British Fifth Rate ship 'Serapis' (1782)

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Serapis	6598
Nominal Guns	44	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	13.7.1780	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	5.1781	BWAS-1714
Launched	7.11.1782	BWAS-1714
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Bristol - England	BWAS-1714
Ship Class	Roebuck Class (1769)	BWAS-1714
Designed by	Sir Thomas SladeBritish Designer Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1744-1783	BWAS-1714
Constructor	James Martin HillhouseBritish Designer Ship Builder	BWAS-1714
Category	Fifth Rate	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Ship	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1714
Sold	17.7.1826	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck140' 2 ½"Imperial Feet42.6847
Length of Keel115' 5"Imperial Feet35.0605
Breadth38' 0"Imperial Feet11.5824
Depth in Hold16' 4 ½"Imperial Feet4.8895
Burthen886 ⁴⁶⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

7.11.1782Broadside Weight = 285 Imperial Pound ( 129.2475 kg)BWAS-1714
Lower Gun Deck20 British 18-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck22 British 9-Pounder
Forecastle2 British 6-Pounder

8.1794Broadside Weight = 39 Imperial Pound ( 17.6865 kg)BWAS-1714
Upper Gun Deck12 British 6-Pounder
Quarterdeck2 British 3-Pounder

2.1802Broadside Weight = 129 Imperial Pound ( 58.5015 kg)BWAS-1714
Upper Gun Deck26 British 9-Pounder
Quarterdeck4 British 6-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
1769280Design Complement

9 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
9.11.1782 - 1782Captain ADM 6/22/539BWAS-171412.1794 - 1803MasterBWAS-171413.7.1801 - 12.1801Master5.1803 - 8.1804CommanderBWAS-17148.1804 - 12.1804CommanderBWAS-171412.1804 - 1805CommanderBWAS-17141807 - 1813MasterBWAS-17141813 - 9.1814MasterBWAS-17149.1814 - 1817MasterBWAS-1714

4 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
12.11.1782 - 1782First Lieutenant ADM 6/22/539ADM 6/2222.11.1790 - 1790First Lieutenant ADM 6/24/90ADM 6/2422.11.1790 - 11.2.1791Second Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/24/90ADM 6/2422.11.1790 - 8.4.1791Third Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/24/90ADM 6/24

1 Warrant Officer

DatesRankNameSource
1791 - 17.2.1791Purser Transfered ADM 6/24/108ADM 6/24

Service History

DateEventSource
11.1782CommissionedBWAS-1714
7.11.1782building at Bristol - England at a cost of £21746.9.3dBWAS-1714
4.1783Paid offBWAS-1714
8.1784Began fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
8.1794Refitted as a 14 gun Unrated Storeship
8.1795Sailed for the West IndiesBWAS-1714
10.1795Returned to EnglandBWAS-1714
1.1796Completed fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £6210.0.0dBWAS-1714
9.1796Sailed for the MediterraneanBWAS-1714
5.1797Returned to EnglandBWAS-1714
1798At WoolwichBWAS-1714
10.1798Moved to the Lisbon stationBWAS-1714
3.3.1799

Sailed from Portsmouth with a convoy for the Mediterranean

TNC
11.1799Returned to EnglandBWAS-1714
6.1800Sialed to the MediterraneanBWAS-1714
10.1800Returned to EnglandBWAS-1714
6.1801Began fitting at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich BWAS-1714
7.1801Refitted as a 14 gun Unrated Floating Battery
7.1801Completed fitting at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich at a cost of £1269.0.0dBWAS-1714
1.1802Began fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1714
5.1803Recommissioned for the Leewards IslandsBWAS-1714
6.1803Refitted as a 30 gun Unrated Storeship
6.1803Completed fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1714
5.1805Returned to EnglandBWAS-1714
1807In the MediterraneanBWAS-1714
4.1808Sailed to the CapeBWAS-1714
1809In the North SeaBWAS-1714
1810At WoolwichBWAS-1714
8.1810Began repairs at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich BWAS-1714
7.1811Completed repairs at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich BWAS-1714
9.1814At JamaicaBWAS-1714
1817Returned to EnglandBWAS-1714
9.1818Began fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
2.1819Completed fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
1.1826Convict ship at Bermuda?BWAS-1714
17.7.1826Sold in Jamaica for £500BWAS-1714

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

ADM 6/22 Archive

ADM 6/24 Archive

BWAS-1714Rif Winfield, Book

TNCVarious, Periodical

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Tim Oakley on Monday 29th of March 2021 18:51

Sept 1804 news reached England that Serapis Captain Stirling had died at Barbadoes.?

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