British Second Rate ship of the line 'Formidable' (1825)

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Formidable
Nominal Guns	84	B065
Nationality	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	8.5.1815	B065
Keel Laid Down	10.1819	B065
Launched	19.5.1825	B065
First Commissioned	23.8.1841	B065
How acquired	Purpose built	B065
Shipyard	Chatham Dockyard - Chatham	B065
Ship Class	Canopus Class (1815)	B065
Designed by	Sir Robert SeppingsBritish Designer Ship Builder Service 1809-1832	B065
Constructor	George ParkinBritish Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1779-1829	B065
Category	Second Rate	B065
Ship Type	Ship of the Line	B065
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	B065
Sold for Break Up	10.7.1906	B065

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1793
Length of Gundeck196' 1 ½"Imperial Feet59.7535
Length of Keel162' 0 ⅛"Imperial Feet49.3808
Breadth51' 6 ½"Imperial Feet15.5575
Depth in Hold22' 6"Imperial Feet6.7818
Draught Forward13' 8"Imperial Feet4.0301
Draught Aft18' 1"Imperial Feet5.4896
Burthen2,289 ²⁸⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

19.5.1825Broadside Weight = 1224 Imperial Pound ( 555.084 kg)B181
Lower Gun Deck32 British 32-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck32 British 24-Pounder
Quarterdeck14 British 32-Pound Carronade
Quarterdeck4 British 24-Pounder
Forecastle2 British 32-Pound Carronade
Forecastle2 British 24-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
1825700 BWAS-1793

9 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
23.8.1841 - 22.11.1841CaptainE-WIKI14.12.1841 - 23.4.1844CaptainW02521.4.1844 - 1845CaptainW02516.6.1854 - 10.9.1857CaptainW02522.9.1857 - 8.4.1858CaptainW0251.7.1858 - 30.5.1859Captain†W0253.7.1860 - 1860CaptainW0251.7.1863 - 1866CaptainW02521.4.1866 - 1866CaptainW025

4 Flag Officers

DatesRankNameSource
21.4.1841 - 1845Vice-Admiral3.7.1860 - 1860Vice-AdmiralW0251.7.1863 - 1866Vice-Admiral21.4.1866 - 1869Vice-AdmiralODNB

2 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
1843 - 9.12.1845LieutenantNBD184922.8.1844 - 25.10.1844LieutenantNBD1849

1 Petty Officer

DatesRatingNameSource
1841Master's MateNBD1849

Service History

DateEventSource
19.5.1825building at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £64273.0.0dB181
19.5.1825Began fitting for ordinary at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham
5.8.1825Completed fitting for ordinary at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham
1841Began fitting at UnknownW025
23.11.1841Completed fittingW025
1842In the Mediterranean until 1845W025
1845Paid off
16.6.1854Recommissioned as a guardship at Sheerness
1860Flagship at SheernessW025
16.7.1869Training Ship
10.7.1906Sold to J. B. Garnham & Son to Break up

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

B065Brian Lavery, Book

B181David Lyon, Book

BWAS-1793Rif Winfield, Book

E-WIKIVarious, Web Site

NBD1849O'Brien, Digital Book

ODNBOxford University Press, Web Site

W025P. Davis, Web Site

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Saturday 13th of June 2026 18:33	x	British Fourth Rate ship of the line 'Convertine' (1650) (40) 1650-1666 British 40 Gun 4th Rate Ship of the Line
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