British schooner 'Helena' (1779)

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Helena	19306
Nominal Guns	14	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Previously	French corvette 'La Hélène' (1778) (16)
Captured	23.7.1779	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Unknown	NNF-1774
Category	Unrated	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Schooner	BWAS-1714
Wrecked	3.11.1796	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck76' 1 ½"Imperial Feet23.1775
Length of Keel56' 5 ½"Imperial Feet17.0815
Breadth26' 9"Imperial Feet7.9629
Depth in Hold10' 8"Imperial Feet3.2512
Burthen214 ⁸⁴⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

8.1779Broadside Weight = 45 Imperial Pound ( 20.4078 kg)BWAS-1714
Gun Deck14 British 6-Pounder
Gun Deck12 British 1/2-Pound Swivel

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
8.177980 BWAS-1714
178370 BWAS-1714

15 Commanding Officers

DatesRankNameSource
5.8.1779 - 4.2.1780CommanderSir John Borlase Warren (1^st Baronet of Little Marlow) (1753-1822) ADM 6/22/11BWAS-17144.2.1780 - 25.3.1782CommanderFrancis Roberts ADM 6/22/84BWAS-171425.3.1782 - 15.8.1782CommanderThomas Dyson (1736-1798) ADM 6/22/434BWAS-17142.9.1782 - 25.6.1783CommanderGeorge Cadman ADM 6/22/511BWAS-17142.7.1783 - 10.11.1785CommanderGeorge Cadman ADM 6/23/90ADM 6/2328.2.1787 - 26.8.1789CommanderBenjamin Hulke (1754-1799) ADM 6/23/384BWAS-171426.8.1789 - 21.9.1790CommanderSamuel Kempthorne ADM 6/23/541ADM 6/2321.9.1790 - 1.10.1790CommanderCharles Craven ADM 6/24/69ADM 6/2412.11.1790 - 6.1.1791CommanderJohn Woodley (d.1796) ADM 6/24/86BWAS-17146.1.1791 - 17.10.1791CommanderAlexander Douglas (d.1793) ADM 6/24/100BWAS-171418.10.1791 - 18.3.1793CommanderAlexander Douglas (d.1793) ADM 6/24/141ADM 6/2418.3.1793 - 1793CommanderWilliam Charleton ADM 6/24/221ADM 6/245.1793 - 5.1795CommanderWilliam CharletonBWAS-17145.1795 - 27.8.1796CommanderJohn Talbot (1769-1851)BWAS-17149.1796 - 3.11.1796CommanderJermyn John Symonds (d.1796)†BWAS-1714

1 Petty Officer

DatesRatingNameSource
1781 - 4.1782MidshipmanThomas Masterman Hardy (1769-1839)ODNB

Service History

DateEventSource
7.1779Began fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
8.1779Completed fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £868.7.6dBWAS-1714
9.1779Sailed to the Relief of GuernseyBWAS-1714
11.1780Began coppering and fitting at Sheerness Dockyard - Sheerness BWAS-1714
12.1780Completed coppering and fitting at Sheerness Dockyard - Sheerness at a cost of £1376.12.8dBWAS-1714
7.8.1781Action against 14 gunboats in the Gibraltar BayBWAS-1714
8.1782Paid offBWAS-1714
7.1783Recommissioned for West Bay and ExmouthBWAS-1714
11.1785Paid offBWAS-1714
1.1787Began fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1714
2.1787Recommissioned for MilfordBWAS-1714
5.1787Completed fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth at a cost of £1566.0.0dBWAS-1714
11.1788Paid offBWAS-1714
9.1789Began middling repair at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1714
11.1790Completed middling repair at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth at a cost of £5141.0.0dBWAS-1714
12.1790Recommissioned for Service in the ChannelBWAS-1714
12.12.1791Sailed for JamaicaBWAS-1714
7.10.1796Sailed for the North SeaBWAS-1714
3.11.1796Wrecked with all hands on the Dutch CoastBWAS-1714

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

BWAS-1714Rif Winfield, Book

NNF-1774Alain Demerliac, Book

ADM 6/23 Archive

ADM 6/24 Archive

ODNBOxford University Press, Web Site

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