British cutter 'Pigmy' (1782)

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Ganges (74) 1782-1816
British 74 Gun
3rd Rate Ship of the Line
(1782)
Henry WickhamBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1685-1693
Thomas CamelfordBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1797-1799
John Clarke SearleBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1780-1811
Gunboat No. 7 (14) 1797-1802
British 14 Gun
Unrated Gunboat
1797 Renamed "Sparkler"
(1797)
Swinger (12) 1794-1802
British 12 Gun
Unrated Gun-brig
(1794)
Gunboat No. 23 (12) 1797-1802
British 12 Gun
Unrated Gunboat
1797 Renamed "Furious"
(1797)
Thomas HopperBritish
Marine
Service 1794-1802
Robert WinthropBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1790-1807
Sir John LawfordBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1777-1832
See more...

Pigmy ➡ 1783 Lurcher ➡ 1783 Pigmy
Nominal Guns	14	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Previously	French cutter 'Le Pigmy' (1781) (10) 1781-1782 French 10 Gun Unrated Cutter
Captured	22.7.1782	BWAS-1714
First Commissioned	7.1783	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	King's Boatbuilders - Dover	NNF-1774
Designed by	John WilliamsBritish Designer Ship Builder Service 1762-1784	BWAS-1714
Category	Unrated	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Cutter	BWAS-1714
Captured	16.12.1793	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck69' 4"Imperial Feet21.0425
Length of Keel52' 0"Imperial Feet15.8496
Breadth25' 7"Imperial Feet7.6556
Depth in Hold10' 9"Imperial Feet3.2766
Burthen181 ³⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

22.7.1782Broadside Weight = 87 Imperial Pound ( 39.4548 kg)BWAS-1714
Gun Deck14 British 12-Pound Carronade
Gun Deck12 British 1/2-Pound Swivel

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
14.12.177660Design Complement

4 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
7.1783 - 1786LieutenantBWAS-17146.1786 - 1790LieutenantBWAS-17143.1792 - 11.9.1793LieutenantBWAS-17141793 - 16.12.1793Lieutenant†N-GAZ

1 Warrant Officer

DatesRankNameSource
1790 - bef.9.6.1790Surgeonref:1981

1 Petty Officer

DatesRatingNameSource
1792MidshipmanNBD1849

Service History

DateEventSource
31.5.1783Renamed LurcherBWAS-1714
7.1783Renamed PigmyBWAS-1714
7.7.1783Began fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1714
23.10.1783Completed fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth at a cost of £2059.14.5dBWAS-1714
1784Damaged in a galeBWAS-1714
2.1785repairs at Liverpool - Lancashire at a cost of £150.12.6dBWAS-1714
1786Paid offBWAS-1714
6.1786RecommissionedBWAS-1714
1790Paid offBWAS-1714
3.1792RecommissionedBWAS-1714
16.12.1793Wrecked on the Motherbank, all hands lostBWAS-1714

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

BWAS-1714Rif Winfield, Book

N-GAZJ. W. Norie, Book

NBD1849O'Brien, Digital Book

NNF-1774Alain Demerliac, Book

ref:1981 Document

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Date posted	By	Page
Sunday 14th of June 2026 06:41	Rob Griffith	British Third Rate ship of the line 'Ganges' (1782) (74) 1782-1816 British 74 Gun 3rd Rate Ship of the Line
Sunday 14th of June 2026 04:20	Jon Miller	Henry WickhamBritish Naval Sailor Service 1685-1693
Sunday 14th of June 2026 04:14	Jon Miller	Thomas CamelfordBritish Naval Sailor Service 1797-1799
Sunday 14th of June 2026 04:12	Jon Miller	John Clarke SearleBritish Naval Sailor Service 1780-1811
Sunday 14th of June 2026 04:09	Jon Miller	British gunboat 'Gunboat No. 7' (1797) (14) 1797-1802 British 14 Gun Unrated Gunboat 1797 Renamed "Sparkler"

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