British Fourth Rate ship of the line 'Strafford' (1735)

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Strafford	6917
Nominal Guns	60	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Previously	British Fourth Rate ship of the line 'Strafford' (1714) (54) 1714-1726 British 54 Gun 4th Rate Ship of the Line
Ordered	22.5.1733	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	15.9.1733	BWAS-1714
Launched	24.7.1735	BWAS-1714
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth	B028
Ship Class	1706 Establishment 54-Gunner (1706)	B028
Constructor	John WardBritish Designer Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1711-1752	BWAS-1714
Category	Fourth Rate	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Ship of the Line	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1714
Sunk as Breakwater	8.1756	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck144' 0"Imperial Feet43.8912
Length of Keel116' 6"Imperial Feet35.3663
Breadth41' 6"Imperial Feet12.6492
Depth in Hold16' 11"Imperial Feet4.881
Draught Forward9' 11"Imperial Feet2.7686
Draught Aft15' 0"Imperial Feet4.572
Burthen1,067 ⁷⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

1735Broadside 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

1743Broadside Weight = 462 Imperial Pound ( 209.517 kg)BWAS-1714
Lower Gun Deck24 British 24-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck24 British 12-Pounder
Quarterdeck8 British 6-Pounder
Forecastle2 British 6-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
1735400EstablishmentBWAS-1714
1743420Revised EstablishmentBWAS-1714

6 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
19.5.1738 - 9.7.1739Captain TransferedBWAS-171410.7.1739 - 5.5.1743Captain ADM 6/15/198BWAS-171419.3.1743/44 - 30.6.1745Captain Transfered ADM 6/16/280BWAS-17141.7.1745 - 28.1.1747/48Captain Dismissed ADM 6/17/371
Issued by , Jamaica - Greater Antilles
Confirmed 29.7.1748BWAS-171429.1.1747/48 - 9.4.1748Captain† Discharged DeadBWAS-17149.3.1747/48 - 7.7.1749Captain ADM 6/17/487
Issued by , Jamaica - Greater Antilles
Confirmed 17.8.1749BWAS-1714

1 Flag Officer

DatesRankNameSource
2.1740 - 4.1740Vice-Admiral of the BlueBWAS-1714

16 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
16.7.1739 - 22.9.1740First Lieutenant ADM 6/15/204ADM 6/1530.10.1739 - 4.1.1739/40Third Lt. & Lt. at Arms ADM 6/16/181
Confirmed 23.5.1743ADM 6/165.1.1739/40 - 13.1.1740/41Second Lieutenant ADM 6/16/181
Confirmed 23.5.1743ADM 6/165.2.1739/40 - 13.1.1740/41Third Lt. & Lt. at Arms ADM 6/16/12
Confirmed 10.2.1741/42ADM 6/1614.1.1740/41 - 5.1.1741/42First Lieutenant ADM 6/16/181
Confirmed 23.5.1743ADM 6/1614.1.1740/41 - 7.6.1741Third Lt. & Lt. at Arms Transfered ADM 6/17/150
Issued by , Jamaica - Greater Antilles
Confirmed 8.9.1746ADM 6/1720.2.1740/41 - 18.5.1743Second Lieutenant ADM 6/16/102
Confirmed 24.9.1742ADM 6/1610.6.1741 - 5.7.1742Third Lt. & Lt. at Arms ADM 6/17/33
Issued by , Jamaica - Greater Antilles
Confirmed 16.12.1745ADM 6/1711.8.1744 - 29.8.1744First Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/16/351ADM 6/164.9.1744 - 30.6.1745Second Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/16/359ADM 6/161.7.1745 - 25.7.1745Third Lt. & Lt. at Arms ADM 6/17/496
Issued by
Confirmed 21.9.1749ADM 6/1725.7.1745 - 30.1.1747/48Second Lieutenant ADM 6/17/496
Issued by , Jamaica - Greater Antilles
Confirmed 21.9.1749ADM 6/176.11.1745 - 11.3.1748/49Third Lt. & Lt. at Arms Transfered ADM 6/17/368
Issued by
Confirmed 12.7.1748ADM 6/1729.1.1747/48 - 1.11.1748Third Lt. & Lt. at Arms ADM 6/17/483
Issued by , Jamaica - Greater Antilles
Confirmed 17.7.1749ADM 6/171.11.1748 - 7.7.1749Second Lieutenant ADM 6/17/483
Issued by , Jamaica - Greater Antilles
Confirmed 17.7.1749ADM 6/1713.6.1749 - 7.7.1749Third Lt. & Lt. at Arms ADM 6/17/499
Issued by , Jamaica - Greater Antilles
Confirmed 6.10.1749ADM 6/17

2 Petty Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
30.3.1744 - 8.7.1745Master's Mate Transfered ADM 107/4/34ADM 107/419.7.1744 - 28.10.1745Midshipman Transfered ADM 107/4/53ADM 107/4

1 Crewman

DatesRatingNameSource
8.12.1738 - 19.1.1738/39Able Seaman Transferedref:898

Service History

DateEventSource
8.4.1738Began Completed at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
22.4.1738Completed Completed at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £17579.12.2dBWAS-1714
5.1738Commissioned for service as a guardship at PlymouthBWAS-1714
5.1739Fitted for foreign service at PortsmouthBWAS-1714
23.7.1739Sailed with Vernon's fleetBWAS-1714
22.10.1739Attack at La Guaira
21.11.1739At Porto BelloBWAS-1714
21.11.1739Attack on Puerto Bello
60.1739RecommissionedBWAS-1714
23.3.1739/40At capture of ChagresBWAS-1714
3.1740/41Present in operations against CartagenaBWAS-1714
8.1742Sailed for homeBWAS-1714
1743Refitted as a 58 gun Fourth Rate Ship of the Line
6.1743Began great repair at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
4.1744RecommissionedBWAS-1714
4.1744Completed great repair at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £20773.19.2dBWAS-1714
8.1744In Balchen's fleet until SeptemberBWAS-1714
1745To Jamaica in Vice-Admiral Daver's squadronBWAS-1714
1746In the Leeward IslandsBWAS-1714
8.1746Encounter with ConflansBWAS-1714
3.8.1746Action of August 3 1746
8.3.1747/48In attack on Port LouisBWAS-1714
5.4.1748At SantiagoBWAS-1714
9.4.1748Battle of Santiago de Cuba
14.9.1748Took the Polacca Sonda de la Tortuguilla Cuba S002
12.10.1748Battle of Havana
17.7.1749Paid off at Chatham Dockyard ADM 106
16.8.1749SurveyedBWAS-1714
15.11.1755Reported as unfit for serviceBWAS-1714
11.8.1756Order to be sunk as a breakwater at SheernessBWAS-1714

Fleets
Dates	Fleet	Fleet Commander	Source
25.7.1739-1741	British Fleet in the West indies	Edward VernonBritish Naval Sailor Service 1702-1746

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Albert Parker on Friday 10th of February 2023 04:01

Admiralty disposition reports for March, July, and August 1, 1746, list /Strafford/'s lieutenants as John Jones and Lord Bellenden (and don't mention John Mitchell). Johns is listed first but disposition reports do not include designations as 1st ... nth lieutenant.

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