British Third Rate ship of the line 'Royal Oak' (1769)

Three Decks' Forum

Come and ask, answer or inform.

Recent updates

Added
Edward BransfieldBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1814
Update
Active (38) 1799-1860
British 38 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
1833 Renamed "Argo"
Added
Alexander KarleyBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1814-1823
Update
Cadmus (10) 1808-1864
British 10 Gun
Unrated Sloop
1863 Renamed "CGWV.24"
Update
Dover (32) 1811-1836
British 32 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
Update
Fury (12) 1814-1825
British 12 Gun
Unrated Bomb Vessel
Update
Rinaldo (10) 1808-1835
British 10 Gun
Unrated Sloop
Added
John BothamBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1813-1821
Added
Joseph T WatsonBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1814
Update
Tigris (36) 1813-1818
British 36 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
See more...

Royal Oak ➡ 1805 Assistance	346
Nominal Guns	74	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	16.11.1765	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	5.1766	BWAS-1714
Launched	13.11.1769	BWAS-1714
First Commissioned	17.11.1770	BWAS-1714
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth	BWAS-1714
Ship Class	Royal Oak Class (1765)	BWAS-1714
Designed by	John WilliamsBritish Designer Ship Builder Service 1762-1784	BWAS-1714
Constructor	Israel PownollBritish Designer Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1741-1779	BWAS-1714
Category	Third Rate	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Ship of the Line	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1714
Broken Up	2.11.1815	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck168' 6"Imperial Feet51.2086
Length of Keel138' 2"Imperial Feet42.0637
Breadth46' 9"Imperial Feet14.0589
Depth in Hold20' 0"Imperial Feet6.096
Draught Forward12' 2"Imperial Feet3.683
Draught Aft17' 10"Imperial Feet5.1816
Burthen1,606 ²¹⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

13.11.1769Broadside Weight = 781 Imperial Pound ( 354.1835 kg)BWAS-1714
Lower Gun Deck28 British 32-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck28 British 18-Pounder
Quarterdeck14 British 9-Pounder
Forecastle4 British 9-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
18.12.1765600Design Complement

23 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
17.11.1770 - 14.2.1772Captain ADM 6/20/315BWAS-171414.2.1772 - 15.10.1773Captain ADM 6/20/429BWAS-171415.10.1773 - 1.11.1775Captain ADM 6/20/522BWAS-17141.11.1775 - 24.10.1776CaptainBWAS-171424.10.1776 - 26.1.1778Captain Transfered ADM 6/21/223BWAS-171426.1.1778 - 29.4.1778Captain Transfered ADM 6/21/357ADM 6/2129.4.1778 - 2.5.1778Captain ADM 6/21/397BWAS-171421.7.1779 - 27.8.1779Captain Transfered ADM 6/22/48
Issued by , North America
Confirmed 10.11.1779ADM 6/2227.8.1779 - 4.12.1779Captain ADM 6/22/218
Issued by , North America
Confirmed 29.12.1780BWAS-17144.12.1779 - 11.5.1780Captain Transfered ADM 6/22/68
Issued by , North America
Confirmed 22.12.1779BWAS-171429.8.1780 - 30.11.1780Captain ADM 6/22/543BWAS-171430.11.1780 - 14.1.1781Captain Transfered ADM 6/22/259
Issued by , North America
Confirmed 10.3.1781ADM 6/225.5.1781 - 1.10.1781Captain ADM 6/22/348
Issued by , North America
Confirmed 3.10.1781BWAS-17141.10.1781 - 10.5.1782Captainref:89810.5.1782 - 6.6.1783Captain ADM 6/23/88BWAS-17141.1797 - 1798LieutenantBWAS-17141798 - 1801LieutenantBWAS-17147.1803 - 9.1805LieutenantBWAS-17149.1805 - 1806LieutenantBWAS-17141806 - 1807LieutenantBWAS-17141808 - 1811CommodoreBWAS-17141809 - 1811CaptainNBD18491812 - 1813CaptainBWAS-1714

3 Flag Officers

DatesRankNameSource
1772Vice-Admiral of the RedBWAS-17144.1778 - 1779Rear-Admiral of the Blue TransferedBWAS-17141781 - 6.1781Vice-Admiral of the WhiteBWAS-1714

9 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
10.1.1774 - 14.6.1775First Lieutenant ADM 6/21/3ADM 6/2115.9.1774 - 14.6.1775Second Lieutenant ADM 6/21/50ADM 6/2114.6.1775 - 14.2.1777First Lieutenant ADM 6/21/96ADM 6/2110.3.1778 - 11.4.1778Fifth Lieutenant ADM 6/21/377ref:61611.4.1778 - 16.4.1778Fourth Lieutenant ADM 6/21/389ref:61628.8.1779 - 17.1.1780Fifth Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/22/67
Issued by , North America
Confirmed 21.12.1779ADM 6/2222.11.1790 - 31.3.1791Second Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/24/92ADM 6/2422.11.1790 - 14.7.1791Third Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/24/93ADM 6/2422.11.1790 - 1790Fourth Lieutenant ADM 6/24/93ADM 6/24

3 Warrant Officers

DatesRankNameSource
1768 - 15.11.1768Purser Transfered ADM 6/20/221ADM 6/201780Chaplainref:61615.12.1798 - 21.4.1802MasterADM 29-1

3 Petty Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
20.11.1776 - 8.12.1776Master's Mate Transfered ADM 107/6/371ADM 107/65.1780 - 8.1780MidshipmanWWNH16.12.1799 - 6.1801MidshipmanNBD1849

3 Crewmen

DatesRatingNameSource
1770Volunteerref:61616.6.1798 - 15.12.1799Able SeamanNBD184928.5.1811 - 17.9.1812Able SeamanADM 29/8

Service History

DateEventSource
11.1770Commissioned for the Falkland Islands dispute, then as a guard ship at Portsmouth until 1778BWAS-1714
1771Began fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1714
13.4.1771Completed at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth at a cost of £29914.16.10dBWAS-1714
13.4.1771Completed fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth at a cost of £9391.14.4dBWAS-1714
11.1771refitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1714
22.6.1773Spithead reviewBWAS-1714
2.5.1778Paid offADM 51
13.12.1778Sailed to the West IndiesBWAS-1714
1779In the Leeward IslandsBWAS-1714
6.7.1779Battle of Grenada
1.1780Began coppering and fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
3.1780Completed coppering and fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £12286.12.1dBWAS-1714
17.5.1780Sailed to North AmericaBWAS-1714
13.7.1780Arrived in North AmericaBWAS-1714
16.3.1781Battle of Cape Henry
12.8.1781Took the Sloop
5.9.1781Battle of the Chesapeake
5.12.1781Sailed to the West IndiesBWAS-1714
12.4.1782Battle of the Saintes
21.7.1782Sailed to AmericaBWAS-1714
6.6.1783Paid offADM 51
11.1796fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £1734.0.0dBWAS-1714
1.1797Refitted as a Unrated Prison Ship
25.10.1805Renamed AssistanceBWAS-1714
28.7.1809Walcheren Expedition
1814In ordinaryBWAS-1714
14.12.1814Battle of Lake Borgne

Notes on Ship

DimensionsBWAS-1714
The dimensions quoted from this source are as designed, not as built.

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

ADM 107/6 Archive

ADM 29-1 Document

ADM 29/8 Archive

ADM 51 Archive

ADM 6/20 Archive

ADM 6/21 Archive

ADM 6/22 Archive

ADM 6/24 Archive

BWAS-1714Rif Winfield, Book

NBD1849O'Brien, Digital Book

WWNHJoseph F. Callo, Alastair Wilson, Book

ref:616Nicholas Tracy, Book

ref:898Anne Byrne McLeod, Thesis

Previous comments on this pageno comments to display

Make a comment about this page

Recent comments to other pages

Date posted	By	Page
Monday 20th of March 2023 18:57	Cy	French Privateer lugger 'L'Étoile' (1809) (14) 1809-1809 French 14 Gun Privateer Lugger
Monday 20th of March 2023 18:23	A. Morddel	French Privateer lugger 'L'Étoile' (1809) (14) 1809-1809 French 14 Gun Privateer Lugger
Monday 20th of March 2023 17:49	Cy	French Privateer lugger 'L'Étoile' (1809) (14) 1809-1809 French 14 Gun Privateer Lugger
Monday 20th of March 2023 15:31	A. Morddel	French Privateer lugger 'L'Étoile' (1809) (14) 1809-1809 French 14 Gun Privateer Lugger
Monday 20th of March 2023 04:37	Tim Oakley	James SymonsBritish Naval Sailor Service 1780-1808

GDPR Statement