British Fourth Rate ship of the line 'Assistance' (1745)

Three Decks' Forum

Come and ask, answer or inform.

Recent updates

Update
Richard Harrison PearsonBritish
Naval Sailor
Merchant Sailor
Service 1790-1814
Update
Pluto (8) 1782-1817
British 8 Gun
Unrated Fireship
Update
William MercerBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1793-1799
Update
Fox (32) 1780-1816
British 32 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
Update
George BoswellBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1793-1794
Update
Princess Royal (90) 1773-1807
British 90 Gun
2nd Rate Ship of the Line
Update
Henry GarrettBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1793-1833
Update
Vengeance (74) 1774-1816
British 74 Gun
3rd Rate Ship of the Line
Update
Sir Henry PowlettBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1779-1830
Update
Edward EllicottBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1794-1812
See more...

Assistance	7469
Nominal Guns	50	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	6.8.1745	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	8.1745	BWAS-1714
Launched	22.12.1745	BWAS-1714
First Commissioned	14.9.1745	BWAS-1714
Home Port	Voronez
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Chatham - Kent	BWAS-1714
Ship Class	1745 Establishment 50-Gunner (1745)	BWAS-1714
Constructor	and Hogben SedgerBritish Ship Builder	BWAS-1714
Category	Fourth Rate	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Ship of the Line	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1714
Sunk as Breakwater	11.8.1773	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck144' 0"Imperial Feet43.8912
Length of Keel117' 8 ½"Imperial Feet35.6743
Breadth41' 2 ½"Imperial Feet12.5095
Depth in Hold17' 8"Imperial Feet5.2106
Draught Forward11' 8"Imperial Feet3.556
Draught Aft14' 2"Imperial Feet4.2799
Burthen1,063 ²⁰⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

2.1749Broadside Weight = 414 Imperial Pound ( 187.749 kg)BWAS-1714
Lower Gun Deck22 British 24-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck22 British 12-Pounder
Quarterdeck4 British 6-Pounder
Forecastle2 British 6-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
1752350EstablishmentBWAS-1714

12 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
14.9.1745 - 23.11.1747Captain ADM 6/16/546ADM 6/1623.11.1747 - 20.12.1748Captain ADM 6/17/285BWAS-179321.12.1748 - 9.12.1749Captain ADM 6/17/426BWAS-17939.12.1749 - 2.3.1749/50Captain ADM 6/17/506ADM 6/172.3.1749/50 - 22.7.1752Captain Transfered ADM 6/17/513ADM 6/1729.7.1752 - 24.5.1753Captain† Discharged Dead ADM 6/18/41BWAS-179327.12.1753 - 29.3.1754Captain ADM 6/18/103ADM 6/1819.9.1755 - 25.11.1755Captain Transfered ADM 6/18/195ADM 6/1825.11.1755 - 5.5.1758Captain ADM 6/18/215BWAS-17936.6.1758 - 30.6.1760Captain ADM 6/19/169
Issued by , Jamaica - Greater Antilles
Confirmed 27.5.1760BWAS-179321.11.1760 - 17.11.1762Captain Transfered ADM 6/19/209BWAS-179317.11.1762 - 31.8.1763Captain ADM 6/19/450BWAS-1793

5 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
22.2.1744/45 - 24.11.1747Third Lt. & Lt. at Arms ADM 6/17/8
Issued by , Jamaica - Greater Antilles
Confirmed 8.10.1745ADM 6/1721.12.1748 - bef.30.3.1754Second Lieutenant† Discharged Dead ADM 6/17/426ADM 6/1721.12.1748 - 8.7.1752Third Lt. & Lt. at Arms ADM 6/17/426ADM 6/176.4.1754 - 7.8.1754Acting Lieutenant ADM 107/4/279ADM 107/416.1.1762 - 31.8.1763Second Lieutenant ADM 6/19/380ADM 6/19

1 Warrant Officer

DatesRankNameSource
1745Surgeon ADM 106/1013/103ADM 106

10 Petty Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
11.4.1749 - 15.11.1750Midshipman Transfered ADM 107/4/247ADM 107/41.12.1751 - 29.9.1752Master's Mate Transfered ADM 107/4/351ADM 107/412.10.1752 - 1.5.1754Midshipman ADM 107/4/273ADM 107/42.9.1753 - 5.4.1754Master's Mate ADM 107/4/279ADM 107/417.10.1753 - 18.2.1754Midshipman ADM 107/4/395ADM 107/419.2.1754 - 27.3.1754Master's Mate Transfered ADM 107/4/395ADM 107/423.2.1754 - 7.8.1754Midshipman ADM 107/4/278ADM 107/46.1.1755 - 2.3.1755Midshipman Transfered ADM 107/5/14ADM 107/59.1783 - 9.1784Midshipman ADM 106/1286/483ADM 1066.1785 - 21.8.1786Midshipman ADM 106/1286/483ADM 106

6 Crewmen

DatesRatingNameSource
3.11.1745 - 16.3.1745/46Able Seaman ADM 107/4/47ADM 107/43.5.1748 - 10.4.1749Able Seaman ADM 107/4/247ADM 107/429.4.1750 - 8.2.1750/51Able Seaman Transfered ADM 107/4/409ADM 107/47.11.1753 - 22.2.1754Able Seaman ADM 107/4/278ADM 107/419.11.1762 - bef.31.8.1763Able SeamanE-WIKI1763 - bef.31.8.1763Unknownref:616

Service History

DateEventSource
22.12.1745building at Chatham - Kent at a cost of £13676.0.0dBWAS-1714
22.12.1745Began Completed at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
22.11.1748

Ordered to be completed as a guard ship

BWAS-1714
20.12.1748Paid off at Plymouth Dockyard ADM 106
2.1749

Commissioned as a guard ship at Plymouth

BWAS-1714
26.2.1748/49Completed Completed at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £5762.14.0dBWAS-1714
12.1752Sailed for Anamaboc on the West Coast of AfricaBWAS-1714
1753Home to pay offBWAS-1714
29.3.1754Paid offADM 33
9.1755RecommissionedBWAS-1714
1.5.1756Sailed for Africa and then to JamaicaBWAS-1714
2.9.1758

In company with the Dreadnought chased French Palmier off Port-au-Prince, Hispaniola

ref:935
2.9.1758Palmier vs Assistance
4.1759At JamaicaBWAS-1714
28.4.1760SurveyedBWAS-1714
30.6.1760

Paid off

ADM 51
3.10.1760SurveyedBWAS-1714
11.1760RecommissionedBWAS-1714
12.1760Began small repair at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich BWAS-1714
1761Convoy to VirginiaBWAS-1714
2.1761Completed small repair at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich at a cost of £11052.12.3dBWAS-1714
25.2.1762Sailed to meet East Indies shipsBWAS-1714
20.11.1762Sailed for African and West Indian tradeBWAS-1714
31.8.1763Paid offADM 51
6.1764SurveyedBWAS-1714
8.1770fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £485.16.5dBWAS-1714
8.1771Refitted as a Unrated Hulk
11.8.1773Sold at Portsmouth for £640BWAS-1714

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

ADM 106 Document

ADM 107/4 Archive

ADM 107/5 Archive

ADM 33 Archive

ADM 51 Archive

ADM 6/16 Archive

ADM 6/17 Archive

ADM 6/18 Archive

ADM 6/19 Archive

BWAS-1714Rif Winfield, Book

BWAS-1793Rif Winfield, Book

E-WIKIVarious, Web Site

ref:616Nicholas Tracy, Book

ref:935Robert Beatson, Digital Book

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Jon Miller on Tuesday 26th of May 2026 15:10

London, 4 November 1751: We hear that Capt Buckle of the Assistance at Plymouth, is appointed to command a squadron of ships to be stationed at Jamaica, to relieve Commodore Townshend, who is returning home for the recovery of his health. [Kentish Post, 6 November 1751]

Make a comment about this page

Recent comments to other pages

Date posted	By	Page
Saturday 13th of June 2026 12:37	Jon Miller	British Third Rate ship of the line 'Puissant' (1793) (74) 1793-1816 British 74 Gun 3rd Rate Ship of the Line
Saturday 13th of June 2026 12:33	Jon Miller	British sloop 'Stork' (1796) (16) 1796-1816 British 16 Gun Unrated Sloop
Saturday 13th of June 2026 12:28	Jon Miller	David HotchkisBritish Naval Sailor Service 1779-1797
Saturday 13th of June 2026 12:21	Jon Miller	British Second Rate ship of the line 'Sandwich' (1759) (90) 1759-1810 British 90 Gun 2nd Rate Ship of the Line
Saturday 13th of June 2026 12:18	Jon Miller	British Third Rate ship of the line 'Bedford' (1775) (74) 1775-1817 British 74 Gun 3rd Rate Ship of the Line

GDPR Statement