British Second Rate great ship 'Rainbow' (1617)

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Rainbow	6060
Nominal Guns	64	B065
Nationality	Kingdom of England
Operator	Royal Navy
Previously	British Second Rate galleon 'Rainbow' (1586) (26)
Acquired	1617	B065
Shipyard	Deptford Dockyard	B028
Constructor	William Bright	B065
Category	Second Rate	B065
Ship Type	Great Ship
Sunk as Breakwater	1680	B065

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentB065
Length of Keel102' 0"Imperial Feet31.0896
Breadth35' 0"Imperial Feet10.668
Depth in Hold14' 0"Imperial Feet4.2672
Burthen650Tons BM
DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentB028
Burthen584Tons BM
DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1603
Length of Keel114' 0"Imperial Feet34.7472
Breadth37' 10"Imperial Feet11.2776
Depth in Hold15' 0"Imperial Feet4.572
Burthen868Tons BM

Armament

1625Broadside Weight = 249 Imperial Pound ( 112.9216 kg)B065
Gun Deck2 British Demi-Cannon
Gun Deck2 British Cannon-Perrier
Gun Deck14 British Culverin
Gun Deck12 British Demi-Culverin
Gun Deck4 British Saker
Gun Deck2 British Falcon
Gun Deck4 British Fowler

1666Broadside Weight = 459.5 Imperial Pound ( 208.3835 kg)BWAS-1603
Gun Deck18 British Demi-Cannon
Gun Deck4 British Culverin
Gun Deck24 British Demi-Culverin
Gun Deck10 British Saker

1677Broadside Weight = 515 Imperial Pound ( 233.553 kg)BWAS-1603
Lower Gun Deck22 British Demi-Cannon
Middle Gun Deck24 British Demi-Culverin
Upper Gun Deck14 British Saker
Quarterdeck6 British Saker

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
1625250150 Mariners, 30 Gunners and 70 soldiersB065
3.1651/52260 BWAS-1603
1653300 BWAS-1603
1660280 BWAS-1603
1680410Establishment for war abroadBWAS-1603
1680335Establishment for war at homeBWAS-1603
1680270Establishment for peaceBWAS-1603

34 Commanding Officers

DatesRankNameSource
1620CaptainSir Thomas Button (d.1634)BWAS-16031623CaptainHenry Palmer (1582-1644)BWAS-16031625CaptainSir John Chudleigh (c.1584-aft.1633/34)BWAS-16031627CaptainJohn WeddellBWAS-16031635CaptainJohn PoveyBWAS-16031637CaptainWalter StewartBWAS-16031637CaptainJohn PoveyBWAS-16031639AdmiralSir John Pennington (d.1646)BWAS-16031640CaptainDavid MurrayBWAS-16031642CaptainJohn Mennes (d.1671)BWAS-16031642CaptainRichard BlytheBWAS-16031642 - 1643CaptainWilliam Batten (c.1600-1667)BWAS-16031643CaptainPeter AndrewsBWAS-16031643CaptainPeter AndrewsW0141647CaptainBryan HarrisonBWAS-16031650CaptainThomas HarrisonBWAS-16031650CaptainLeonard LidcottBWAS-16031651 - 1652AdmiralSir George Ayscue (d.1672)W0144.1653 - 9.1653Rear-Admiral of the BlueWilliam Goodson (1610-1680)W0149.1653 - 1653CaptainPeter StrongBWAS-16031656 - 1657CaptainJohn StokesW0141657 - 1659CaptainEustace SmithBWAS-16031659CaptainAnthony YoungBWAS-16031663CaptainMark HarrisonB0514.4.1663 - 22.9.1663CaptainThomas Allin (1612-1685)BWAS-16031665 - 1666CaptainRoger Strickland (1640-1717)B0516.1.1664/65 - 20.10.1665CaptainWilloughby Hannam (d.1672)B05121.10.1665 - 30.11.1666CaptainJohn HartBWAS-160325.9.1671 - 3.1.1671/72CaptainJohn Ashby (d.1693)BWAS-16031672CaptainWilloughby Hannam (d.1672)TRN224.1.1671/72 - 3.10.1672CaptainJames Storey (d.1682)BWAS-16031.3.1672/73 - 10.10.1673CaptainMark HarrisonB05120.4.1678 - 30.8.1678CaptainAnthony YoungBWAS-160330.11.1678 - 31.3.1680CaptainLeonard Harris (d.1680)†BWAS-1603

2 Flag Officers

DatesRankNameSource
2.1646 - 1646Vice-AdmiralThomas TrenchfieldW0151653 - 3.1652/53Vice-Admiral of the WhiteJames Peacock (d.1653)W014

4 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
1663LieutenantHenry Hide (d.1665)W0141664 - 1665LieutenantJohn EarleB0511665 - 1667LieutenantWilliam CopowW0141665 - 1668LieutenantRowland Stepney (d.1676)W014

2 Warrant Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
1634 - 20.1.1633/34GunnerHenry Youngref:107021.1.1634 - 1634GunnerJohn Spencerref:1070

1 Petty Officer

DatesRatingNameSource
1625SurgeonWilliam Crowref:1027

Service History

DateEventSource
1621Attack on Algiers
1625Attack on Cadiz
5.11.1628Started a major "repair" which changed her dimensionsBWAS-1603
3.1628/29Re-launchedBWAS-1603
1651In barbadoes as flagship of a squadron operating against the Royalists and Dutch
1651In barbadoes as flagship of a squadron operating against the Royalists and DutchTRN2
3.7.1652

In the Downs

B117
16.8.1652Battle of Plymouth
18.2.1652/53Battle of Portland
2.6.1653Battle of the Gabbard
31.7.1653Battle of Scheveningen
3.6.1665Battle of Lowestoft
1.6.1666Four Days Battle
25.7.1666St James Day Battle
28.5.1672Battle of Solebay
28.5.1673First Battle of Schooneveld
4.6.1673Second Battle of Schooneveld
11.8.1673Battle of Texel
1678Guardship in the MedwayBWAS-1603
20.3.1679/80Sunk as a breakwater at SheernessBWAS-1603

Fleets
From	Until	Fleet	Fleet Commander	Source
1642	1642	Summer Guard of 1642	Sir John Pennington (d.1646)
1645	1645	Summer Guard of 1645
1651	1652	Fleet sent to Barbados	Sir George Ayscue (d.1672)
1659	1659	British Baltic Fleet 1659	Edward Montagu (d.1672)

Sources

IDDescriptionAuthorType

B065Brian LaveryBook

B028J. J. ColledgeBook

BWAS-1603Rif WinfieldBook

W014James C BenderWeb Site

B051John CharnockDigital Book

TRN2William Laid ClowesDigital Book

W015VariousWeb Site

ref:1070 Book

ref:1027 Book

B117UnknownBook

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