British Fifth Rate frigate 'Phoenix' (1783)

Three Decks' Forum

Come and ask, answer or inform.

Recent updates

Phoenix	5796
Nominal Guns	36	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	20.6.1781	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	8.1781	BWAS-1714
Launched	15.7.1783	BWAS-1714
First Commissioned	10.1787
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Bursledon	BWAS-1714
Ship Class	Perseverance Class
Designed by	Edward Hunt (d.bef.1740)	BWAS-1714
Constructor	John Parsons	BWAS-1714
Category	Fifth Rate	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Frigate
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged
Wrecked	20.2.1816	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck137' 1"Imperial Feet41.7583
Length of Keel113' 2 ⅞"Imperial Feet34.4646
Breadth38' 3 ¾"Imperial Feet11.6015
Depth in Hold13' 5"Imperial Feet4.0047
Draught Forward10' 2"Imperial Feet3.0988
Draught Aft15' 1"Imperial Feet4.5771
Burthen884 ¹⁰⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

15.7.1783Broadside Weight = 354.5 Imperial Pound ( 160.7661 kg)BWAS-1714
Upper Gun Deck26 British 18-Pounder
Quarterdeck4 British 18-Pound Carronade
Quarterdeck8 British 9-Pounder
Forecastle4 British 18-Pound Carronade
Forecastle2 British 9-Pounder
Quarterdeck/Forecastle14 British 1/2-Pound Swivel

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
1779260Design Complement

9 Commanding Officers

DatesRankNameSource
10.1787 - 12.1787CaptainJohn Willett Payne (1752-1803)BWAS-171410.1788 - 4.1792CaptainGeorge Anson Byron (d.1793)BWAS-17144.1792 - 8.1793CaptainRichard John Strachan (d.1828)BWAS-171410.1795 - 6.1802CaptainLawrence William HalsteadBWAS-17144.1803 - 12.1805CaptainThomas Baker (1771-1845)BWAS-171412.1805 - 2.1810CaptainZachariah Mudge (1770-1852)BWAS-17142.1810 - 1812CaptainSir James BowenBWAS-17141813 - 9.1814CaptainWilliam H WebleyBWAS-17149.1814 - 20.2.1816CaptainCharles John Austen (1779-1852)NBD1849

5 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
25.10.1790 - 12.1792LieutenantCharles Wollaston (1777-1845)NBD184914.11.1791 - 16.11.1791LieutenantRichard King (1774-1834)NAO2.2.1796 - 10.1796LieutenantEdward Pelham Brenton (1774-1839)ref:6161805 - 10.8.1805LieutenantJohn Bounton (d.1805)†BG30.1.1805 - 5.11.1805First LieutenantSamuel Brown (1776-1852)NBD1849

1 Warrant Officer

DatesRatingNameSource
20.5.1803 - 29.9.1805MasterJames Woodford (d.1807)ADM29-1

3 Petty Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
1788 - 1792MidshipmanSir Thomas Brown (d.1851)NBD184928.8.1790 - 1791MidshipmanRichard Byron (1769-1837)ref:61611.1805 - 10.1808MidshipmanJacon Ley YoungNBD1849

2 Crewmen

DatesRatingNameSource
15.11.1788 - 28.8.1790Able SeamanRichard Byron (1769-1837)ref:61627.11.1788 - 30.1.1794Able SeamanGeorge Coulbert (1773-1839)PMD

Service History

DateEventSource
15.7.1783building at Bursledon at a cost of £15813.5.9dBWAS-1714
5.1784Began coppering and fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard BWAS-1714
8.1784Completed coppering and fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard at a cost of £2553.15.8dBWAS-1714
12.1787Paid offBWAS-1714
10.1788RecommissionedBWAS-1714
11.12.1788fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard at a cost of £1961.0.0dBWAS-1714
11.2.1789Sailed for the East IndiesBWAS-1714
11.1791Phoenix vs Resolue
8.1793Returned homeBWAS-1714
8.1794Began great repair at Deptford Dockyard BWAS-1714
10.1795RecommissionedBWAS-1714
1.1796Completed great repair at Deptford Dockyard at a cost of £25236.0.0dBWAS-1714
12.5.1796Took the Fifth Rate Frigate Argo (36) in the North Sea
2.1797Took the Privateer Cutter Le Difficile (18) in the ChannelBG
3.1797Joined the Channel FleetBWAS-1714
18.5.1797Took the Privateer Lugger L'Espiègle (4)
24.4.1798Took the Privateer Corvette Le Brave (22) off Cape Clear
31.5.1798Took the Privateer La Caroline (18) in Lat. 49 Deg. 02 Min. N. Long. 15 Deg. 38 Min. W.BG
23.1.1799Took the Privateer Corvette Foudroyant (24)
25.4.1799

Arrived at Plymouth

TNC
11.2.1800Took the Privateer L'Éole (10)
3.6.1800Took the Unrated Tartane L'Albanaise (4)
17.6.1800Took the Unrated Le Revanche (4)
3.8.1801Took the Fifth Rate Frigate Le Carrère (44) off Elba
2.9.1801Action of 1801-09-02
2.9.1801Took the Fifth Rate Frigate Le Succès (32)
6.1802Paid offBWAS-1714
7.1802Began fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard BWAS-1714
4.1803RecommissionedBWAS-1714
6.1803Completed fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard at a cost of £7925.0.0dBWAS-1714
10.8.1805Phoenix vs Didon
4.11.1805Battle of Cape Ortegal
9.1808Began repairs at Plymouth Dockyard BWAS-1714
2.1809Paid off and RecommissionedBWAS-1714
4.1809Completed repairs at Plymouth Dockyard BWAS-1714
29.1.1810Took the Privateer Le Charles (14)
11.5.1810Sailed for the East IndiesBWAS-1714
20.2.1816Wrecked off IzmirBWAS-1714
2.3.1816Remains burntBWAS-1714

Sources

IDDescriptionAuthorType

BWAS-1714Rif WinfieldBook

NBD1849O'BrienDigital Book

NAOVariousWeb Site

ref:616Nicholas TracyBook

BGOfficialWeb Site

ADM29-1 Document

PMD Book

TNCVariousPeriodical

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Tim Oakley on Wednesday 15th of November 2017 19:59

8 Aug 1801 the frigates Phœnix, Pomone, and Pearl, captured the Carrère, a Venetian-built frigate of 1013 tons sailing under French colours, which was added to the British navy as an 18-pounder 36-gun frigate.
Killed. Thomas Cook, Boatswain ; Samuel Herring, Quarter-Master.
Wounded. Charles Douglas, Lieutenant of Marines, since dead ; John Cox, able seaman, since dead ; John Brown, able seaman ; John Boyd, able seaman

Make a comment about this page

Recent comments to other pages

Date posted	By	Page
Sunday 16th of December 2018 10:57	David Drewett	William Nowell (d.1828)
Saturday 15th of December 2018 01:16	Colorado Ocean	British ketch 'Quaker' (1671) (10)
Friday 14th of December 2018 08:36	Cy	British gun-brig 'Conquest' (1794) (12)
Friday 14th of December 2018 05:11	Tim Oakley	British Fifth Rate frigate 'Leda' (1800) (38)
Friday 14th of December 2018 05:03	Tim Oakley	British Fifth Rate frigate 'Leda' (1800) (38)

GDPR Statement