British Fifth Rate frigate 'Minerva' (1780)

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Minerva -> 1798 Pallas	5408
Nominal Guns	38	BWAS-1793
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	6.11.1778	BWAS-1793
Keel Laid Down	11.1778	BWAS-1793
Named	1.12.1778	BWAS-1793
Launched	3.6.1780	BWAS-1793
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1793
Shipyard	Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich	BWAS-1793
Ship Class	Minerva Class	BWAS-1793
Designed by	Edward Hunt (d.bef.1740)	BWAS-1793
Constructor	John Jenner (d.1782)	BWAS-1793
Category	Fifth Rate	BWAS-1793
Ship Type	Frigate	BWAS-1793
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1793
Broken Up	3.1803	BWAS-1793

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1793
Length of Gundeck141' 0"Imperial Feet42.9768
Length of Keel117' 0 ⅜"Imperial Feet35.6711
Breadth38' 10"Imperial Feet11.5824
Depth in Hold13' 9"Imperial Feet4.0386
Burthen938 ⁷²⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

7.1780Broadside Weight = 387 Imperial Pound ( 175.5045 kg)BWAS-1793
Gun Deck28 British 18-Pounder
Quarterdeck6 British 18-Pound Carronade
Quarterdeck8 British 9-Pounder
Forecastle4 British 18-Pound Carronade
Forecastle2 British 9-Pounder

1790Broadside Weight = 390 Imperial Pound ( 176.865 kg)BWAS-1793
Gun Deck28 British 18-Pounder
Quarterdeck6 British 18-Pound Carronade
Quarterdeck8 British 9-Pounder
Forecastle4 British 18-Pound Carronade
Forecastle2 British 12-Pounder

28.2.1798Broadside Weight = 84 Imperial Pound ( 38.094 kg)BWAS-1793
Gun Deck16 British 9-Pounder
Quarterdeck2 British 6-Pounder
Forecastle2 British 6-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
7.1780280EstablishmentBWAS-1793

7 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
13.4.1780 - 9.11.1781Captain Charles Fielding (1738-1783) ADM 6/22/114BWAS-179310.11.1781 - 20.3.1783CaptainThe Hon. Thomas Pakenham (1757-1836) ADM 6/22/363BWAS-179310.5.1790 - 9.11.1791Captain Robert Manners Sutton (d.1794) Transfered ADM 6/24/26BWAS-179320.4.1793 - 26.5.1794Captain John Whitby (d.1806) ADM 6/24/286
Confirmed 28.11.1793BWAS-17937.1795 - 31.7.1797Captain Thomas PeytonBWAS-17932.1798 - 7.1798Commander John MackellarBWAS-17937.1798 - 5.1802Commander Joseph EdmundsBWAS-1793

1 Flag Officer

DatesRankNameSource
1.2.1793 - 26.5.1794Rear-Admiral of the WhiteThe Hon. William Cornwallis (1744-1819)BWAS-1793

3 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
16.11.1791 - 20.9.1793Lieutenant Richard King (1774-1834)NAO15.3.1792 - 15.5.1792Lieutenant Edward Brace (1770-1843)WWNH13.10.1792 - 17.10.1792Lieutenant Thomas Baker (1771-1845)ref:616

7 Petty Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
10.1790 - 6.1793Midshipman Christopher Cole (1770-1836)ref:6168.11.1791 - 14.3.1782Midshipman Edward Brace (1770-1843)WWNH9.11.1791 - 13.11.1791Midshipman Richard King (1774-1834)NAO1792 - 27.12.1792Midshipman Francis William Austen (1774-1865)ref:6761792 - 1.1794MidshipmanSir Thomas Brown (d.1851)NBD18498.1792 - 12.10.1792Midshipman Thomas Baker (1771-1845)ref:6161793 - 22.12.1793Master's Mate Philip Browne (1772-?)NBD1849

2 Crewmen

DatesRatingNameSource
5.1790 - 17921st Class Volunteer Charles Philip Butler Bateman (1776-?)NBD184911.4.1798 - 8.6.1798Able Seaman Daniel McQuieADM 29/8

Service History

DateEventSource
Completed building at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich at a cost of £24698.4.10dBWAS-1714
3.6.1780Began building at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich BWAS-1714
10.10.1781Took the Sixth Rate Le Jason (22)
16.10.1781Took the Ship Hercules (20) off Cape Clear
20.3.1783

Paid off

BWAS-1793
7.1789Began fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
6.1790Completed fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £3963.0.0dBWAS-1714
27.12.1790Sailed for the East IndiesBWAS-1793
23.8.1793At the capture of PondicherryBWAS-1793
26.5.1794

Paid off

BWAS-1793
5.1795Began fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
9.1795Completed fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £9666.0.0dBWAS-1714
13.11.1796In company with Melampus (36) destroyed the L'Etonnant (18)
20.2.1797Pursuit of the Santissima Trinidad
7.1797Began fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
31.7.1797Paid offADM 51
28.2.1798Re-establishedBWAS-1793
28.2.1798Refitted as a 20 gun Unrated Troop Ship
5.1798Completed fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £7945.0.0dBWAS-1714
29.5.1798Renamed PallasBWAS-1714
5.1802Paid off into ordinaryBWAS-1793
3.1803Broken up at ChathamBWAS-1793

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Cy on Thursday 15th of February 2018 13:33

The date shown against the officers name is his date of death, nothing to do with saying he died while in command/on board. That is indicated by a dagger symbol.

Posted by Barry Jolly on Thursday 15th of February 2018 11:24

You show Sutton's death under his name as being Captain of Ardent, which he was. John Whitby was Captain of Minerva from 23/4/1793 (se also my comment under Whitby).

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