British Second Rate great ship 'James' (1634)

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James -> 1660 Old James	63
Nominal Guns	48	B028
Nationality	Kingdom of England
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	9.3.1632/33	BWAS-1603
Launched	7.2.1633/34	BWAS-1603
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1603
Shipyard	Deptford Dockyard - Deptford	B028
Constructor	Peter Pett (1610-1672)	BWAS-1603
Category	Second Rate	B028
Ship Type	Great Ship	B028
Sold	16.2.1681/82	B028

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric Equivalent
Length of Gundeck138' 0"Imperial Feet42.0624
Length of Keel110' 0"Imperial Feet33.528
Breadth36' 10"Imperial Feet10.9728
Depth in Hold16' 2"Imperial Feet4.8853
Burthen874Imperial Feet0.0254
DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1603
Length of Keel110' 0"Imperial Feet33.528
Breadth37' 6"Imperial Feet11.2994
Depth in Hold16' 2"Imperial Feet4.8853
Draught Aft17' 2"Imperial Feet5.1889
Burthen823Tons BM

Armament

1666Broadside Weight = 567 Imperial Pound ( 257.13475 kg)BWAS-1603
Gun Deck16 British Demi-Cannon
Gun Deck26 British Culverin
Gun Deck11 British Demi-Culverin
Gun Deck10 British Saker

1677Broadside Weight = 694.5 Imperial Pound ( 314.9561 kg)BWAS-1603
Lower Gun Deck26 British Demi-Cannon
Upper Gun Deck26 British Culverin
Quarterdeck14 British Saker
Roundhouse4 British 3-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
1634250 BWAS-1603
3.1650/51280 BWAS-1603
10.4.1653360Establishment?B135
1660300 BWAS-1603
1666380Establishment for war abroadBWAS-1603
1666300Establishment for war at homeBWAS-1603
1666260Establishment for peaceBWAS-1603

26 Commanding Officers

DatesRankNameSource
1635CaptainSir William Monson (1568-1643)BWAS-16031636CaptainHenry MervynBWAS-16031637CaptainJohn PoveyBWAS-16031637CaptainWalter StewartBWAS-16031639CaptainRichard FoggeBWAS-16031640AdmiralSir John Pennington (d.1646)BWAS-16031642AdmiralRobert Rich (1587-1658)BWAS-16031643CaptainHenry BethellBWAS-16031644 - 1645CaptainRichard BlytheBWAS-16031652 - 6.1652CaptainJohn GilsonBWAS-160317.6.1652 - 7.1653Vice-AdmiralWilliam Penn (d.1670)ref:10667.1653 - 1654Vice-Admiral of the WhiteWilliam Penn (d.1670)BWAS-16031654CaptainJohn StokesB0511656 - 1657CaptainAnthony YoungBWAS-16035.1657 - 1657CaptainJohn Harman (d.1673)BWAS-16031659 - 1660CaptainJohn Lawson (1610-1665)BWAS-16031.1662 - 1.7.1662CaptainRobert ClerkBWAS-160311.2.1664/65 - 3.6.1665CaptainJames Ley (1618-1665)†BWAS-160316.6.1665 - 18.7.1665CaptainThomas Allin (1612-1685)BWAS-160319.7.1665 - 19.2.1665/66CaptainJohn Kempthorne (1620-1679)BWAS-160326.2.1665/66 - 3.12.1666CaptainEdmund Seaman (d.1666)†B05126.3.1668 - 5.4.1668CaptainJohn Hubbard (d.1671)B0517.4.1668 - 7.7.1668CaptainWilloughby Hannam (d.1672)B05120.9.1671 - 3.3.1671/72CaptainThomas TraffordB05124.1.1671/72 - 17.10.1672CaptainJohn Hayward (d.1673)B0517.2.1672/73 - 10.10.1673CaptainJames Storey (d.1682)B051

1 Flag Officer

DatesRankNameSource
1652 - 6.1652General at SeaRobert Blake (1598-1657)BWAS-1603

6 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
1664LieutenantAbraham Blackleach (d.1665/66)B0511665LieutenantFrancis WilshawB0511665LieutenantJohn Narborough (1640-1688)B0511665 - 1666LieutenantRichard MinorsB0511666LieutenantRobert WoodB0511668LieutenantWilliam HoldenB051

2 Warrant Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
21.1.1634 - 1635GunnerJohn JelfSPD-1635-621.1.1634/35 - 1634CookWilliam Stanleyref:1070

Service History

DateEventSource
1634Completed at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford at a cost of £11256.0.0dBWAS-1603
1635Service in the ChannelBWAS-1603
1636Service in the ChannelBWAS-1603
3.1641/42King's Summer Guard
1643Service in the ChannelBWAS-1603
19.5.1652Battle of Dover
28.9.1652Battle of Kentish Knock
12.10.1652In Margate RoadBWAS-1603
12.1652In Portsmouth
2.3.1652/53In Portsmouth being careenedBWAS-1603
10.4.1653Left Portsmouth as the flagship of Vice-Admiral Sir William Penn (d.1670)W025
13.4.1653In Dover RoadsW025
14.4.1653Arrived in the DownsW025
8.5.1653In SolebayW025
2.6.1653Battle of the Gabbard
31.7.1653Battle of Scheveningen
6.9.1653In Aldborough RoadW025
20.4.1657Battle of Santa Cruz
5.1660Renamed Old JamesBWAS-1603
3.6.1665Battle of Lowestoft
1.6.1666Four Days Battle
25.7.1666St James Day Battle
9.6.1667Raid on the Medway
12.6.1667Set alight at Chatham (during the Dutch raid), but savedBWAS-1603
28.5.1672Battle of Solebay
28.5.1673First Battle of Schooneveld
4.6.1673Second Battle of Schooneveld
11.8.1673Battle of Texel
1677Reduced to a third-ratedBWAS-1603

Fleets
Dates	Fleet	Fleet Commander	Source
1642-1642	Summer Guard of 1642	Sir John Pennington (d.1646)
1645-1645	Summer Guard of 1645
1659-1659	British Baltic Fleet 1659	Edward Montagu (d.1672)

Sources

IDDescriptionAuthorType

B028J. J. ColledgeBook

BWAS-1603Rif WinfieldBook

B135AndersonDigital Book

ref:1066 Digital Book

B051John CharnockDigital Book

SPD-1635-6John Bruce (editor)Book

ref:1070 Book

Book

W025P DavisWeb Site

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Tony Willoughby on Wednesday 20th of September 2017 06:49

you have James Ley down as captain of two ships at the Battle of Lowestoft, the Royal James and the Old James. According to Westminster Abbey he died aboard the Old James at Lowestoft.

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