British fireship 'Tisiphone' (1781)

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Tisiphone	7161
Nominal Guns	8	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	4.11.1779	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	3.1780	BWAS-1714
Launched	9.5.1781	BWAS-1714
First Commissioned	22.6.1781	BWAS-1714
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Dover - Kent	BWAS-1714
Ship Class	Tisiphone Class (1779)	BWAS-1714
Constructor	Henry LaddBritish Ship Builder	BWAS-1714
Category	Unrated	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Fireship	BWAS-1714
Sold for Break Up	11.1.1816	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck108' 9"Imperial Feet32.947
Length of Keel90' 6 ½"Imperial Feet27.4447
Breadth29' 8 ½"Imperial Feet8.8519
Depth in Hold9' 0"Imperial Feet2.7432
Burthen425 ²⁴⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

9.5.1781Broadside Weight = 48 Imperial Pound ( 21.768 kg)BWAS-1714
Gun Deck8 British 12-Pounder

9.1791Broadside Weight = 132 Imperial Pound ( 59.862 kg)BWAS-1714
Gun Deck14 British 18-Pound Carronade
Gun Deck2 British 6-Pounder

9.1797Broadside Weight = 1 Imperial Pound ( 0.4536 kg)BWAS-1714
Gun Deck4 British 1/2-Pound Swivel

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
177955Design Complement

23 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
22.6.1781 - 23.8.1781Commander ADM 6/22/303BWAS-171423.8.1781 - 7.2.1782Commander ADM 6/22/329ODNB8.2.1782 - 21.1.1783Commander ADM 6/22/425
Issued by , North America
Confirmed 15.3.1782BWAS-17141.12.1787 - 10.5.1790Commander ADM 6/23/440ADM 6/2310.5.1790 - 21.9.1790Commander ADM 6/24/27BWAS-171422.9.1790 - 22.11.1790Commander ADM 6/24/70BWAS-17142.3.1791 - 25.3.1791Commander ADM 6/24/109ADM 6/2425.3.1791 - 6.9.1791Commander ADM 6/24/111ADM 6/247.9.1791 - 22.5.1793Commander ADM 6/24/133ADM 6/2422.5.1793 - 5.11.1793Commander ADM 6/25/38
Confirmed 1.5.1794ODNB5.11.1793 - 1793Commander ADM 6/25/50
Confirmed 14.6.1794ADM 6/253.1794 - 10.1794CommanderBWAS-17147.10.1794 - 11.1795CommanderBWAS-17149.1796 - 5.1797CommanderBWAS-17145.1797 - 10.12.1798CommanderBWAS-171410.12.1798 - 6.9.1800CommanderBWAS-17146.9.1800 - 3.1802CommanderBWAS-17143.1802 - 29.4.1802CommanderBWAS-171429.4.1802 - 7.1802CommanderBWAS-17147.1802 - 1803CommanderBWAS-17146.1803 - 9.1809CommanderBWAS-17149.1809 - 1812CommanderBWAS-17145.1813 - 1815CommanderBWAS-1714

2 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
28.7.1790 - 3.8.1790Lieutenant ADM 6/24/56ADM 6/244.8.1790 - 1790Lieutenant ADM 6/24/58ADM 6/24

1 Warrant Officer

DatesRankNameSource
17.9.1801 - 19.1.1803Acting MasterADM 29-1

1 Petty Officer

DatesRatingNameSource
1791 - 5.1793MidshipmanODNB

Service History

DateEventSource
3.1780Began building at Dover - Kent BWAS-1714
9.5.1781Completed building at Dover - Kent at a cost of £9195.3.9dBWAS-1714
8.6.1781Began coppering and fitting at Sheerness Dockyard - Sheerness BWAS-1714
5.9.1781Completed coppering and fitting at Sheerness Dockyard - Sheerness BWAS-1714
12.1781Sailed to the Leeward IslandsBWAS-1714
12.12.17812nd Battle of Ushant
3.1782Returned home and paid offBWAS-1714
11.1784Began small repair at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich BWAS-1714
3.1785Laid up at Woolwich?BWAS-1714
3.1785Completed small repair at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich at a cost of £3342.0.0dBWAS-1714
1790Began fitting at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich BWAS-1714
5.1790RecommissionedBWAS-1714
1791Completed fitting at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich at a cost of £3529.0.0dBWAS-1714
9.1791Refitted as a 16 gun Unrated Unknown
5.3.1793Took the Privateer
22.5.1793Sailed for the MediterraneanBWAS-1714
7.10.1795Action of 1795-10-07
11.1795Paid offBWAS-1714
4.1796Began middling repair at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1714
9.1796Recommissioned for the North SeaBWAS-1714
10.1796Completed middling repair at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford at a cost of £9099.0.0dBWAS-1714
22.7.1797Took the Brig off the Dogger BankBG
6.9.1797Took the Lugger off Heligoland bearing S. E. by S. Five LeaguesBG
20.11.1799Sailed for JamaicaBWAS-1714
11.1802Began fitting at Sheerness Dockyard - Sheerness BWAS-1714
6.1803Recommissioned for LymingtonBWAS-1714
7.1803Refitted as a 16 gun Unrated Floating Battery
7.1803Completed fitting at Sheerness Dockyard - Sheerness BWAS-1714
22.6.1811Took the Privateer off the NeedlesBWAS-1793
1815Placed in ordinaryBWAS-1714
11.1.1816Sold at Deptford for £1,000BWAS-1714

Previous comments on this page

Posted by AvM on Wednesday 18th of October 2017 20:01

From expirience and my research that ships sold for £8090 or more were later converted into a merchant vessels.
Tisiphone was actioned on 14.12.1815 at Deptford.

Posted by Tim Oakley on Tuesday 17th of October 2017 16:31

Circa 27 Jun 1803 Mr Heydon, apptd to be Purser of the Tisiphone.

NB 18 gun not eight

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