British Fourth Rate ship of the line 'Centurion' (1774)

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Centurion	622
Nominal Guns	50	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	25.12.1770	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	5.1771	BWAS-1714
Launched	22.5.1774	BWAS-1714
First Commissioned	14.7.1775	BWAS-1714
How acquired	Built by Contract	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	King's Yard - Harwich	ref:717
Ship Class	Salisbury Class	BWAS-1714
Designed by	Sir Thomas Slade (1703-1771)	BWAS-1714
Constructor	John Barnard (1705-1784)	BWAS-1714
Category	Fourth Rate	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Ship of the Line	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1714
Foundered	21.2.1824	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck146' 0"Imperial Feet44.5008
Length of Keel120' 2"Imperial Feet36.5785
Breadth40' 5"Imperial Feet12.319
Depth in Hold17' 3 ½"Imperial Feet5.1943
Burthen1,044 ¹¹⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

22.5.1774Broadside Weight = 414 Imperial Pound ( 187.749 kg)BWAS-1714
Lower Gun Deck22 British 24-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck22 British 12-Pounder
Quarterdeck4 British 6-Pounder
Forecastle2 British 6-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
2.4.1766350Design Complement

13 Commanding Officers

DatesRankNameSource
14.7.1775 - 9.1.1781CaptainRichard Brathwaite (c.1728-1805) ADM 6/21/104BWAS-171429.3.1781 - 1.12.1782CaptainSamuel Wittewronge Clayton (1734-1795) ADM 6/22/270BWAS-17141.12.1782 - 24.10.1783CaptainJames Cotes (d.1802) ADM 6/23/153
Issued by Robert Digby (1732-1815), North America
Commission confirmed 18.10.1783ADM 6/233.2.1789 - 19.3.1789CaptainHerbert Sawyer (d.1833) ADM 6/23/506ADM 6/2319.3.1789 - 27.7.1792CaptainWilliam Albany Otway: on board from 22.3.1789 ADM 6/23/515BWAS-171430.11.1792 - 4.1797CaptainSamuel Osborn ADM 6/24/182BWAS-17144.1797 - 1804CaptainJohn Sprat RainierBWAS-17144.1804 - 11.1804CaptainJames LindBWAS-171410.1807 - 11.1808LieutenantEdward WebbBWAS-171411.1808 - 1809CommanderGeorge Paris Monke (d.1828)BWAS-17146.1813 - 6.1814CaptainWilliam SkipseyBWAS-17146.1814 - 10.1814CaptainJustice FinleyBWAS-171422.10.1814 - 1817CaptainDavid ScottBWAS-1714

3 Flag Officers

DatesRankNameSource
14.8.1778 - 15.5.1778Vice-Admiral of the RedLord Richard Howe (4^th Viscount Howe) (1725/26-1799)BWAS-171422.3.1789 - 27.7.1792Rear-Admiral of the BluePhilip Affleck (1726-1799)BWAS-17146.1813 - 6.1814Rear-AdmiralEdward Griffith (1767-1832)BWAS-1714

3 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
1801 - 2.1803LieutenantWilliam Hugh Dobbie (1771-1830)BWAS-17931804First LieutenantJames Robert Phillips (d.1852)ref:6442.6.1808 - 14.7.1809LieutenantHenry Dilkes Byng (1781-1860)NBD1849

3 Warrant Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
27.10.1778 - 7.1.1779PurserTitus Livie (d.1805) ADM 6/22/310ADM 6/2211.2.1793 - 22.11.1793MasterThomas SmithADM29-111.11.1804 - 14.8.1805BoatswainWilliam ScarthNAO

1 Petty Officer

DatesRatingNameSource
1789 - 21.1.1791MidshipmanMathew Buckle (1770-1855)NBD1849

Service History

DateEventSource
22.5.1774building at Harwich - Essex at a cost of £15023.9.11dBWAS-1714
22.6.1774Began fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
9.9.1775Completed fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £4205.16.10dBWAS-1714
25.10.1775Sailed for North AmericaBWAS-1714
2.7.1776Staten Island Landings
12.1776Occupation of Rhode IslandBWAS-1714
6.12.1776Occupation of Rhode Island
4.11.1778Sailed to the West Indies with HothamBWAS-1714
14.12.1778Supported landings on St LuciaBWAS-1714
14.12.1778Battle of St. Lucia
1779In the Leeward IslandsBWAS-1714
17.4.1780Battle of Martinique
15.5.1780Action of March 15 1780
19.5.1780Action of March 19 1780
9.1780Returned home and paid offBWAS-1714
9.1780Began middling repair at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
3.1781RecommissionedBWAS-1714
6.1781Completed middling repair at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £11178.19.10dBWAS-1714
5.7.1781Sailed for North AmericaBWAS-1714
8.1782Took the Privateer Warrior
24.10.1783

Sailed home and paid off

BWAS-1714
12.1783fitting at Sheerness Dockyard - Sheerness BWAS-1714
12.1784Began great repair at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich BWAS-1714
12.1787Completed great repair at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich at a cost of £23424.0.0dBWAS-1714
2.1789RecommissionedBWAS-1714
20.5.1789Sailed for JamaicaBWAS-1714
8.1792Home and paid offBWAS-1714
8.1792Began fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
11.1792RecommissionedBWAS-1714
1.1793Completed fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £8848.0.0dBWAS-1714
26.2.1793Sailed for the Leeward IslandsBWAS-1714
28.11.1793Sailed for the East IndiesBWAS-1714
22.10.1794Action off Mauritius
7.1795Capture of CeylonBWAS-1714
2.1796Capture of Amboyna and BandaBWAS-1714
1799Operations in the Red SeaBWAS-1714
1800Operations in the Red SeaBWAS-1714
8.1800Returned to BataviaBWAS-1714
23.8.1800Took the Sloop Vrow Cornelia (6) BG
23.8.1800Took the Brig De Vrow Elizabeth Christiana (6) BG
23.8.1800Took the Brig Unknown Dutch Brig (16) BG
15.9.1804Battle of Vizagapatam
11.1804Sent back from India as in need of repairBWAS-1714
8.1807Began fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
10.1807Recommissioned and sailed for HalifaxBWAS-1714
10.1807Refitted as a Unrated Hospital Ship
1.1808Completed fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
11.1808Receiving ship and stores depot at HalifaxBWAS-1714
11.1808Refitted as a Unrated Receiving Ship
1809Refitted as a Unrated Hospital Ship
6.1813Refitted as a Unrated Receiving Ship
1817Refitted as a Other Vessels Hulk
21.2.1824Sank at her moorings in HalifaxBWAS-1714
1825Raised and broken upBWAS-1714

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Tim Oakley on Monday 30th of January 2017 21:02

21 Jan 1800 T. Tring, a seaman belonging to the Centurion, was executed on board the Suffolk, at Bombay, pursuant to the sentence of a Court Martial. Tring, with some others, was sent with a prize to the Centurion for the Cape of Good Hope, but the vessel was re-captured on her passage, and carried into the Mauritius : the Prize-master and his crew shortly after received permission from the French Commander to return home ; but Tring and another, instead of doing so, entered on board the French frigate La Prudente, which was afterwards captured by the Daedalus. Tring entered as an American on board the Daedalus, and proceeded with her into the Red Sea, where joining the Centurion, he was recognized. His companion was killed in the action between the frigates.

Posted by Charles on Thursday 24th of July 2014 21:39

Extract of a letter from Sheerness Dec 28, 1784

"Arrived the Rambler and Marquis de Seignally [Seignelay?] cutters, and remain with Scipio and Otter sloop.
"The Centurion lying in ordinary at this port, is ordered up river to be repaired.
"The Ajax is ordered to be sold." (The Times 3 January 1785)

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