British Third Rate ship of the line 'Orion' (1787)

Three Decks' Forum

Come and ask, answer or inform.

Recent updates

Update
Joseph HallBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1694-1698
Update
Salisbury (54) 1698-1703
British 54 Gun
4th Rate Ship of the Line
Update
Anglesea (50) 1694-1719
British 50 Gun
4th Rate Ship of the Line
Update
John BarkerBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1697-1698
Update
James TorcherBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1696-1698
Update
Germoon Prize (10) 1691-1700
British 10 Gun
6th Rate Ship
Update
Ruby Prize (44) 1694-1698
British 44 Gun
4th Rate Ship
Update
Nicholas TaylorBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1695-1698
Update
Dorsetshire (80) 1694-1712
British 80 Gun
3rd Rate Ship of the Line
Update
Thomas PykeBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1695-1698
See more...

Orion	5634
Nominal Guns	74	B028
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	2.10.1782	BWAS-1793
Keel Laid Down	2.1783	BWAS-1793
Acquired	1.6.1787	B028
Shipyard	Deptford - London	BWAS-1793
Ship Class	Canada Class - Modified (1781)	B028
Designed by	William BatelyBritish Designer Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1741-1755	B028
Constructor	William BarnardBritish Ship Builder Service 1763-1795	BWAS-1793
Category	Third Rate	B028
Ship Type	Ship of the Line	B028
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	B028
Broken Up	7.1814	B028

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1793
Length of Gundeck170' 5"Imperial Feet51.8178
Length of Keel140' 9 ½"Imperial Feet42.6847
Breadth46' 10 ½"Imperial Feet14.0335
Depth in Hold20' 6 ½"Imperial Feet6.1087
Draught Forward12' 3"Imperial Feet3.6957
Draught Aft18' 6"Imperial Feet5.5055
Burthen1,645 ⁴⁸⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

1.6.1787Broadside Weight = 891 Imperial Pound ( 404.0685 kg)BWAS-1793
Lower Gun Deck28 British 32-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck30 British 18-Pounder
Quarterdeck8 British 32-Pound Carronade
Quarterdeck6 British 9-Pounder
Forecastle4 British 9-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
7.1788550Design establishmentBWAS-1793

10 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
22.9.1787 - 21.2.1788Captain Transfered ADM 6/23/414ADM 6/231.7.1788 - 25.6.1789Captain ADM 6/23/468BWAS-179325.6.1789 - 22.9.1789Captain ADM 6/23/533BWAS-17936.9.1791 - 6.1794Captain ADM 6/24/134BWAS-17931795 - 1799CaptainBWAS-17933.1801 - 12.1801CaptainBWAS-179312.1801 - 1802CaptainBWAS-17935.1805 - 12.1806CaptainBWAS-179312.1806 - 1.1814CaptainBWAS-179310.1810 - 4.1811LieutenantNBD1849

1 Flag Officer

DatesRankNameSource
1809Rear-Admiral of the BlueBWAS-1793

6 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
21.10.1790 - 1790Fifth Lieutenant ADM 6/24/80ADM 6/2431.5.1805 - 1806LieutenantBWAS-179315.6.1805 - 1806LieutenantNAO4.7.1805 - 1806LieutenantNAO6.7.1805 - 1806LieutenantBWAS-17935.9.1806 - 1807LieutenantNBD1849

7 Warrant Officers

DatesRankNameSource
1794Masterref:9241794Boatswainref:9241794Carpenterref:9241794Gunnerref:9241794Purserref:9241794 - 1.6.1794Surgeonref:16656.5.1796 - 6.1.1799MasterADM 29-1

4 Petty Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
7.1788 - 12.1793MidshipmanNBD184910.7.1788 - 11.1.1790Midshipman Discharged ADM 196/5/1ADM 1961794MidshipmanADM 171/81.1808 - 6.1809MidshipmanNBD1849

12 Crewmen

DatesRatingNameSource
13.3.1793 - 18.3.1795Able SeamanADM 171/81794Able SeamanADM 171/81794Able SeamanADM 171/81794Able SeamanADM 171/81794Able SeamanADM 171/81794LandmanADM 171/81794LandmanADM 171/81794LandmanADM 171/81794LandmanADM 171/81794Lieutenant's ServantADM 171/81795Able SeamanADM 171/826.7.1805 - 18061st Class VolunteerNBD1849

3 Marines

DatesRankNameSource
17942nd Lieutenant of Marinesref:9241794PrivateADM 171/81794PrivateADM 171/8

Service History

DateEventSource
1.11.1787Completed at Woolwich Dockyard at a cost of £32,114.11.1d to build, plus £3,449 for fitting at Deptofrd and a further £7,052 for fitting at WoolwichBWAS-1793
7.1788Began fitting as a guardship at PlymouthBWAS-1793
7.1788Commissioned as a guard ship at PlymouthBWAS-1793
8.1788Completed fitting as a guardship at ac ost of £4,114BWAS-1793
9.1791Recommissioned as a guard ship at PlymouthBWAS-1793
24.3.1793Sailed for the Leeward IslesBWAS-1793
25.8.1793Took the privateer Sans Culottes off the American coastBWAS-1793
6.1794Began a refit at PlymouthBWAS-1793
1.6.1794Glorious 1st of June
7.1794Completed refit at a cost of 6,232BWAS-1793
23.6.1795Action of Ile Groix
3.1796Began refitting at PortsmouthBWAS-1793
3.1796Completed refitting at a cost of £9,874BWAS-1793
4.1.1797Sailed for the MediterraneanBWAS-1793
14.2.17972nd Battle of Cape St Vincent
14.2.1797Took the Ship of the Line off Cape ClearE-WIKI
1.8.1798Battle of the Nile
1799Paid off early in the yearBWAS-1793
2.1801Began fitting at PlymouthBWAS-1793
3.1801RecommissionedBWAS-1793
4.1801Completed fittingBWAS-1793
1802Paid offBWAS-1793
4.1805Began fitting at PortsmouthBWAS-1793
5.1805RecommissionedBWAS-1793
7.1805Completed fittingBWAS-1793
21.10.1805Battle of Trafalgar
15.8.1807Second Battle of Copenhagen
1808In the BalticBWAS-1793
1.1814Paid offBWAS-1793
7.1814Broken up at PlymouthBWAS-1793

Fleets
Dates	Fleet	Fleet Commander	Source
14.8.1798-1798	Saumarez's Squadron 1798	Sir James SaumarezBritish Naval Sailor Service 1767-1830

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

B028J. J. Colledge, Book

BWAS-1793Rif Winfield, Book

ADM 6/23 Archive

NBD1849O'Brien, Digital Book

ADM 6/24 Archive

NAOVarious, Web Site

ref:924A C de Poggi, Book

ref:1665Thomas Trotter, Book

ADM 29-1 Document

ADM 196 Document

ADM 171/8British Admiralty, Document

E-WIKIVarious, Web Site

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Ed Smith on Friday 4th of March 2022 14:31

The commander of this ship from 1806-1814 should be Sir Archibald Collingwood Dickson, not the other officer listed simply as Archibald Dickson. I have in front of me a letter from Sir Archibald Collingwood Dickson, HMS Orion, at sea dated May 6 1809. Both men are listed in CSORN, but your listing his the wrong one.

Make a comment about this page

Recent comments to other pages

Date posted	By	Page
Friday 20th of May 2022 12:42	Paul McKee	British Sixth Rate post ship 'Squirrel' (1785) (24) 1785-1817 British 24 Gun 6th Rate Post Ship
Wednesday 18th of May 2022 23:55	Daryl Beattie	British hired sloop 'Liberty' (1768) 1768-1769 British Hired Sloop
Monday 16th of May 2022 06:45	Cy	British Fourth Rate ship of the line 'Oxford' (1727) (50) 1727-1758 British 50 Gun 4th Rate Ship of the Line
Sunday 15th of May 2022 21:56	Albert Parker	British Fourth Rate ship of the line 'Oxford' (1727) (50) 1727-1758 British 50 Gun 4th Rate Ship of the Line
Sunday 15th of May 2022 19:22	Cy	Jan HalfhoornDutch Naval Sailor Service 1665

GDPR Statement