History | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Name | HMS Speedwell |
Ordered | 6 December 1689 |
Builder | Thomas Gressingham, 'Redrith' (Rotherhithe) |
Launched | 3 April 1690 |
Commissioned | 4 April 1690 |
Fate | Wrecked in 1720 |
General characteristics | |
Type |
|
Tons burthen | 259+53⁄94 bm |
Length |
|
Beam | 24 ft 11 in (7.6 m) for tonnage |
Depth of hold | 9 ft 8 in (2.9 m) |
Sail plan | ship-rigged |
Complement |
|
Armament |
|
General characteristics as rebuilt 1702 | |
Type | 24-gun fifth rate |
Tons burthen | 269+22⁄94 bm |
Length |
|
Beam | 25 ft 4 in (7.7 m) for tonnage |
Depth of hold | 9 ft 8.5 in (3.0 m) |
Sail plan | ship-rigged |
Armament |
|
General characteristics as rebuilt 1716 | |
Type | 20-gun sixth rate |
Tons burthen | 273+69⁄94 bm |
Length |
|
Beam | 25 ft 6.5 in (7.8 m) for tonnage |
Depth of hold | 11 ft 6 in (3.5 m) |
Sail plan | ship-rigged |
Armament | 20 × 6-pdr 19 cwt guns on wooden trucks (UD) |
HMS Speedwell was a fireship of the 1689 Programme built under contract. [1] 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. [2]
Speedwell was the fifth named vessel since it was used for a galley captured from the French in the Firth of Forth in January 1560 and broken in 1580. [3]
She was ordered on 6 December 1689 to be constructed under contract by Thomas Gressingham of 'Redrith' (Rotherhithe). Terms of the awarded on 18 December 1689 was the vessel would cost £7.2.6d [Note 1] per ton. She was launched on 3 April 1690. [4] The dimensions were gun deck 94 feet 0 inches (28.7 metres) with a keel length of 78 feet 6 inches (23.9 metres) for tonnage calculation. The breadth would be 24 feet 11 inches (7.6 metres) with a depth of hold of 9 ft 8 in (2.9 m). The tonnage calculation would be 259+53⁄94 tons [5] The gun armament would be eight 6-pounder guns mounted on wooden trucks. [6]
She was commissioned on 4 April 1690 under the command of Captain John Mason, RN (died 5 February 1691). On 21 July 1690, she was under the command of Captain Stephen Woolgate, RN, who died later in 1690. In 1692 Captain Thomas Symonds, RN, took command. She was at the Battle of Barfleur as a member of Blue Squadron from 19 to 24 May 1692. She was with the Smyrna convoy in June 1693. She sailed with Neville's squadron to the West Indies in 1694. Captain David Wavell, RN, took command on 15 February 1694 for service in Berkeley's squadron in 1694. She was off the Irish coast during 1694 thru 1697. She was rerated as a 24-gun fifth rate on 23 May 1695. Her gun armament was increased to two 9-pounders on her lower deck (LD) with eighteen 6-pounders on her upper deck (UD) and four 4-pounders on her quarterdeck (QD) with an increase in manning to 115 officers and men. In 1697 Captain John Guy, RN, took command for service in the West Indies. After the death of Captain Guy on 9 December 1697, Captain Christopher Colson took command. After the death of Captain Colson, Captain Jedediah Barker took command. There was an attempted mutiny in 1600. She returned home and paid off in 1700. In 1701 she was dismantled for rebuilding. [7]
She was ordered to be rebuilt on 9 October 1701 by Newman & Graves of Limehouse. Her approved launching date was 28 August 1702. The dimensions after rebuild were gun deck 94 feet 9 inches (28.9 metres) with a keel length of 78 feet 10.5 inches (24.0 metres) for tonnage calculation. The breadth would be 25 feet 4 inches (7.7 metres) with a depth of hold of 9 ft 8.5 in (3.0 m). The tonnage calculation would be 269+22⁄94 tons. Her gun armament would be unchanged. [8]
She was commissioned in June 1702 under the command of Captain George Camocke, RN, for the Irish coast. In concert with HMS Shoreham she took the privateers L'Adventure on 30 July 1705 and La Bonne-Francoise on 19 June 1706. She recaptured the sloop Wolf on 1 June 1708. She took the privateers La Marie-Therese on 13 July 1708 and La Mignonne on 20 June 1709. In November 1710 she was under command of Captain Philip Vanburgh, RN, still assigned to the Irish Sea. [9] She underwent a middling repair at Portsmouth from November 1712 to February 1713 costing £1,118.7.9+1⁄4d. [Note 2] Upon completion she deployed to Barbados. She returned to Home Waters and was docked at Deptford in 1715. She was ordered to be rebuilt as a sixth rate by Admiralty Order (AO) 17 December 1715. Her dismantling commenced in November 1715. [10]
She was ordered to be rebuilt on 17 December 1715 at Deptford Dockyard under the guidance of Master Shipwright Richard Stacey. She was launched on 27 March 1716. The dimensions after rebuild were gun deck 95 feet 5.5 inches (29.1 metres) with a keel length of 78 feet 9.75 inches (24.0 metres) for tonnage calculation. The breadth would be 25 feet 6.5 inches (7.8 metres) with a depth of hold of 11 ft 6 in (3.5 m). The tonnage calculation would be 273+69⁄94 tons. Her gun armament would be reduce to twenty 6-pounder 19 hundredweight (CWT) guns on wooden trucks on the upper deck (UD). She was completed for sea on 27 July 1716 at a cost of £2,465.19.9+1⁄2d. [Note 3] [11]
She was commissioned in June 1716 under the command of Captain George Clinton, RN, for the Mediterranean. In December 1716 Captain Robert Man, RN, took command for service off Sale, Morocco. She was ordered Home in December 1718 to pay off. She was converted to a bomb-vessel by Admiralty Order (AO) 9 July 1719 for £3,220.14.11d [Note 4] between June and August 1719. She recommissioned in 1720 under Captain Joseph Watts, RN, for service in the Baltic. [12]
HMS Speedwell was wrecked on the Dutch coast on 21 November 1720. [13]
HMS Captain was a 70-gun third rate built at Woolwich Dockyard in 1677/78. After sitting in Ordinary for ten years she was in active commission for the War of the English Succession fighting at Beachy Head and Barfleur. She was in Ordinary until 1706 when she was rebuilt. She was in active commission for the last half of the War of Spanish Succession but fought in no major engagements. She was at the Battle of Passero I 1718. She was rebuilt in 1720/22. She made two forays in to the Baltic though the bulk of her late career was spent as guardship at Portsmouth. She was hulked in 1740 and finally broken in 1762.
HMS Hampton Court was a 70-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched at Deptford Dockyard in 1678. Her initial commission was to move her to Chatham where she spent in the next ten years in Ordinary. She held an active commission for the War of the English Succession, participating in the Battles of Beachy Head and Barfleur. She was rebuilt at Blackwall in 1699/1701. During the War of Spanish Succession she served mainly in the Mediterranean. In 1707 she was taken by the French and incorporated into the French Navy for four years. She was sold to the Spanish in 1712. She was wrecked in Spanish service off the coast of Florida in a hurricane in 1715.
HMS Burford was a 70-gun third rate ship of the line built at Woolwich Dockyard in 1677/79 as part of the Thirty Ships Programme of 1677. She fought in the War of the English Succession, including the Battle of Barfleur, before being rebuilt at Deptford in 1699, remaining as a 70-gun third rate. During the War of Spanish Succession she was mostly in the Mediterranean fleet and fought at the capture of Gibraltar and the Battle of Málaga in 1704 before being extensively repaired between 1710 and 1712 at Portsmouth Dockyard. Burford served in the Baltic in 1715 and 1717 before returning to the Mediterranean to fight the Spanish at the Battle of Cape Passaro in 1718. She was wrecked on the Italian coast in a storm on 14 February 1719.
HMS Elizabeth was a 70-gun third rate built at Barnards Yard at Deptford Green by William and Robert Castle of Rotherhithe in 1678/80. She held an active commission during the War of the English Succession fighting in all three major engagements. She was rebuilt at Portsmouth between 1699 and 1704. She was captured by the French off the Scilly Islands in November 1704. She was in the French Navy until she was deleted in 1720.
HMS Suffolk was a 70-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built by contract of 20 February 1678 by Sir Henry Johnson at Blackwall. She participated in the War of the English Succession 1689 - 1697, in the Battles of Beachy Head and Barfleur. She was rebuilt in 1699. She was actively involved in the War of Spanish Succession 1702 - 1713. Her later career was as guard ship duties, deployments to the Baltic Sea and the West Indies. She was finally broken in 1765 after lying in Ordinary for almost twenty years.
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 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 Larke was contracted to be built by Sir Anthony Deane of Blackwall, knighted after he left Portsmouth Dockyard in 1673. She had the lines of Greyhound and was a standard 18-gun vessel. She was commissioned in June 1675 for trade protection, she patrolled the North Sea and Channel with her final service with the Fleet. She took a number of privateers during her service. She was sold on 3 May 1698.
HMS Saudadoes was built by Anthony Deane after his transfer to Portsmouth Dockyard as the Master Shipwright. She was a smaller version of the Greyhound design. Initially she was a 8/6-gun sixth rate vessel. She was rebuilt in 1673 as a standard 16-gun vessel. She was commissioned in November 1669 then taken in hand at Deptford for her rebuild. She spent the majority of her career in Home Waters, participating in the Battle of Bantry Bay and the Battle of Barfleur. She went to the Mediterranean for a year in 1694. Her final service was in the Channel where she was captured by two French privateers and burnt in February 1696.
HMS Valeur was a 24-gun French sixth rate named Le Valeur take by HMS Worcester on 2 April 1705 in the Channel. She was purchased at Plymouth by Admiralty Order (AO) 30 May 1705 for £405. She was commissioned into the Royal Navy in 1705 for service in the Mediterranean. From 1706 thru 1708 she was with Admiral Byng's squadron. In Newfoundland, she was taken by the French, then retaken by the British. She spent time in the Irish Sea then was converted to a fireship and then converted back to a sixth rate. she was finally broken at in 1718.
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 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 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.
HMS Mermaid was a 28-gun fifth rate built under the 1651 programme. She was built under contract at Limehouse. After commissioning she spent her early career with Robert Blake's Fleet in action off Dover, the Gabbard and in the Mediterranean. After the restoration she served mainly in Home Waters. After her first rebuild she served in Home Waters, North America, Mediterranean and the West Indies. After her second rebuild she served in Home Waters and the West Indies. Her breaking was completed at Deptford on 26 June 1734
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 Scarborough was a 32-gun fifth rate vessel built at Woolwich Dockyard in 1693/94. Shortly after commissioning she was taken by two French privateers and went under French service. She was recaptured in 1697 and renamed Milford. She spent some time off Africa then the West Indies. She was rebuilt in 1705. She was in the North Sea, the Mediterranean and finally the West Indies where she was wrecked in 1720.
HMS Lyme was a 32-gun fifth rate built by Mr. Flint of Plymouth in 1694/95. She spent her career on counter piracy patrols and trade protection duties in Home Waters, the Mediterranean and in North America and the West Indies. She was rebuilt to the 1719 Establishment as a sixth rate in 1720/21. Her breaking was completed in January 1739.
HMS Scarborough was a 32-gun fifth rate built under contract by James Parker of Southampton in 1695/96. She served in the trade protection and counter-piracy operations during her service. She was captured by the French, then recaptured by the British and renamed Garland, She was converted to a fireship for the Baltic then the Mediterranean. She was at the Battle of Passero in 1718. She was reduced to a 20-gun sixth rate in 1717. Rebuilt to the 1719 Establishment in 1721, she was finally sold in 1744.