British fireship 'Pluto' (1782)

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Pluto	5842
Nominal Guns	8	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	4.12.1780	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	1.1781	BWAS-1714
Launched	1.2.1782	BWAS-1714
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Sandgate	BWAS-1714
Ship Class	Tisiphone Class
Constructor	Joshua Stewart	BWAS-1714
Category	Unrated	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Fireship
Sold	19.7.1817	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck108' 10 ½"Imperial Feet32.9311
Length of Keel90' 7"Imperial Feet27.6098
Breadth29' 9"Imperial Feet8.8646
Depth in Hold9' 0"Imperial Feet2.7432
Burthen426 ⁴²⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

1.2.1782Broadside Weight = 48 Imperial Pound ( 21.768 kg)BWAS-1714
Gun Deck8 British 12-Pounder

2.1793Broadside Weight = 133 Imperial Pound ( 60.3156 kg)BWAS-1714
Gun Deck14 British 18-Pound Carronade
Gun Deck2 British 6-Pounder
Gun Deck4 British 1/2-Pound Swivel

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
177955Design Complement

15 Commanding Officers

DatesRankNameSource
23.8.1781 - 16.2.1782CommanderGeorge Teer (d.1789) ADM 6/22/330BWAS-171416.2.1782 - 7.6.1782CommanderThomas Lewis (c.1741-1796) ADM 6/22/412ADM 6/228.6.1782 - 15.6.1782CommanderSt Alban Roy (c.1731-1796) ADM 6/22/478ADM 6/2215.6.1782 - 4.1783CommanderJames Robert Mosse (d.1801)BWAS-17141.12.1787 - 8.9.1789CommanderJohn Lawford (1756-1842) ADM 6/23/440ADM 6/2314.8.1790 - 21.9.1790CommanderThomas Parr ADM 6/24/60ADM 6/2428.9.1790 - 22.11.1790CommanderJohn Laugharne ADM 6/24/71ADM 6/2426.3.1791 - 9.1791CommanderRobert Faulknor (1763-1795) ADM 6/24/112BWAS-171412.1792 - 7.10.1793CommanderJames Nicoll Morris (1763-1830)BWAS-17147.10.1793 - 1795CommanderRichard RaggettBWAS-17141796 - 3.1798CommanderAmbrose CroftonBWAS-17145.3.1798 - 29.4.1802CommanderHenry Folkes Edgell (1767-1846)BWAS-171429.4.1802 - 1803CommanderRobert Forbes (d.1819)BWAS-17148.1803 - 5.1804CommanderEdward KittoeBWAS-17145.1804 - 2.1809CommanderRichard Janverin (d.1835)BWAS-1714

2 Petty Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
1.1800 - 1.1803MidshipmanEdward Henry A'Court (1783-1855)NBD18491.9.1803 - 1.1805MidshipmanFrancis Anderson CalderNBD1849

1 Crewman

DatesRatingNameSource
1795 - 17981st Class VolunteerGeorge Bentham (1787-?)NBD1849

Service History

DateEventSource
1.1781Began building at Sandgate BWAS-1714
1.2.1782Completed building at Sandgate at a cost of £9365.1.7dBWAS-1714
24.2.1782coppering and fitting at Deptford Dockyard BWAS-1714
3.1782Commissioned for the Channel and Western SquadronBWAS-1714
4.1783Paid offBWAS-1714
11.1787Began coppering at Chatham Dockyard BWAS-1714
1.1788Completed coppering at Chatham Dockyard BWAS-1714
7.1790Began coppering and fitting at Chatham Dockyard BWAS-1714
9.1790Completed coppering and fitting at Chatham Dockyard at a cost of £1398.0.0dBWAS-1714
3.1791RecommissionedBWAS-1714
4.1791fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard at a cost of £938.0.0dBWAS-1714
9.1791Paid offBWAS-1714
11.1792Began fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard BWAS-1714
12.1792RecommissionedBWAS-1714
2.1793Completed fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard at a cost of £3651.0.0dBWAS-1714
16.5.1793Sailed for NewfoundlandBWAS-1714
25.7.1793Took the Unrated Brig Le Lutin (6) off Newfoundland
30.7.1798Sailed for NewfoundlandBWAS-1714
1801Surveying in NewfoundlandBWAS-1714
7.1803Began fitting at Deptford Dockyard BWAS-1714
8.1803Recommissioned for the ChannelBWAS-1714
9.1803Completed fitting at Deptford Dockyard BWAS-1714
2.1809Laid up at PortsmouthBWAS-1714
19.7.1817Sold at Portsmouth to Mr Warwick for £950BWAS-1714

Sources

IDDescriptionAuthorType

BWAS-1714Rif WinfieldBook

ADM 6/22 Archive

ADM 6/23 Archive

ADM 6/24 Archive

NBD1849O'BrienDigital Book

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Tim Oakley on Monday 4th of February 2019 06:08

24 Apr 1804 J Nightingale, a seaman of the Pluto was Court Martialled and sentenced to 50 lashes due to his normally good conduct.
Circa 5 May 1804 Capt W H Kittoe, to the Pluto, vice Forbes, in consequence of an old wound from the last war showing unpleasant symptoms.
Circa 19 May 1804 Capt Janverin of the Sea Fencibles at Brading, apptd to the Pluto, vice Capt W H Kittoe.

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