British Fifth Rate frigate 'Amethyst' (1799)

Three Decks' Forum

Come and ask, answer or inform.

Recent updates

Added
San Ignacio de Loyola (50) 1766-1779
Spanish 50 Gun
Merchant Ship
Update
San Ignacio de Loyola (20) 1754-1762
Spanish 20 Gun
Merchant Frigate
Added
Vincente PloSpanish
Ship Builder
Dockyard Staff
Service 1795-1798
Update
Neptuno (80) 1795-1805
Spanish 80 Gun
3rd Rate Ship of the Line
Update
Argonauta (80) 1798-1805
Spanish 80 Gun
3rd Rate Ship of the Line
Update
Julian Martin de RetamosaSpanish
Designer
Ship Builder
Service 1789-1798
Added Neptuno Class (1792)
Update
Fénix (80) 1749-1780
Spanish 80 Gun
3rd Rate Ship of the Line
Update
Rayo (80) 1749-1805
Spanish 80 Gun
3rd Rate Ship of the Line
Update
Juan JorgeSpanish
Designer
Ship Builder
Service 1747-1769
See more...

Amethyst	3034
Nominal Guns	36	BWAS-1793
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	4.5.1797	BWAS-1793
Keel Laid Down	8.1798	BWAS-1793
Named	5.8.1797	BWAS-1793
Launched	23.4.1799	BWAS-1793
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1793
Shipyard	Deptford Dockyard - Deptford	BWAS-1793
Ship Class	Penelope Class (1797)	BWAS-1793
Designed by	Sir John HenslowBritish Designer Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1761-1805	BWAS-1793
Constructor	Thomas PollardBritish Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1765-1799	BWAS-1793
Category	Fifth Rate	BWAS-1793
Ship Type	Frigate	BWAS-1793
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1793
Wrecked	16.2.1811	BWAS-1793

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1793
Length of Gundeck150' 0"Imperial Feet45.72
Length of Keel125' 5 ⅜"Imperial Feet38.1095
Breadth39' 7"Imperial Feet11.8872
Depth in Hold13' 0"Imperial Feet3.9624
Draught Forward10' 7"Imperial Feet3.048
Draught Aft14' 9"Imperial Feet4.2672
Burthen1,045 ⁴⁸⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

22.4.1799Broadside Weight = 444 Imperial Pound ( 201.354 kg)BWAS-1793
Upper Gun Deck26 British 18-Pounder
Quarterdeck10 British 32-Pound Carronade
Quarterdeck2 British 9-Pounder
Forecastle2 British 32-Pound Carronade
Forecastle2 British 9-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
1797274Design Complement

6 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
5.1799 - 10.1801CaptainBWAS-179310.1801 - 11.1801CaptainBWAS-179311.1801 - 4.1803CaptainBWAS-17934.1803 - 6.1804CaptainBWAS-17934.1806 - 9.1809CaptainBWAS-17939.1809 - 16.2.1811CaptainBWAS-1793

1 Flag Officer

DatesRankNameSource
10.1.1809 - 13.1.1809Rear-Admiral of the Blue Transfered ADM 196/68/191ADM 196

3 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
4.9.1801 - 1805LieutenantNBD184913.6.1807 - 9.1809LieutenantNBD18495.8.1808 - 1809LieutenantNAO

1 Warrant Officer

DatesRankNameSource
24.5.1809 - 6.10.1810MasterADM 29-1

3 Petty Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
5.1801 - 20.12.1805MidshipmanNBD184910.1809 - 16.2.1811MidshipmanNBD184911.1809 - 16.2.1811MidshipmanNBD1849

Service History

DateEventSource
23.4.1799

Launched at Deptford in the presence of Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, a number of the nobility, and most of the Admiralty and Navy Commissioners

TNC
9.1799Operations on the Dutch coastBWAS-1793
29.12.1799Took the Privateer
15.2.1800Took the Privateer
1.4.1800Took the Corvette in the night of 31 March to 01 April 1800BG
6.1800Quiberon operationsBWAS-1793
1.6.1800Operation in Quiberon Bay
25.8.1800Attack on Ferrol
1801In the North SeaBWAS-1793
26.1.1801Capture of the Dédaigneuse
28.1.1801Took the Frigate off Ferrol
16.3.1801Sank the privateer BWAS-1793
9.4.1801Took the Privateer in the Channel
1803In the North SeaBWAS-1793
15.5.1807Took the Lugger
10.11.1808Capture of the Thetis
10.11.1808Took the Frigate in the Bay of Biscay
2.1809Off RochefortBWAS-1793
5.4.1809Capture of the Niémen
5.4.1809Took the Frigate in the Bay of Biscay
5.4.1809Took the Frigate in the Bay of Biscay
28.7.1809Expedition to the Scheldt
28.7.1809Walcheren Expedition
9.1809Began middling repair at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1793
1.1810Completed middling repair at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1793
16.2.1811Wrecked in a storm in Plymouth Sound, 8 men drownedBWAS-1793

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

ADM 196 Document

ADM 29-1 Document

BGOfficial, Web Site

BWAS-1793Rif Winfield, Book

NAOVarious, Web Site

NBD1849O'Brien, Digital Book

TNCVarious, Periodical

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Jon Miller on Thursday 16th of July 2026 15:34

Advertisement: For sale, at Brewer’s, the London Inn, Plymouth, on Thursday, the fourteenth of May next, the good ship, La Carlotta. Square stern, with a long quarter-deck to the main-mast, and a top-gallant forecastle; pierced for 12 guns, on the main deck; a most excellent sailing vessel. The hull and materials are in good condition. A prize condemned to His Majesty’s ship of war, the Sirius, Richard King, Esq, commander, and Amethyst, John Cook, Esq, commander; now lying in Catwater, and there to be delivered.
And also the entire cargo of La Carlotta, comprising twine, cord, linen, hessens, stockings, sheets, blankets, hats, nails, garden hoes, rope, iron, vermecills, and pease.
Thomas Lockyer, Sworn Broker. [Exeter Flying Post, 7 May 1801]

Posted by Jon Miller on Saturday 11th of July 2026 07:03

Plymouth, 13 February 1801: Arrived the Spanish packet Charlotta, laden with a small quantity of iron and canvas from Corunna bound to the Havannah, a large ship of about 400 tons burthen, captured the 27th ult by the Sirius and Amethyst frigates. [Hampshire Chronicle, 2 February 1801]

Posted by Tim on Friday 6th of April 2012 23:04

1811 Feb. 16 Amethyst36 wrecked in Plymouth Sound

Make a comment about this page

Recent comments to other pages

Date posted	By	Page
Wednesday 22nd of July 2026 04:24	F.F.	British First Rate ship of the line 'Santisima Trinidad' (1805) (136) 1805-1805 British 136 Gun 1st Rate Ship of the Line
Wednesday 22nd of July 2026 01:36	F.F.	Spanish First Rate ship of the line 'Nuestra Señora de la Santísima Trinidad' (1769) (116) 1769-1805 Spanish 116 Gun 1st Rate Ship of the Line
Tuesday 21st of July 2026 16:47	Jon Miller	British sloop 'Drake' (1798) (14) 1798-1804 British 14 Gun Unrated Sloop
Tuesday 21st of July 2026 16:46	Jon Miller	British sloop 'Drake' (1798) (14) 1798-1804 British 14 Gun Unrated Sloop
Tuesday 21st of July 2026 16:45	Jon Miller	British Fifth Rate frigate 'Magicienne' (1781) (32) 1781-1810 British 32 Gun 5th Rate Frigate

GDPR Statement