British Fifth Rate ship 'Dolphin' (1781)

Three Decks' Forum

Come and ask, answer or inform.

Recent updates

Dolphin	3941
Nominal Guns	44	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	8.1.1777	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	1.5.1777	BWAS-1714
Launched	10.3.1781	BWAS-1714
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Chatham Dockyard - Chatham	BWAS-1714
Ship Class	Roebuck Class
Designed by	Sir Thomas Slade (1703-1771)	BWAS-1714
Constructor	Nicholas Phillips	BWAS-1714
Category	Fifth Rate	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Ship
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged
Broken Up	7.1817	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck139' 11"Imperial Feet42.3679
Length of Keel115' 6 ¼Imperial Feet35.0584
Breadth37' 10 ¼"Imperial Feet11.284
Depth in Hold16' 4"Imperial Feet4.8937
Burthen880 ⁴⁷⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

10.3.1781Broadside Weight = 285 Imperial Pound ( 129.2475 kg)BWAS-1714
Lower Gun Deck20 British 18-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck22 British 9-Pounder
Forecastle2 British 6-Pounder

4.1800Broadside Weight = 90 Imperial Pound ( 40.815 kg)BWAS-1714
Upper Gun Deck20 British 9-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
1769280Design Complement

17 Commanding Officers

DatesRankNameSource
2.3.1781 - 23.8.1781CaptainWilliam Blair (1741-1782) ADM 6/22/257BWAS-171423.8.1781 - 12.1.1782CaptainThomas Piercy (c.1732-1793) ADM 6/22/329ADM 6/2212.1.1782 - 10.1782CaptainRobert Manners Sutton (d.1794) ADM 6/22/398BWAS-171411.10.1782 - 18.10.1782CommanderGeorge TrippBWAS-171425.1.1793 - 1.1794CommanderJames May (d.1808) ADM 6/24/197BWAS-17141.1794 - 12.8.1794LieutenantRichard RetalickBWAS-171412.8.1794 - 8.3.1797CommanderRichard RetalickBWAS-17148.3.1797 - 10.1797CommanderRobert Williams (1765-1837)BWAS-171410.1797 - 12.1799LieutenantJohn NesbitBWAS-17142.1799 - 9.1799CommanderThomas BayleyBWAS-17149.1799 - 12.1799LieutenantPhilip Beaver (1766-1813)BWAS-171412.1799 - 3.1802CommanderJohn DalrympleBWAS-17141.1804 - 10.1804CommanderJohn Shortland (d.1804)BWAS-171410.1804 - 9.1806CommanderIsaac FerrieresBWAS-17149.1806 - 1807CommanderDaniel TandyBWAS-171410.1808 - 10.1810CommanderChristopher WatsonBWAS-171410.1810 - 1812CommanderAlexander MilnerBWAS-1714

1 Warrant Officer

DatesRatingNameSource
1.12.1808 - 25.8.1809MasterThomas HarttreeADM29-1

Service History

DateEventSource
11.5.1781building at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £21525.10.5dBWAS-1714
5.8.1781Battle of Dogger Bank
5.8.1781Battle of Dogger Bank
31.1.1782Sailed for JamaicaBWAS-1714
1.1784Paid offBWAS-1714
3.1784Began small repair at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
6.1784Completed small repair at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £5936.6.8dBWAS-1714
10.1790Began fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
2.1791Refitted as a 8 gun Unrated Hospital Ship
2.1791Completed fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £3819.0.0dBWAS-1714
3.1791At PortsmouthBWAS-1714
1.1793RecommissionedBWAS-1714
22.5.1793Sailed for the MediterraneanBWAS-1714
11.1797Recapture of MinorcaBWAS-1714
1798Hospital ship at LisbonBWAS-1714
1.1800Began fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1714
4.1800Egypt operationsBWAS-1714
4.1800Refitted as a 20 gun Unrated Troop Ship
4.1800Completed fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford at a cost of £9042.0.0dBWAS-1714
1.1802Returned to EnglandBWAS-1714
3.1802Paid offBWAS-1714
10.1803Began fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1714
1.1804RecommissionedBWAS-1714
1.1804Refitted as a 20 gun Unrated Storeship
1.1804Completed fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford at a cost of £9508.0.0dBWAS-1714
10.1805Sailed to the Leeward IslandsBWAS-1714
10.1807Began large repair at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1714
10.1808RecommissionedBWAS-1714
11.1808Completed large repair at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1714
1809Sailed to the Leeward IslandsBWAS-1714
2.1811Began fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
4.1811Completed fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
7.1817Broken up at PortsmouthBWAS-1714

Sources

IDDescriptionAuthorType

BWAS-1714Rif WinfieldBook

ADM 6/22 Archive

ADM29-1 Document

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Sid on Saturday 22nd of December 2012 22:24

It should be Josiah, not John, Nesbit. And the end date of his service is also wrong, I think.

Make a comment about this page

Recent comments to other pages

Date posted	By	Page
Saturday 15th of June 2019 17:50	Philip Stevens	Action in Cancale Bay
Friday 14th of June 2019 15:22	AvM	British Merchantman packet 'Belle' (1802)
Friday 14th of June 2019 14:50	AvM	British Merchantman east indiaman 'Bellmont' (1780)
Friday 14th of June 2019 14:38	AvM	British Merchantman 'Bellona' (1782)
Friday 14th of June 2019 14:16	AvM	British Merchantman 'Bellona' (1796)

GDPR Statement