British Fourth Rate ship of the line 'Rupert' (1740)

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Gunboat No. 10 (14) 1797-1802
British 14 Gun
Unrated Gunboat
1797 Renamed "Biter"
(1797)
Racoon (16) 1795-1806
British 16 Gun
Unrated Sloop
(1795)
Lord Horatio Nelson (1^st Baron Nelson of the Nile and of Hilborough)British
Naval Sailor
Service 1771-1804
Margaret (4) 1785-1798
British 4 Gun
Hired Tender
(1785)
Margaret (4) 1785-1798
British 4 Gun
Hired Tender
(1785)
Le Coureur (24) 1798-1798
French 24 Gun
Privateer Unknown
(1798)
Jason (38) 1794-1798
British 38 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
(1794)
Amelia (38) 1796-1816
British 38 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
(1796)
General Eliott (Unknown) 1782-1802
British Unknown Gun
Merchant East Indiaman
(1782)
Gunboat No. 30 (12) 1797-1802
British 12 Gun
Unrated Gunboat
1797 Renamed "Hardy"
(1797)
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Rupert
Nominal Guns	60	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	16.8.1736	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	27.6.1737	BWAS-1714
Launched	27.10.1740	BWAS-1714
First Commissioned	12.9.1740	BWAS-1714
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Sheerness - Kent	BWAS-1714
Ship Class	1733 Establishment 60-Gunner (1733)	BWAS-1714
Constructor	Jeremiah RosewellBritish Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1726-1741	BWAS-1714
Category	Fourth Rate	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Ship of the Line	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1714
Broken Up	1.1767	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck144' 0"Imperial Feet43.8912
Length of Keel116' 7"Imperial Feet35.3679
Breadth41' 6"Imperial Feet12.6492
Depth in Hold16' 11"Imperial Feet4.881
Burthen1,070 ²⁷⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

27.10.1740Broadside Weight = 435 Imperial Pound ( 197.2725 kg)BWAS-1714
Lower Gun Deck24 British 24-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck26 British 9-Pounder
Quarterdeck8 British 6-Pounder
Forecastle2 British 6-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
1733400Design Complement
4.175529plus one nurse for every 14 sick menBWAS-1714

2 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
12.9.1740 - 11.4.1745Captain ADM 6/15/330BWAS-171412.4.1745 - 26.10.1748Captain ADM 6/16/463BWAS-1714

9 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
16.9.1740 - 9.12.1741Second Lieutenant ADM 6/15/330ADM 6/1519.9.1740 - 26.9.1740Third Lt. & Lt. at Arms Transfered ADM 6/15/333ADM 6/1510.12.1741 - 12.7.1745First Lieutenant ADM 6/15/486ADM 6/1510.12.1741 - 25.9.1743Third Lt. & Lt. at Arms Transfered ADM 6/15/486ADM 6/1525.9.1743 - 10.8.1745Second Lieutenant ADM 6/16/537
Confirmed 2.9.1745ADM 6/1625.9.1743 - 17.3.1743/44Third Lt. & Lt. at Arms Transfered ADM 6/17/1
Confirmed 19.9.1745ADM 6/1718.3.1743/44 - 13.5.1745Third Lt. & Lt. at Arms Transfered ADM 6/16/377ADM 6/1612.7.1745 - 26.10.1748First Lieutenant ADM 6/17/410
Issued by , The Mediterranean Sea
Confirmed 21.11.1748ADM 6/1710.8.1745 - 26.10.1748Second Lieutenant ADM 6/17/425
Issued by , The Mediterranean Sea
Confirmed 23.12.1748ADM 6/17

2 Warrant Officers

DatesRankNameSource
14.8.1744 - 21.11.1745Gunner ADM 107/4/30ADM 107/425.9.1744 - c.1746Purser† Discharged Dead ADM 6/16/366ADM 6/16

4 Petty Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
27.9.1740 - 23.1.1740/41Midshipman Transfered ADM 107/3/429ADM 107/310.10.1741 - 9.1.1741/42Midshipman Transfered ADM 107/3/521ADM 107/35.1.1745/46 - 17.7.1747Midshipman ADM 107/4/280ADM 107/418.7.1747 - 14.10.1748Master's Mate Transfered ADM 107/4/280ADM 107/4

1 Crewman

DatesRatingNameSource
7.1.1744/45 - 4.1.1745/46Able Seaman ADM 107/4/280ADM 107/4

Service History

DateEventSource
26.12.1740Completed at Sheerness Dockyard - Sheerness at a cost of £18941.5.6dBWAS-1714
3.5.1741Took the Brig 5 miles off Scilly losing First lieutenant, leg brokenBG
19.9.1741Took the Privateer
19.9.1741Took the Frigate
21.11.1741Took the Frigate in latitude 48 losing 1 killedref:567
10.2.1743/44Battle of Toulon
26.10.1748

Paid off at Plymouth Dockyard

ADM 106
25.12.1748SurveyedBWAS-1714
3.1755Began fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth
4.1755Refitted as a Unrated Hospital Ship
4.1755Completed fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth at a cost of £2387.3.6d
16.1.1763Paid offADM 51
10.1764SurveyedBWAS-1714
10.1766SurveyedBWAS-1714
11.11.1766Ordered to be broken upBWAS-1714
1.1767"Laid ashore at the southern part of the new ground at Plymouth to be broken up"BWAS-1714

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Brian Stephens on Monday 5th of May 2014 20:57

The Gentleman's magazine. v. 13 (1743).
Letters from the Mediterranean, dated May 14, advise, that Capt. Ambrose in the Rupert man of war, and another of his Majesty's ships, had visited the coast of Spain, and had taken out of several of the harbours 16 ships, without the loss of one man.

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Date posted	By	Page
Sunday 14th of June 2026 15:37	Jon Miller	British gunboat 'Gunboat No. 10' (1797) (14) 1797-1802 British 14 Gun Unrated Gunboat 1797 Renamed "Biter"
Sunday 14th of June 2026 15:36	Jon Miller	British sloop 'Racoon' (1795) (16) 1795-1806 British 16 Gun Unrated Sloop
Sunday 14th of June 2026 15:35	Jon Miller	Lord Horatio Nelson (1^st Baron Nelson of the Nile and of Hilborough)British Naval Sailor Service 1771-1804
Sunday 14th of June 2026 15:34	Jon Miller	British hired tender 'Margaret' (1785) (4) 1785-1798 British 4 Gun Hired Tender
Sunday 14th of June 2026 15:29	Jon Miller	British hired tender 'Margaret' (1785) (4) 1785-1798 British 4 Gun Hired Tender

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