British Fourth Rate ship of the line 'Dunkirk' (1754)

Three Decks' Forum

Come and ask, answer or inform.

Recent updates

Update
Jean-Louis PestelFrench
Ship Builder
Service 1793
Update
Le Cornélie (24) 1794-1797
French 24 Gun
6th Rate Frigate (Corvettes de Charge)
1795 Renamed "Calliope"
Update Unité Class (1793)
Update
Le Républicain (24) 1794-1799
French 24 Gun
6th Rate Corvette
Update
Pierre Dieudonné JaunezFrench
Ship Builder
Service 1806-1812
Added
Le Cygne (16) 1806-1808
French 16 Gun
Unrated Brig
Update
Jean-Baptiste LefebvreFrench
Ship Builder
Service 1804
Added
Endymion (16) 1805-1814
French 16 Gun
Unrated Brig
Added
Fanfaron (16) 1804-1809
French 16 Gun
Unrated Brig
Update
Le Curieux (16) 1800-1804
French 16 Gun
Unrated Brig
See more...

Dunkirk	276
Nominal Guns	60	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	10.4.1750	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	1.4.1746	BWAS-1714
Named	22.11.1748	BWAS-1714
Launched	22.7.1754	BWAS-1714
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich	BWAS-1714
Ship Class	Dunkirk Class (1750)	BWAS-1714
Designed by	Joseph AllinBritish Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1695-1715	BWAS-1714
Constructor	Edward AllinBritish Designer Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1750-1767	BWAS-1714
Category	Fourth Rate	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Ship of the Line	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1714
Broken Up	8.3.1792	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck153' 2"Imperial Feet46.6354
Length of Keel127' 0"Imperial Feet38.7096
Breadth42' 9 ½"Imperial Feet12.8143
Depth in Hold18' 9"Imperial Feet5.515
Burthen1,236 ⁹³⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

22.7.1754Broadside Weight = 474 Imperial Pound ( 214.959 kg)BWAS-1714
Lower Gun Deck24 British 24-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck26 British 12-Pounder
Quarterdeck8 British 6-Pounder
Forecastle2 British 6-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
1745420Design Complement

6 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
20.1.1755 - 13.6.1757Captain TransferedODNB13.6.1757 - 11.4.1763Captain ADM 6/18/409BWAS-171421.2.1769 - 21.11.1770Captain ADM 6/20/228BWAS-171421.11.1770 - 6.3.1772Captain ADM 6/20/440
Issued by , Jamaica - Greater Antilles
Confirmed 21.4.1772BWAS-171413.7.1778 - 8.5.1779Captain ADM 6/21/434ADM 6/218.5.1779 - 28.4.1783Captain ADM 6/21/553BWAS-1714

4 Flag Officers

DatesRankNameSource
21.2.1769 - 26.5.1770Commodore† Discharged Dead ADM 6/18/233BWAS-17141.8.1770 - 6.3.1772Commodore ADM 6/20/285BWAS-17147.1779 - 11.1779Rear-Admiral of the RedBWAS-17141782 - 28.4.1783Vice-Admiral of the RedBWAS-1714

11 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
16.11.1756 - 23.2.1757Third Lieutenant ADM 6/18/326ADM 6/1823.2.1757 - 8.6.1757Third Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/18/351ADM 6/1824.6.1757 - 6.10.1758Second Lieutenant ADM 6/18/414ADM 6/1827.6.1757 - 6.10.1758Third Lieutenant ADM 6/18/415ADM 6/186.10.1758 - 6.5.1760First Lieutenant ADM 6/18/543ADM 6/186.10.1758 - 17.3.1760Second Lieutenant ADM 6/18/543ADM 6/1817.3.1760 - 6.5.1760Second Lieutenant ADM 6/19/146ADM 6/196.5.1760 - 24.10.1761First Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/19/164ADM 6/196.5.1760 - 1.4.1763Second Lieutenant ADM 6/19/164ADM 6/191.4.1763 - 11.4.1763First Lieutenant ADM 6/19/476ADM 6/1923.2.1769 - 6.3.1772Second Lieutenant ADM 6/20/229ADM 6/20

3 Petty Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
25.4.1755 - 11.7.1757Midshipman Transfered ADM 107/5/40ADM 107/58.10.1757 - 4.4.1759Midshipman ADM 107/5/112ADM 107/51759 - 12.1760Midshipmanref:676

2 Crewmen

DatesRatingNameSource
25.8.1757 - 7.10.1757Able Seaman ADM 107/5/113ADM 107/51758 - 26.4.1758Able Seaman ADM 36/4801/55ADM 36

Service History

DateEventSource
12.7.1750Re-orderedBWAS-1714
5.8.1754Completed at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich at a cost of £20379.4.8dBWAS-1714
1.1755Began fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
2.1755Completed fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £6056.12.1dBWAS-1714
22.4.1755Sailed for North AmericaBWAS-1714
6.6.1755Action of 6-8 June 1755
8.6.1755Took the Ship of the Line
8.6.1755Took the Ship of the Line E-WIKI
11.1756In the Channel IslandsBWAS-1714
28.5.1757Took the Ship
9.6.1757Took the Ship off Bordeaux
8.1757Took the Sloop
9.1757Rochefort expeditionBWAS-1714
5.9.1757Raid on Rochefort
11.1757Took the Privateer off Bordeaux
5.6.1758Raid on Saint-Malo
11.11.1758Sailed for West AfricaBWAS-1714
29.12.1758Present at the capture of GoreeBWAS-1714
29.12.1758Capture of Goree
20.11.1759Battle of Quiberon Bay
25.5.1760Sailed for the MediterraneanBWAS-1714
11.4.1763

Returned home and paid off

ADM 33
1.1.1764SurveyedBWAS-1714
6.1768Began small repair at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
2.1769RecommissionedBWAS-1714
4.1769Completed small repair at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £18854.15.1dBWAS-1714
6.6.1769Sailed for JamaicaBWAS-1714
6.3.1772

Paid off

ADM 33
5.1772SurveyedBWAS-1714
5.1778Began fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
7.1778RecommissionedBWAS-1714
9.1778Completed fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £5734.9.2dBWAS-1714
6.1779Began fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
7.1779Completed fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £2121.10.7dBWAS-1714
12.1779Arrived in Plymouth for harbour serviceBWAS-1714
1782Flagship and receiving ship in PlymouthBWAS-1714
28.4.1783

Paid off

ADM 34
2.1784fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1714
6.1785Began fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1714
7.1785Completed fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1714
28.10.1785Deleted from the listBWAS-1714
1.4.1791Recovered but not re-registered on the listBWAS-1714
8.3.1792Sold at Plymouth for £500BWAS-1714

Fleets
Dates	Fleet	Fleet Commander	Source
27.4.1755-4.11.1755	Fleet for North America	The Hon. Edward BoscawenBritish Naval Sailor Ship Owner Administrator Marine Service 1726-1759
16.10.1758-1.3.1759	Expedition against Île de Gorée	Augustus KeppelBritish Naval Sailor Marine Service 1743-1783

Notes on Ship

Original orderBWAS-1714
The Dunkirk was originally ordered on 20th April 1745 to the 1745 establishment draught, but not proceeded upon. A new order was given in 1750 to a lengthened draught.

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Jon Miller on Monday 22nd of June 2026 05:56

His Majesty’s ships Pembroke of 60 guns, Capt Banks, the Dunkirk, of 60 guns, Capt ---, and the Salisbury, of 50 guns, Capt Barcay, arrived at this port to be paid off, and to be laid up in ordinary. His Majesty’s ships Monarch and Magnificent, of 74 guns each, are sailed from hence to Blackstakes, in order to take in their guns and powder, and then to proceed immediately to Portsmouth. [Kentish Gazette, 21 January 1772]

Posted by Jon Miller on Sunday 21st of June 2026 16:36

Chatham, 5 January 1772: His Majesty’s ship Dunkirk is ordered to be paid off at this port. [Exeter Flying Post, 17 January 1772]

Make a comment about this page

Recent comments to other pages

Date posted	By	Page
Tuesday 28th of July 2026 12:49	Jon Miller	British Merchant east indiaman 'Lord Thurlow' (1789) (Unknown) 1789-1802 British Unknown Gun Merchant East Indiaman
Tuesday 28th of July 2026 12:44	Jon Miller	Robert WardlawBritish Merchant Sailor Service 1799-1807
Tuesday 28th of July 2026 12:43	Jon Miller	William MaxwellBritish Merchant Sailor Service 1798-1809
Tuesday 28th of July 2026 12:42	Jon Miller	George GoochBritish Ship Owner Service 1809-1821
Tuesday 28th of July 2026 12:41	Jon Miller	John Altham CumberlegeBritish Merchant Sailor Service 1800-1802

GDPR Statement