British Fourth Rate ship of the line 'Defiance' (1744)

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Defiance	3847
Nominal Guns	60	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	14.3.1742/43	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	22.3.1742/43	BWAS-1714
Launched	12.10.1744	BWAS-1714
First Commissioned	23.11.1744	BWAS-1714
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Deptford Dockyard - Deptford	BWAS-1714
Ship Class	1741 Establishment 60-Gunner	BWAS-1714
Constructor	Thomas West	BWAS-1714
Category	Fourth Rate	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Ship of the Line	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1714
Sold	10.4.1766	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck147' 4 ¼"Imperial Feet44.812
Length of Keel119' 5 ¼"Imperial Feet36.2776
Breadth42' 3 ½"Imperial Feet12.8143
Depth in Hold18' 1 ¼"Imperial Feet5.4928
Burthen1,136 ²⁸⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

12.10.1744Broadside Weight = 462 Imperial Pound ( 209.517 kg)BWAS-1714
Lower Gun Deck24 British 24-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck24 British 12-Pounder
Quarterdeck8 British 6-Pounder
Forecastle2 British 6-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
1741420Design Complement

12 Commanding Officers

DatesRankNameSource
23.11.1744 - 16.3.1744/45CaptainLord George Forrester (d.1748) ADM 6/16/390BWAS-171414.9.1745 - 20.3.1745/46CaptainJames Rentone (1702-1747/48) ADM 6/16/544ADM 6/1620.3.1745/46 - 3.5.1747CaptainThomas Grenville (1719-1747)†BWAS-171420.5.1747 - 30.8.1748CaptainJohn Bentley (1703-1772) ADM 6/17/226BWAS-171431.7.1754 - 20.5.1756CaptainThomas Andrews (d.1756)† ADM 6/18/106BWAS-171420.2.1756 - 20.8.1756CaptainPatrick Baird (1700-1761) ADM 6/18/359
Issued by The Hon. John Byng (1704-1757), The Mediterranean Sea
Commission confirmed 19.2.1757BWAS-171423.5.1756 - 20.8.1756CaptainAugustus John Hervey (1724-1779) ADM 6/19/126
Issued by The Hon. John Byng (1704-1757), The Mediterranean Sea
Commission confirmed 11.1.1759BWAS-171420.8.1756 - 31.8.1756CaptainJames Gambier (1723-1789) ADM 6/18/302BWAS-17141.2.1757 - 10.1.1759CaptainPatrick Baird (1700-1761) ADM 6/18/350BWAS-171410.1.1759 - 30.5.1759CaptainWilliam Williamson (c.1720-1771) ADM 6/19/21BWAS-171430.5.1759 - 16.4.1761CaptainPatrick Baird (1700-1761) ADM 6/19/68ADM 6/1916.4.1761 - 10.8.1763CaptainGeorge Mackenzie (d.1780) ADM 6/19/547
Issued by Charles Holmes (1711-1761)
Commission confirmed 1.11.1763BWAS-1714

3 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
22.10.1744 - 25.5.1746Third Lt. & Lt. at ArmsAmbrose Cramer (d.1747) ADM 6/16/384ADM 6/1626.5.1746 - 5.6.1747First LieutenantJohn Midwinter (d.1753) ADM 6/17/143ADM 6/1726.5.1746 - 30.8.1748Third Lt. & Lt. at ArmsJohn Spiller (d.1754) ADM 6/17/143ADM 6/17

1 Warrant Officer

DatesRatingNameSource
1756 - 7.1756CoxswainWilliam FosterTAGP

Service History

DateEventSource
12.10.1744Completed at Deptford - London at a cost of £16423.17.6dBWAS-1714
12.10.1744Began fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1714
21.1.1744/45Completed fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford at a cost of £6904.7.0dBWAS-1714
3.5.17471st Battle of Cape Finisterre
14.10.17472nd Battle of Cape Finisterre
30.8.1748Paid off at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth ADM 106
28.11.1748SurveyedBWAS-1714
9.1751Began small repair at UnknownBWAS-1714
4.10.1751SurveyedBWAS-1714
11.1751Completed small repair at a cost of £4616.7.6dBWAS-1714
12.6.1754Ordered to be fitted as a guard ship "in the room of the Bristol"BWAS-1714
7.1754RecommissionedBWAS-1714
22.4.1755Sailed for North AmericaBWAS-1714
6.6.1755Action of 6-8 June 1755
8.6.1755Took the Third Rate Ship of the Line Le Lys (64)
6.4.1756Sailed for the MediterraneanBWAS-1714
20.5.1756

Off Port Mahon - Mahón , prior to the Battle of Minorca, took a French tartan carrying reinforcements for the French fleet.

B051
20.5.1756Battle of Minorca
2.5.1757Sailed for North AmericaBWAS-1714
8.1757Louisbourg Expedition
6.6.1758The Siege of Louisbourg
20.11.1759Battle of Quiberon Bay
2.6.1760Sailed for JamaicaBWAS-1714
28.5.1762Took the Unrated Marte (18)
28.5.1762Took the Sixth Rate Frigate Venganza (26) in Mariel Bay, Cuba
6.6.1762Operations against Havana
10.8.1763

Paid off

BWAS-1714
2.5.1764SurveyedBWAS-1714
11.3.1766SurveyedBWAS-1714
17.3.1766Ordered to be soldBWAS-1714
10.4.1766Sold for £630BWAS-1714

Fleets
From	Until	Fleet	Fleet Commander	Source
1755/04/27	1755/11/04	Fleet for North America	The Hon. Edward Boscawen (1711-1761)

Sources

IDDescriptionAuthorType

BWAS-1714Rif WinfieldBook

ADM 6/16 Archive

ADM 6/19 Archive

ADM 6/17 Archive

TAGPGentleman just arrived from CadizWeb Site

ADM 106 Document

B051John CharnockDigital Book

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