British Third Rate ship of the line 'Ajax' (1767)

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Ajax	2938
Nominal Guns	74	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	4.12.1762	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	6.9.1763	BWAS-1714
Named	18.4.1763	BWAS-1714
Acquired	23.12.1767	BWAS-1714
First Commissioned	23.5.1770	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth	BWAS-1714
Designed by	William BatelyBritish Designer Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1741-1755	BWAS-1714
Constructor	Thomas BucknallBritish Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1728-1772	BWAS-1714
Category	Third Rate	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Ship of the Line	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1714
Sold	10.2.1785	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck167' 10"Imperial Feet50.9016
Length of Keel138' 5 ¼"Imperial Feet42.0688
Breadth46' 10"Imperial Feet14.0208
Depth in Hold20' 3"Imperial Feet6.1722
Draught Forward11' 8"Imperial Feet3.556
Draught Aft18' 8"Imperial Feet5.5118
Burthen1,615 ¹²⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

5.1770Broadside Weight = 781 Imperial Pound ( 354.1835 kg)BWAS-1714
Lower Gun Deck28 British 32-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck28 British 18-Pounder
Quarterdeck14 British 9-Pounder
Forecastle4 British 9-Pounder

22.7.1782Broadside Weight = 60 Imperial Pound ( 27.21 kg)ref:2002
Forecastle2 British 12-Pound Carronade
Roundhouse8 British 12-Pound Carronade

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
5.1770600 BWAS-1714

6 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
23.5.1770 - 7.6.1771Captain ADM 6/20/278BWAS-171419.1.1779 - 16.4.1779Captain ADM 6/21/500ADM 6/2116.4.1779 - 24.8.1779Captain ADM 6/21/541ADM 6/2124.8.1779 - 23.5.1780Captain ADM 6/22/19BWAS-171423.5.1780 - 3.5.1781Captain Transfered ADM 6/22/327
Issued by , Barbados - Windward Islands - Barbados & the Leeward Islands
Confirmed 22.8.1781BWAS-171427.7.1781 - 8.8.1783Captain ADM 6/22/351BWAS-1714

9 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
23.5.1770 - 17.9.1770Second Lieutenant ADM 6/20/278ADM 6/2023.5.1770 - 17.9.1770Second Lieutenant ADM 6/20/278ADM 6/2017.9.1770 - 7.11.1770Second Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/20/291ADM 6/2017.9.1770 - 4.12.1770Third Lieutenant ADM 6/20/291ADM 6/204.12.1770 - 7.6.1771Second Lieutenant ADM 6/20/320ADM 6/2013.5.1782 - 10.6.1782LieutenantADM/L12.8.1782 - 17.12.1782Second LieutenantADM/L16.12.1782 - 20.4.1783Fourth Lieutenant ADM 6/23/189
Issued by , Jamaica - Greater Antilles
Confirmed 5.2.1784ADM 6/231783 - 8.8.1783First LieutenantADM/L

1 Warrant Officer

DatesRankNameSource
7.7.1804 - 14.2.1807Master† Discharged Deadref:1876

Service History

DateEventSource
5.1770Commissioned for guardship dutyBWAS-1714
10.1770Began fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
5.10.1770Completed at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £28248.6.0dBWAS-1714
5.10.1770Completed fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £7657.10.1dBWAS-1714
14.10.1770

At Portsmouth and "is ordered immediately to sea to carry troops and officers".

ADM 106
2.1771

In Cork harbour.

ADM 106
7.6.1771Paid offADM 6/22
8.1779Began coppering and fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
11.1779Completed coppering and fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £14549.11.1dBWAS-1714
29.12.1779Sailed for the Leeward IslandsBWAS-1714
8.1.1780Attack on the Caraccas convoyBWAS-1714
8.1.1780Attack on the Caracas Convoy
16.1.1780Battle of Cape St. Vincent
19.1.1780At relief of GibraltarBWAS-1714
17.4.1780Battle of Martinique
15.5.1780Action of March 15 1780
19.5.1780Action of March 19 1780
3.2.1781At St EustatiusBWAS-1714
29.4.1781Battle of Fort Royal
8.1781Sailed to North AmericaBWAS-1714
5.9.1781Battle of the Chesapeake
5.12.1781Arrived in the West IndiesBWAS-1714
25.1.1782Battle of Saint Kitts
12.4.1782Battle of the Saintes
1783At JamaicaBWAS-1714
8.8.1783

Paid off

BWAS-1714
10.2.1785Sold for £1,020BWAS-1714

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Charles on Thursday 24th of July 2014 21:41

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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