British Fifth Rate frigate 'Penelope' (1798)

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Penelope
Nominal Guns	36	BWAS-1793
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	4.5.1797	BWAS-1793
Keel Laid Down	6.1797	BWAS-1793
Named	22.8.1798	BWAS-1793
Launched	26.9.1798	BWAS-1793
How acquired	Built by Contract	BWAS-1793
Shipyard	Bursledon - Hampshire	BWAS-1793
Ship Class	Penelope Class	BWAS-1793
Designed by	Sir John HenslowBritish Designer Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1761-1784	BWAS-1793
Constructor	George ParsonsBritish Ship Builder Service 1729-1812	BWAS-1793
Category	Fifth Rate	BWAS-1793
Ship Type	Frigate	BWAS-1793
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1793
Wrecked	1.5.1815	BWAS-1793

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1793
Length of Gundeck150' 0"Imperial Feet45.72
Length of Keel125' 4 ⅛"Imperial Feet38.1032
Breadth39' 8 ½"Imperial Feet11.8999
Depth in Hold13' 0"Imperial Feet3.9624
Draught Forward10' 3"Imperial Feet3.048
Draught Aft14' 3"Imperial Feet4.2672
Burthen1,051 ²⁴⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

26.9.1798Broadside Weight = 398 Imperial Pound ( 180.493 kg)BWAS-1793
Upper Gun Deck26 British 18-Pounder
Quarterdeck6 British 32-Pound Carronade
Quarterdeck6 British 9-Pounder
Forecastle2 British 32-Pound Carronade
Forecastle2 British 9-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
1797274Design Complement

6 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
10.1798 - 3.1799CaptainBWAS-179311.1798 - 5.1802CaptainBWAS-179317.5.1802 - 28.5.1807CaptainBWAS-179328.5.1807 - 9.1810CaptainBWAS-179311.1813 - 12.1814CommanderBWAS-179312.1814 - 1.5.1805CommanderBWAS-1793

4 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
10.1798 - 1799Acting LieutenantNBD18491802 - 4.1802Acting LieutenantNBD184920.1.1804 - 28.5.1805LieutenantNBD184913.3.1815 - 1.5.1815LieutenantNBD1849

6 Petty Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
30.10.1798 - 28.2.1799Master's MateNAO11.1798 - 1802MidshipmanNBD18498.1799 - 1800MidshipmanNBD18491800 - 5.1802MidshipmanNBD18491802 - 1805MidshipmanNBD184913.6.1802 - 26.7.1803MidshipmanNAO

2 Crewmen

DatesRatingNameSource
27.1.1799 - 1799Able SeamanNBD18496.3.1799 - 18001st Class VolunteerNBD1849

Service History

DateEventSource
3.1.1799Sailed for Madeira with an East Indies convoyBWAS-1793
14.2.1799

Arrived at Portsmouth from Madiera

TNC
5.9.1799Sailed for the MediterraneanBWAS-1793
31.3.1800Capture of the Guillaume Tell
26.1.1801Took the Unrated
16.5.1804Attack on Ver Huell's squadron
26.8.1806Chase of the Vétéran
13.2.1808Sailed for HalifaxBWAS-1793
28.1.1809Capture of Martinique
9.1810Paid off into Ordinary at PlymouthBWAS-1793
8.1813Began fitting as a Troopship at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1793
11.1813Refitted as a Unrated Troop Ship
2.1814Completed fitting as a Troopship at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1793
1.5.1815Wrecked in the St Lawrence River, 216 drowned or froze to deathBWAS-1793

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

BWAS-1793Rif Winfield, Book

NBD1849O'Brien, Digital Book

NAOVarious, Web Site

TNCVarious, Periodical

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Tim Oakley on Sunday 13th of October 2019 11:43

Circa 20 Feb 1804 Penelope36 Captain William Robert Broughton a court martial was held at Sheerness, on Capt Broughton of the Penelope, on charges preferred against him by the first lieutenant of the Penelope, Gedges, and acquitted, the charges proving frivolous.

Posted by Tim Oakley on Friday 13th of April 2012 20:53

Captain Henry Blackwood transfered from Brilliant Nov 1798 to Penelope, present at the capture of the Guillaume Tell

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