British Sixth Rate ship 'Experiment' (1740)

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Experiment	4167
Nominal Guns	20	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Previously	British Sixth Rate frigate 'Experiment' (1727) (20)
Ordered	3.9.1739	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	21.9.1739	BWAS-1714
Launched	18.4.1740	BWAS-1714
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth	BWAS-1714
Ship Class	1719 Establishment 20-Gunner	BWAS-1714
Designed by	The Surveyors	BWAS-1714
Constructor	Henry Bird	BWAS-1714
Category	Sixth Rate	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Ship	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1714
Sold	15.3.1763	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck106' 7"Imperial Feet32.3384
Length of Keel87' 6 ⅜"Imperial Feet26.5271
Breadth30' 11"Imperial Feet9.1694
Depth in Hold9' 4 ¼"Imperial Feet2.7496
Burthen445 ³⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

18.4.1740Broadside Weight = 90 Imperial Pound ( 40.815 kg)BWAS-1714
Upper Gun Deck20 British 9-Pounder

1746Broadside Weight = 102 Imperial Pound ( 46.257 kg)BWAS-1714
Lower Gun Deck2 British 9-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck20 British 9-Pounder
Quarterdeck2 British 3-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
1733140Design Complement

12 Commanding Officers

DatesRankNameSource
17.4.1740 - 3.6.1741CaptainJames Rentone (1702-1747/48)BWAS-17146.6.1741 - 3.3.1744/45CaptainHenry Dennis (d.1757) ADM 6/17/70BWAS-17144.3.1744/45 - 8.7.1745CaptainCharles Colby (c.1701-1771) ADM 6/16/527
Commission confirmed 13.8.1745BWAS-171412.7.1746 - 14.1.1746/47CaptainHenry Huish (c.1714-1763) ADM 6/17/127ADM 6/1715.1.1746/47 - 1.11.1748CaptainThe Hon. William Farmer (c.1722-1758) ADM 6/17/191BWAS-17144.12.1753 - 18.7.1755CaptainJohn Evans (1717-1794) ADM 6/18/83BWAS-171418.7.1755 - 26.6.1756CaptainJames Gilchrist (d.1777) ADM 6/18/180BWAS-171426.6.1756 - 4.7.1756CaptainWilliam Gough (c.1722-1760) ADM 6/18/357
Issued by The Hon. John Byng (1704-1757), The Mediterranean Sea
Commission confirmed 15.2.1757BWAS-17144.7.1756 - 9.9.1756CaptainJohn Bladen Tinker (c.1725-1767) ADM 6/18/381
Issued by Edward Hawke (1704/5-1781), English Channel - British Isles
Commission confirmed 5.4.1757BWAS-17149.9.1756 - 29.11.1756CaptainJohn Strachan (d.1777) ADM 6/18/479
Issued by Edward Hawke (1704/5-1781), English Channel - British Isles
Commission confirmed 30.1.1758BWAS-171429.11.1756 - 21.3.1758CaptainJohn Strachan (d.1777) ADM 6/19/24
Issued by Edward Hawke (1704/5-1781), English Channel - British Isles
Commission confirmed 22.1.1759ADM 6/1921.3.1758 - 23.5.1759CaptainJohn Carter Allen (1724-1800) ADM 6/18/496BWAS-1714

5 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
17.4.1740 - 25.7.1744LieutenantThomas Cleland (d.1759) ADM 6/15/278ADM 6/1516.7.1746 - 31.5.1748LieutenantJohn Boyd (c.1722-1762) ADM 6/17/129ADM 6/1731.5.1748 - 28.10.1748LieutenantWilliam Skyes (d.1752) ADM 3/17/359ADM 6/1728.10.1748 - 1.11.1748LieutenantJames Stevens ADM 6/17/395ADM 6/174.7.1756 - 17.7.1758LieutenantWilliam Locker (1731-1800) ADM 6/18/489
Issued by Edward Hawke (1704/5-1781), English Channel - British Isles
Commission confirmed 23.2.1758ODNB

1 Warrant Officer

DatesRatingNameSource
25.12.1757 - 23.5.1759MasterJohn Irwin (c.1724-bef.1765) ADM 107/5/386ADM 107/5

Service History

DateEventSource
18.4.1740building at Rotherhithe - London - Surrey at a cost of £3771.5.0dBWAS-1714
18.4.1740Began fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1714
14.6.1740Completed fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford at a cost of £3052.13.0dBWAS-1714
4.3.1740/41Operations against Cartagena
7.1741Operations against Santiago
20.10.1744Stranded in a hurricane but savedBWAS-1714
8.7.1745

Paid off

BWAS-1714
8.1745Began large repair at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1714
1746Refitted as a 24 gun Sixth Rate Ship
7.1746RecommissionedBWAS-1714
9.1746Completed large repair at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford at a cost of £6514.19.1dBWAS-1714
1748Sailed to the MediterraneanBWAS-1714
4.11.1748

Paid off at Portsmouth Dockyard

ADM 6/18
28.1.1748/49SurveyedBWAS-1714
4.1753Began small repair at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
7.1753Completed small repair at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £3423.8.8dBWAS-1714
12.1753RecommissionedBWAS-1714
1755Stationed in the Bristol ChannelBWAS-1714
3.12.1755Sailed for the MediterraneanBWAS-1714
20.5.1756Battle of Minorca
1757In action against a Barbary roverBWAS-1714
19.6.1757Took the Frigate Le Télémaque (20)
14.7.1757Took the Sloop Hazard (8)
29.12.1758Capture of Goree
23.5.1759Paid offADM 51
8.12.1762SurveyedBWAS-1714
15.12.1762Ordered to be soldBWAS-1714
15.3.1763Sold at Portsmouth for £400BWAS-1714

Fleets
Dates	Fleet	Fleet Commander	Source
20.10.1744-21.10.1744	Jamaica Hurricane, 1744
16.10.1758-1.3.1759	Expedition against Île de Gorée	Augustus Keppel (1725-1786)

Sources

IDDescriptionAuthorType

BWAS-1714Rif WinfieldBook

ADM 6/17 Archive

ADM 6/19 Archive

ADM 6/15 Archive

ODNBOxford University PressWeb Site

ADM 107/5 Archive

ADM 6/18 Archive

ADM 51 Archive

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Tim Oakley on Thursday 25th of October 2018 10:12

16 Mar 1757 Experiment20 temporary commander lieutenant John Jervis after an indecisive engagement with a large French privateer returned to the Culloden,

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