British Third Rate ship of the line 'Nonsuch' (1774)

Three Decks' Forum

Come and ask, answer or inform.


Nonsuch

354
Nominal Guns64B028
NationalityGreat Britain
OperatorRoyal Navy
Ordered30.11.1769BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down1.1772BWAS-1714
Launched17.12.1774BWAS-1714
First Commissioned25.8.1775BWAS-1714
How acquiredPurpose builtBWAS-1714
ShipyardPlymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1714
Ship ClassIntrepid ClassBWAS-1714
Designed byJohn Williams (1700-?)BWAS-1793
ConstructorIsrael Pownoll (d.1779)BWAS-1714
CategoryThird RateB028
Ship TypeShip of the Line BWAS-1714
Sailing RigShip RiggedBWAS-1714
Broken Up6.1802BWAS-1714

Dimensions


DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck159' 5"Imperial Feet48.4654 
Length of Keel131' 0"Imperial Feet39.9288 
Breadth44' 5"Imperial Feet13.443 
Depth in Hold19' 0 ½"Imperial Feet5.8039 
Draught Forward11' 4"Imperial Feet3.4544 
Draught Aft17' 6"Imperial Feet5.2034 
Burthen1,372 69⁄94Tons BM 

Armament


17.12.1774Broadside Weight = 600 Imperial Pound ( 272.1 kg)BWAS-1793
Lower Gun Deck26 British 24-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck26 British 18-Pounder
Quarterdeck10 British 9-Pounder
Forecastle2 British 9-Pounder

5.1794Broadside Weight = 1196 Imperial Pound ( 542.386 kg)BWAS-1793
Gun Deck26 British 68-Pound Carronade
Gun Deck26 British 24-Pounder

Crew Complement


Date# of MenNotesSource
1777500Design Complement

12 Commanding Officers


DatesRankNameSource
25.8.1775 - 31.1.1776CaptainThomas Graves (1725-1802) ADM 6/21/118BWAS-171431.1.1776 - 1.2.1778CaptainWalter Griffith (1727-1779) ADM 6/21/153BWAS-17141.2.1778 - 31.8.1779CaptainSamuel Reeve (c.1732-1803) ADM 6/21/488
Issued by Lord Richard Howe (4th Viscount Howe) (1725/26-1799), North America
Commission confirmed 15.12.1778ADM 6/2131.8.1779 - 8.3.1780CaptainWilliam Blair (1741-1782) ADM 6/22/123
Issued by Sir Peter Parker (1715-1811), Jamaica - Greater Antilles
Commission confirmed 3.5.1780ADM 6/2223.3.1780 - 15.8.1781CaptainSir James Wallace (c.1732-1803) ADM 6/22/102BWAS-171415.8.1781 - 30.8.1783CaptainWilliam Truscott (1734-1798) ADM 6/22/325BWAS-171418.3.1794 - 30.6.1794CaptainBilly Douglas (d.1817) ADM 6/25/21BWAS-17141.7.1794 - 24.12.1794CaptainPhilip D'Auvergne (1754-1816) ADM 6/25/54BWAS-17142.1795 - 8.1795CaptainWilliam Mitchell (1746-1816)BWAS-17142.6.1795 - 4.1796CaptainHenry Blackwood (1770-1832)BWAS-171430.4.1796 - 10.1797CaptainRobert Dudley OliverBWAS-17141.9.1797 - 1799CaptainIsaac WolleyBWAS-1714

1 Commissioned Officer


DatesRankNameSource
17.7.1777 - 7.12.1777Acting LieutenantWilliam Carnegie (1756-1831)NAO

1 Warrant Officer


DatesRatingNameSource
3.10.1797 - 30.4.1802GunnerCharles FieldADM29-1

1 Crewman


DatesRatingNameSource
18.8.1794 - 1795Able SeamanCharles Bertram (1777-?)NBD1849

Service History


DateEventSource
12.1774Began fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1714
8.1775Guard ship at PlymouthBWAS-1714
25.4.1776Completed at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth at a cost of £29967.5.5dBWAS-1714
25.4.1776Completed fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth at a cost of £6764.14.1dBWAS-1714
12.1776refitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth at a cost of £3052.15.3dBWAS-1714
16.1.1777Took the Sloop Charming Sally (6) 135 miles north northwest of Cape Finisterre
23.3.1777Sailed for North AmericaBWAS-1714
26.5.1778Assisted in the destruction of Spitfire (1) BWAS-1714
22.7.1778At Sandy HookBWAS-1714
4.11.1778Sailed for the Leeward IslandsBWAS-1714
14.12.1778Battle of St. Lucia
6.7.1779Battle of Grenada
1.1780Began coppering and fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
8.3.1780

Paid off

ADM 51
5.1780Completed coppering and fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £10339.12.7dBWAS-1714
5.7.1780Took the Privateer Le Hussard (18)
5.7.1780Took the Cutter L'Hussard (18)
14.7.1780Destroyed La Légère (32) , armed en-fluteBWAS-1714
14.7.1780Took the Frigate La Belle Poule (32)
13.3.1781Sailed to the relief of GibraltarBWAS-1714
12.4.1781Arrived at GibraltarBWAS-1714
14.5.1781Actif v Nonsuch
6.1781Began refitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
9.1781Completed refitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £9146.2.1dBWAS-1714
15.1.1782Sailed for the West IndiesBWAS-1714
12.4.1782Battle of the Saintes
30.8.1783Paid offADM 51
5.1794Refitted as a 52 gun Unrated Floating Battery
6.1794In the Channel IslandsBWAS-1714
24.12.1794Paid offADM 51
2.1795Floating battery at HullBWAS-1714
10.5.1802Paid offADM 51


Sources


IDDescriptionAuthorType
B028Ships of the Royal Navy - Volume IJ. J. ColledgeBook
BWAS-1714British Warships in the Age of Sail 1714 - 1792Rif WinfieldBook
BWAS-1793British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793 - 1817Rif WinfieldBook
ADM 6/21ADM 6/21 Commission and Warrant Book 1774 Jan.-1779 June  Archive
ADM 6/22ADM 6/22 Commission and Warrant Book 1779 July-1782 Archive
NAOThe National Archive - Trafalgar AncestorsVariousWeb Site
ADM29-1ADM 29/1 1802-1814 Admiralty: Warrant Officers. Entry Books of Certificates of Service Document
NBD1849A Naval Biographical Dictionary 1849O'BrienDigital Book
ADM 51ADM 51 1669-1853 Admiralty: Captains' Logs Archive
 
Previous comments on this page

Posted by BrianStephens on Monday 5th of May 2014 18:50

The Gentleman's magazine. v. 50 (1780).
Adm. Office - Sir James Wallace, of his Majesty's ship Nonsuch, acquaints the board, that while his boats were employed burning the Legers off the Loire, he observed 3 sail making signals to each other, to whom he immediately gave chase and about midnight came up with and engaged one of them, which, after a defence of two hours, struck, and proved the Belle Poule of 32 guns, 12 pounders, and 275 men, 24 of whom, with their Captain, were killed, and the 2d Captain, with other officers and men, to the number of 50, wounded. The Nonsuch had 3 men killed, and 10 wounded, two of whom has since died.

Make a comment about this page





Recent comments to other pages

Date postedByPage
Thursday 14th of November 2019 05:17Albert ParkerBritish Third Rate ship of the line 'Lennox' (1723) (70)
Thursday 14th of November 2019 03:56Tim OakleyBritish hired ketch 'Gleaner' (1808) (14)
Wednesday 13th of November 2019 18:36Tim OakleyBritish Sixth Rate post ship 'Arab' (1798) (22)
Wednesday 13th of November 2019 02:53Tim OakleyJoseph Briggs
Tuesday 12th of November 2019 02:21Tim OakleyBritish Fourth Rate frigate 'Cornwallis' (1805) (50)
Copyright © Cy Harrison 2010-2019, all rights reserved
GDPR Statement