rebuilt at Deptford between 1725 and 1727. After her rebuild she served in Home Waters, North America, West Indies and the Mediterranean on trade protection. She was sold in 1749.

HMS Rose was a member of the Gibraltar Group of 24-gun sixth rates. After commissioning she spent her career in Home waters and North America on trade protection duties. She was rebuilt at Woolwich between 1722 and 1724. After her rebuild she served in Home Waters, North America, West Indies and the Mediterranean on trade protection. She was sold in 1744.

HMS Bideford was a member of the Gibraltar Group of 24-gun sixth rates. After commissioning she spent her career in West Indies, Morocco and Portugal on trade protection duties. She was rebuilt at Chatham in 1727. After her rebuild she served in Home Waters, North America and the Mediterranean on trade protection. She foundered off Flamborough Head in 1736.

HMS Rye was a member of the 1719 Establishment Group of 20-gun sixth rates. After commissioning she spent her career in Home waters on trade protection duties. She was broken up in 1735.

HMS Pembroke 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 short career in Home Waters and the West Indies. She was taken by the French and runashore in 1694.

HMS Portsmouth 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 short career with the Fleet in Home Waters. She was taken by the French in 1696.

HMS Milford 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 short career in Newfoundland and Home Waters. She was taken by the French in 1693.

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 Speedwell was a fireship of the 1689 Programme built under contract. She would be rebuilt and rerated several times from a fireship to a 24-gun Fifth rate then reduced to a 20-gun sixth rate and finally a bomb ketch. She was at the Battle of Barfleur in 1692 and had an attempted mutiny in 1699. After her first rebuild she was employed in the Irish Sea capturing four privateers and recapturing a sloop. She was wrecked on the Dutch coast in 1720.

HMS Shoreham was a 32-gun fifth rate vessel built under contract at Shoreham in 1693/94. During the War of the English Succession she was involved in the unsuccessful operation at Camaret Bay. At the end of the war she helped take half a French convoy off Ireland. She then deployed to North America and the West Indies. She was rebuilt as a 20-gun sixth rate to the 1719 Establishment in 1719/21. She served in the Baltic as a bomb vessel then reverted to a sixth rate. She participated in operations in the West Indies during the initial years of the War of Austrian Succession before being sold in 1744.

HMS Bridgewater was a 32-gun fifth rate built at Sheerness Dockyard in 1697/98.

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.