British fireship 'Tisiphone' (1781)

Three Decks' Forum

Come and ask, answer or inform.

Recent updates

Update
Nautilus (12) 1803-1812
American 12 Gun
Unrated Schooner
Added
John SimpsonAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1812
Added
H DoghertyAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1812
Added
John ConnorAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1812
Added
Reuben WilliamsonAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1812
Added
Ledger StreetAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1812
Added
Frederick TrailAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1812
Added
Warner BreedAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1812
Added
Joseph ColstonAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1812
Added
Charles SewellAmerican
Naval Sailor
Service 1812
See more...

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

7 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
28.7.1790 - 3.8.1790Lieutenant ADM 6/24/56ADM 6/244.8.1790 - 24.3.1791Lieutenant ADM 6/24/58ADM 6/2425.3.1791 - 30.3.1791Lieutenant ADM 6/24/111ADM 6/2431.3.1791 - 6.9.1791First Lieutenant ADM 6/24/114ADM 6/2431.3.1791 - 6.9.1791Second Lieutenant ADM 6/24/114ADM 6/246.9.1791 - 1791First Lieutenant ADM 6/24/133ADM 6/247.9.1791 - 1791Second Lieutenant ADM 6/24/133ADM 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

Make a comment about this page

Recent comments to other pages

Date posted	By	Page
Thursday 9th of February 2023 04:34	Erik Kiaer	Christopher Masterman ClutterbuckBritish Naval Sailor Service 1782-1791
Tuesday 7th of February 2023 20:46	Paul Hutchins	British Merchant east indiaman 'Loyal Cooke' (1700) (28) 1700-1711 British 28 Gun Merchant East Indiaman
Monday 6th of February 2023 00:49	pan	Duquesne Group variant of Téméraire Class (1788)
Monday 6th of February 2023 00:33	pan	French Third Rate ship of the line 'Les Droits de l'Homme' (1794) (74) 1794-1797 French 74 Gun 3rd Rate Ship of the Line
Saturday 4th of February 2023 11:08	Robert Murray	John Miller AdyeBritish Naval Sailor Service 1797-1815

GDPR Statement