British sloop 'Fortune' (1746)

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Fortune

15583
Nominal Guns10BWAS-1714
NationalityGreat Britain
OperatorRoyal Navy
Previously
French corvette 'Le Fortune' (1745) (14) 1745-1746
French 14 Gun
Unrated Corvette
Captured6.3.1745/46BWAS-1714
First Commissioned21.4.1746BWAS-1714
ShipyardKing's Yard - Harwich FWAS1626
CategoryUnratedBWAS-1714
Ship TypeSloopBWAS-1714
Sailing RigSnowBWAS-1714
Sold20.3.1770BWAS-1714

Dimensions


DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck91' 3"Imperial Feet27.813 
Length of Keel74' 9"Imperial Feet22.6124 
Breadth26' 2"Imperial Feet7.9333 
Depth in Hold12' 0"Imperial Feet3.6576 
Burthen272 22⁄94Tons BM 

Armament


6.3.1745/46Broadside Weight = 33.5 Imperial Pound ( 15.1926 kg)BWAS-1714
Upper Gun Deck10 British 6-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck14 British 1/2-Pound Swivel

1748Broadside Weight = 45.5 Imperial Pound ( 20.6346 kg)BWAS-1714
Upper Gun Deck14 British 6-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck14 British 1/2-Pound Swivel

Crew Complement


Date# of MenNotesSource
1743110Design Complement
1748125 BWAS-1714

19 Ship Commanders


DatesRankNameSource
21.4.1746 - 5.3.1747/48Commander
Edward JekyllBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1742-1774
ADM 6/17/93BWAS-17145.3.1747/48 - 6.5.1752Commander
Alexander CampbellBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1740-1758
ADM 6/17/328BWAS-171429.5.1754 - 21.5.1756Commander
Jervis MaplesdenBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1721-1748
ADM 6/18/102BWAS-171421.5.1756 - 6.6.1756Commander
Benjamin MarlowBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1743-1794
ADM 6/18/356ADM 6/186.6.1756 - 25.6.1756Commander
William GoughBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1737-1756
ADM 6/18/357
Issued by
The Hon. John ByngBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1718-1757
, The Mediterranean Sea
Confirmed 15.2.1757ADM 6/1826.6.1756 - 9.9.1756Commander
Christopher BassetBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1740-1761
ADM 6/18/350
Issued by
The Hon. John ByngBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1718-1757
, The Mediterranean Sea
Confirmed 1.2.1757ADM 6/189.9.1756 - 19.11.1756Commander
Thomas CollingwoodBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1750-1779
ADM 6/18/495
Issued by
Edward HawkeBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1720-1776
, English Channel - British Isles
Confirmed 20.3.1758ADM 6/1819.11.1756 - 17.8.1757Commander
William HothamBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1754-1805
ADM 6/18/381
Issued by
Edward HawkeBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1720-1776
, English Channel - British Isles
Confirmed 5.4.1757BWAS-171417.8.1757 - 3.3.1758Commander
James BakerBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1744-1760
ADM 6/18/429BWAS-17143.3.1758 - 12.3.1758Commander
Edward ClarkBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1737-1764
ADM 6/19/30
Issued by
Henry OsborneBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1710-1765
, The Mediterranean Sea
Confirmed 5.2.1759BWAS-171412.3.1758 - 15.10.1759Commander
Reginald CocksBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1727-1759
ADM 6/19/30
Issued by
Henry OsborneBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1710-1765
, The Mediterranean Sea
Confirmed 5.2.1759BWAS-171415.10.1759 - 14.11.1759Commander
James ShirleyBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1740-1762
BWAS-171414.11.1759 - 19.11.1759Commander
Nathaniel StuartBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1739-1745
Discharged Dead ADM 6/19/140BWAS-171424.11.1759 - 18.2.1760Commander
William HoweBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1750-1764
TransferedBWAS-171418.2.1760 - 27.4.1762Commander
James ShirleyBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1740-1762
BWAS-171424.11.1761 - 11.2.1763Commander
Samuel CockfieldBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1756-1763
ADM 6/19/366BWAS-17144.4.1763 - 15.9.1766Commander
Thomas BishopBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1741-1778
ADM 6/19/478BWAS-171422.1.1767 - 3.12.1767Commander
John JacksonBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1742-1778
Transfered ADM 6/20/155ADM 6/2026.5.1769 - bef.20.3.1770Commander
Evelyn SuttonBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1765-1802
ADM 6/20/204ADM 6/20

4 Commissioned Officers


DatesRankNameSource
3.5.1746 - 16.2.1746/47Lieutenant
Thomas WhiltonBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1746-1747
ADM 6/17/99ADM 6/1716.2.1746/47 - 27.9.1748Lieutenant
James CunninghamBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1732-1763
Transfered ADM 6/17/201ADM 6/1718.10.1748 - 6.5.1752Lieutenant
James SmithBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1744-1778
ADM 6/17/391ADM 6/1729.5.1754 - 18.7.1757Lieutenant
Thomas DodBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1745-1783
ADM 6/18/102ADM 6/18

1 Petty Officer


DatesRatingNameSource
4.4.1751 - 6.5.1752Midshipman
William RichardsBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1746-1752
ADM 107/4/247ADM 107/4

1 Crewman


DatesRatingNameSource
23.3.1750/51 - 3.4.1751Able Seaman
William RichardsBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1746-1752
ADM 107/4/247ADM 107/4

Service History


DateEventSource
27.3.1746Purchased at UnknownBWAS-1714
4.1746Began fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1714
6.1746Completed fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth at a cost of £1956.12.1dBWAS-1714
2.6.1747Took the Privateer
Le Charon (10) 1747-1747
French 10 Gun
Privateer Unknown
BG
1748Refitted as a 14 gun Unrated SloopBWAS-1714
1749In the North SeaBWAS-1714
1750In the North SeaBWAS-1714
1.1751Sailed to look for a reported islandBWAS-1714
6.5.1752

Paid off

ADM 33
15.8.1752

Surveyed

BWAS-1714
3.1754Began small repair at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich BWAS-1714
7.1754Completed small repair at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich at a cost of £2397.11.1dBWAS-1714
8.1754Sailed for the MediterraneanBWAS-1714
20.5.1756Battle of Minorca
10.1759In JamaicaBWAS-1714
19.11.1759Fortune vs Hebe
24.4.1760Sailed with Newfoundland convoyBWAS-1714
11.2.1763

Paid off

ADM 33
3.1763Began small repair at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich BWAS-1714
1.3.1763SurveyedBWAS-1714
4.1763RecommissionedBWAS-1714
6.1763Completed small repair at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich at a cost of £1433.15.7dBWAS-1714
22.7.1763Sailed for New EnglandBWAS-1714
15.9.1766

Paid off

ADM 33
9.10.1766SurveyedBWAS-1714
20.3.1770Sold at Woolwich for £145BWAS-1714

 
Previous comments on this page

Posted by Jon Miller on Wednesday 27th of May 2026 10:53

Gosport, 26 December 1751: At the Court Martial held on board the Tyger man of war. Capt Stephens, President, four men belonging to the Fortune sloop were tried for leaving her without leave first obtained; and of which being fully convicted, the Court sentenced them all to be whipt from ship to ship; which sentence was executed on Monday last, each having 240 lashes, being 30 lashes along-side each ship and sloop in commission in the harbour, being eight in number. [Kentish Post, 1 January 1752]

Posted by Jon Miller on Wednesday 27th of May 2026 10:51

Gosport, 19 December 1751: The Fortune sloop is nearly ready for sea, having been docked and cleaned. This morning a signal was made for a Court-Martial to be held on board the Tyger, on some of the fore-mast men belonging to the said sloop. [Kentish Post, 28 December 1751]

Posted by Jon Miller on Wednesday 27th of May 2026 00:44

London, 2 September 1751: Thursday was held a Board of Admiralty, when their Lordships were pleased to order the Sphynx, Capt Lloyd; the Assurance, Capt Watts; and the Fortune sloop, Capt Bates, to be fitted out for sea-service directly; the two first for Nova Scotia, and the latter for Newfoundland. [Kentish Post, 4 September 1751]

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