British Fifth Rate ship 'Hector' (1721)

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Hector	4684
Nominal Guns	40	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	5.2.1717/18	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	24.3.1717/18	BWAS-1714
Acquired	16.3.1720/21	BWAS-1714
First Commissioned	10.4.1721	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth	BWAS-1714
Ship Class	1719 Establishment 40-Gunner (1719)	BWAS-1714
Constructor	Israel PownollBritish Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1695-1722	BWAS-1714
Category	Fifth Rate	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Ship	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1714
Broken Up	11.1742	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck124' 0"Imperial Feet37.7952
Length of Keel101' 8"Imperial Feet30.988
Breadth33' 6"Imperial Feet10.1092
Depth in Hold14' 1"Imperial Feet4.2736
Burthen606 ⁸³⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

16.3.1720/21Broadside Weight = 180 Imperial Pound ( 81.63 kg)BWAS-1714
Lower Gun Deck20 British 12-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck20 British 6-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
1719190Design Complement

6 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
10.4.1721 - 1.6.1722Captain Transfered ADM 6/13/9BWAS-17141.6.1722 - 20.12.1725CaptainBWAS-171416.6.1730 - 20.2.1731/32Captain Transfered ADM 6/14/52BWAS-171421.2.1731/32 - 18.5.1734Captain† Discharged Dead ADM 6/14/102BWAS-17143.6.1734 - 8.3.1735/36Captain ADM 6/14/189BWAS-171428.2.1737/38 - 13.4.1742Captain ADM 6/15/97BWAS-1714

14 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
17.2.1720/21 - 20.12.1725Second Lieutenant ADM 6/14/4ADM 6/1317.2.1720/21 - 28.4.1721Third Lt. & Lt. at Arms ADM 6/13/4ADM 6/1328.4.1721 - 24.6.1724Third Lt. & Lt. at Arms ADM 6/13/11ADM 6/1325.6.1724 - 20.12.1725Third Lt. & Lt. at Arms ADM 6/13/73ADM 6/1316.6.1730 - 28.8.1732First Lieutenant ADM 6/14/52ADM 6/1416.6.1730 - 28.8.1732Second Lieutenant ADM 6/14/52ADM 6/1429.8.1732 - 8.3.1735/36First Lieutenant ADM 6/15/120ADM 6/1429.8.1732 - 9.1.1735/36Second Lieutenant ADM 6/15/120ADM 6/1417.10.1735 - 9.12.1735Third Lt. & Lt. at Arms ADM 6/15/12
Confirmed 13.3.1735/36ADM 6/159.12.1735 - 8.3.1735/36Third Lt. & Lt. at Arms ADM 6/15/15
Confirmed 8.4.1736ADM 6/1510.1.1735/36 - 8.3.1735/36Second Lieutenant ADM 6/16/14ADM 6/1528.2.1737/38 - 19.11.1741First Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/15/97ADM 6/1528.2.1737/38 - 16.4.1742Second Lieutenant ADM 6/16/97ADM 6/1517.4.1742 - 24.6.1742Second Lieutenant ADM 6/16/47ADM 6/16

14 Petty Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
25.2.1730/31 - 26.8.1731Midshipman ADM 107/3/251ADM 107/328.4.1731 - 28.5.1731Midshipman Ordinary ADM 107/3/345ADM 107/329.5.1731 - 14.8.1731Midshipman ADM 107/3/345ADM 107/315.8.1731 - 6.9.1731Midshipman Ordinary ADM 107/3/345ADM 107/37.9.1731 - 4.12.1732Midshipman ADM 107/3/345ADM 107/330.9.1731 - 8.11.1734Midshipman ADM 107/3/250ADM 107/39.12.1732 - 22.1.1734/35Midshipman Ordinary ADM 107/3/296ADM 107/35.2.1732/33 - 19.2.1733/34Master's Mate Transfered ADM 107/3/288ADM 107/323.1.1734/35 - 15.2.1734/35Midshipman ADM 107/3/296ADM 107/316.2.1734/35 - 19.4.1735Master's Mate ADM 107/3/296ADM 107/31.4.1735 - 4.3.1735/36Midshipman Transfered ADM 107/3/328ADM 107/320.4.1735 - 23.10.1735Midshipman Transfered ADM 107/3/296ADM 107/321.11.1738 - 30.10.1741Midshipman ADM 107/3/475ADM 107/331.10.1741 - 24.6.1742Master's Mate ADM 107/3/475ADM 107/3

11 Crewmen

DatesRatingNameSource
5.10.1725 - 28.1.1725/26Able Seaman ADM 107/3/164ADM 107/317.1.1730 - 14.10.1731Able Seaman Transfered ADM 107/3/518ADM 107/327.8.1731 - 16.12.1732Able Seaman ADM 107/3/251ADM 107/330.7.1732 - 4.2.1732/33Able Seaman ADM 107/3/288ADM 107/35.12.1732 - 16.12.1732Able Seaman ADM 107/3/345ADM 107/314.3.1733/34 - 12.3.1737/38Captain's Servant ADM 107/3/535ADM 107/323.1.1734/35 - 24.6.1736Able Seaman ADM 107/3/345ADM 107/313.3.1737/38 - 2.6.1742Able Seaman Transfered ADM 107/3/535ADM 107/331.3.1738 - 22.7.1738Ordinary Seaman ADM 107/4/53ADM 107/423.7.1738 - 24.6.1742Able Seaman ADM 107/4/53ADM 107/423.8.1738 - 20.11.1738Able Seaman ADM 107/3/475ADM 107/3

Service History

DateEventSource
1721Commissioned for the Leeward IslandsBWAS-1714
16.3.1720/21Began fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1714
19.3.1720/21Completed fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth at a cost of £1153.11.1dBWAS-1714
1724In the Leeward IslandsBWAS-1714
20.12.1725Paid offADM 33
12.1729Began great repair at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
7.1730Completed great repair at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £7667.0.3dBWAS-1714
1731Sailed to the MediterraneanBWAS-1714
1732In home watersBWAS-1714
16.12.1732Paid off at Spithead ADM 106
1733In the MediterraneanBWAS-1714
1734In the MediterraneanBWAS-1714
8.3.1735/36

Paid off

ADM 33
4.1737Began small repair at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
7.1737Completed small repair at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £2306.2.5dBWAS-1714
4.1740Georgia operationsBWAS-1714
4.1740Attack on St. Augustine
24.6.1742

Paid off

ADM 33
13.10.1742

Ordered to be broken up

BWAS-1714
11.1742Broken up at DeptfordBWAS-1714

Notes on Ship

A rebuild of the Hector of 1703

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

ADM 106 Document

ADM 107/3 Archive

ADM 107/4 Archive

ADM 33 Archive

ADM 6/13 Archive

ADM 6/14 Archive

ADM 6/15 Archive

ADM 6/16 Archive

BWAS-1714Rif Winfield, Book

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Jon Miller on Friday 22nd of May 2026 16:36

London, 9 January1722: Our merchants have received the following advices from St Christopher’s, dated October 15th. That they were in dally expectation there, of the arrival of their new Governor, with some men of war along with him, which they very much wanted: That the Hector man of war, Captain Brand, having buried most of his men, could do them but little service. [Newcastle Courant, 13 January 1722]

Posted by Jon Miller on Thursday 21st of May 2026 16:55

London, 15 April 1721: Capt Brand is made commander of the Hector man of war of 40 guns, in the room of Capt Elford, who is made commander of his Majesty’s ship the Deptford, and the Hector is ordered to sail for the West Indies, to cruize and protect commerce against the pirates. [Newcastle Courant, 22 April 1721]

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