British second rate ship of the line 'Formidable' (1777)

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Formidable108
Nominal Guns90BWAS-1714
NationalityGreat BritainBWAS-1714
OperatorThe Royal NavyBWAS-1714
Ordered1768/08/17BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down1769/12BWAS-1714
Named1768/10/13BWAS-1714
Launched1777/08/20BWAS-1714
How acquiredPurpose builtBWAS-1714
ShipyardChatham Dockyard BWAS-1714
Ship ClassBarfleur ClassBWAS-1714
CategorySecond RateBWAS-1714
Ship TypeShip of the Line BWAS-1714
Broken Up1813/09BWAS-1714

Dimensions
DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck177' 6 ¾"Imperial Feet54.1211
Length of Keel143' 10"Imperial Feet43.8404
Breadth50' 5"Imperial Feet15.367
Depth in Hold21' 0"Imperial Feet6.4008
Draught Forward177' 6 ¾"Imperial Feet54.1211
Draught Forward13' 11"  
Draught Aft14' 11"Imperial Feet4.5466
Burthen1,944 64⁄94Tons BM 

Armament

1778Broadside Weight = 931 Imperial Pound ( 422.2085 kg) BWAS-1714
Lower Gun Deck28British 32-Pounder
Middle Gun Deck30British 18-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck30British 12-Pounder
Quarterdeck8British 6-Pounder
Forecastle2British 9-Pounder
1790Broadside Weight = 958 Imperial Pound ( 434.453 kg) BWAS-1714
Lower Gun Deck28British 32-Pounder
Middle Gun Deck30British 18-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck30British 12-Pounder
Quarterdeck8British 12-Pounder
Forecastle2British 12-Pounder
Crew Complement
Date# of MenNotesSource
1778750EstablishmentBWAS-1714
1794738EstablishmentBWAS-1714
Flag Officers
FromToRankNameSource
1778/021779Vice-Admiral of the BlueHugh PalliserBWAS-1714
1782/021782/04Admiral of the WhiteSir George Brydges RodneyBWAS-1714
1782/041783AdmiralHugh PigotBWAS-1714
1791/031791/09Rear-Admiral of the WhiteJohn Leveson GowerBWAS-1714
17961797Rear-AdmiralSir Roger CurtisBWAS-1714
17971798Vice-Admiral of the BlueSir Charles ThompsonBWAS-1714
1799/021800Rear-AdmiralJames Hawkins WhitshedBWAS-1714
Commanders
FromToRankNameSource
1778/04/151779CaptainJohn BazelyBWAS-1714
17791781CaptainJohn StantonBWAS-1714
17811782CaptainJohn ClelandBWAS-1714
17821782/02CaptainJohn SymonsBWAS-1714
1782/021782/09CaptainSir Charles DouglasBWAS-1714
1782/091783CaptainJames SamberBWAS-1714
1790/051791CaptainThe Hon. Keith StewartBWAS-1714
1791/031791/09CaptainHenry NichollsBWAS-1714
1795/021796CaptainGeorge BerkelyBWAS-1714
17961797CaptainGeorge MurrayBWAS-1714
17971797/12CaptainGeorge BerkelyBWAS-1714
1797/121798CaptainJohn MonktonBWAS-1714
17981798/06CaptainJohn IrwinBWAS-1714
1798/061799/02CaptainJames Hawkins WhitshedBWAS-1714
1799/021801/01CaptainEdward ThornbroughBWAS-1714
1801/011804CaptainRichard GrindallBWAS-1714
1804/091805/05CaptainRichard Dalling DunnBWAS-1714
1805/071809CaptainFrancis FayermanBWAS-1714
1810/031811CaptainJames Nicoll MorrisBWAS-1714
Commissioned Officers
FromToRankNameSource
1782/021782/09Second CaptainJohn SymonsBWAS-1714
1809/12/261812/06/23LieutenantGeorge BignellNBD1849
Petty Officers
FromToRankNameSource
1795/071799/05Masters MateRobert BloyeNBD1849
1805/121811/05MidshipmanJohn AdamsNBD1849
Crewmen
FromToRankNameSource
1781/11/241783Captains ServantCharles WollastonNBD1849
Service History
DateEvent Source
1778Re-classed as a 98 gun Second Rate 
1778/02First commissionedBWAS-1714
1778/04/17Completed at a first cost of £50,090.12.1d, plus 3,633.12.10d for fittingBWAS-1714
1778/07/27Present at the 1st Battle of Ushant 
1780/02Coppered at PlymouthBWAS-1714
1781/03/15Sailed to the Relief of GibraltarBWAS-1714
1781/04/12Arrived at GibrlatarBWAS-1714
1782/01/14Sailed for the West IndiesBWAS-1714
1782/02/19Arrived in the West IndiesBWAS-1714
1782/04/09In the Dominican ChannelBWAS-1714
1782/04/12Present at the Battle of the Saintes 
1782/07/21Sailed for AmericaBWAS-1714
1782/09/05Arrived in New YorkBWAS-1714
1782/10/24Left New YorkBWAS-1714
1783Paid offBWAS-1714
1783Paid offBWAS-1714
1784/05Started a small repair at PortsmouthBWAS-1714
1784/11Completed small repair at a cost of £17,353.15.1dBWAS-1714
1790/05Recommissioned for the Spanish ArmamentBWAS-1714
1790/07Fitted for seaBWAS-1714
1791/03RecommissionedBWAS-1714
1791/05Again fitted for sea at PortsmouthBWAS-1714
1791/09Paid offBWAS-1714
1792/04Started a middling repair and refit at PlymouthBWAS-1714
1795/02RecommissionedBWAS-1714
1795/06Completed middling repair and refit at a cost of £38,751BWAS-1714
1799/06/01Sailed as reinforcment to the MediterraneanBWAS-1714
1800In the ChannelBWAS-1714
1802/02Sailed for JamaicaBWAS-1714
1804/09RecommissionedBWAS-1714
1805/05Started fitting at PlymouthBWAS-1714
1805/07Recommissioned for the ChannelBWAS-1714
1806/01Completed fitting at PlymouthBWAS-1714
1807/01/01Sailed for the MediterraneanBWAS-1714
1810Commissioned for the BalticBWAS-1714
1812Reduced to ordinary at PortsmouthBWAS-1714
1813/06/30Ordered to be reduced to a 74-gun thrid rate, but found to be decayedBWAS-1714
1813/09Broken up at ChathamBWAS-1714

Sources
IDDescriptionAuthorType
BWAS-1714 British Warships in the Age of Sail 1714 - 1792Rif WinfieldBook
NBD1849 A Naval Biographical Dictionary 1849O'BrienDigital Book
 
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