British Fifth Rate frigate 'Artois' (1780)

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Princess Mary (Unknown) 1796-1805
British Unknown Gun
Merchant East Indiaman
(1796)
Indian Chief (Unknown) 1800-1801
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Artois
Nominal Guns	40	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Previously	French Fifth Rate frigate 'L'Artois' (1780) (40) 1780-1780 French 40 Gun 5th Rate Frigate
Named	21.12.1780	BWAS-1714
Captured	1.7.1780	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Lorient - Brittany	NNF-1774
Category	Fifth Rate	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Frigate	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1714
Sold	2.2.1786	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentNNF-1774
Length of Gundeck158' 8"Imperial Feet48.1619
Length of Keel133' 1 ⅝"Imperial Feet40.5543
Breadth40' 4"Imperial Feet12.2936
Depth in Hold13' 6"Imperial Feet4.0132
Burthen1,152 ³⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

1.7.1780Broadside Weight = 306 Imperial Pound ( 138.771 kg)BWAS-1714
Upper Gun Deck28 British 18-Pounder
Quarterdeck10 British 9-Pounder
Forecastle2 British 9-Pounder

22.10.1781Broadside Weight = 374 Imperial Pound ( 169.609 kg)BWAS-1714
Upper Gun Deck28 British 18-Pounder
Quarterdeck2 British 68-Pound Carronade
Quarterdeck10 British 9-Pounder
Forecastle2 British 9-Pounder

5 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
8.7.1780 - 8.1.1781Captain ADM 6/22/189
Issued by , North America
Confirmed 30.10.1780BWAS-17148.1.1781 - 23.4.1783Captain ADM 6/22/221BWAS-171415.5.1782 - 31.5.1782Captain Transfered ADM 6/24/292BWAS-17149.1782CommanderBWAS-17149.1782 - 1783CaptainBWAS-1714

1 Warrant Officer

DatesRankNameSource
15.1.1781 - 23.4.1783Masterref:616

1 Petty Officer

DatesRatingNameSource
1.1781 - 1782Midshipman Transferedref:676

3 Crewmen

DatesRatingNameSource
14.10.1780 - 11.11.1780Able SeamanNAO15.4.1781 - 1.5.1783Captain's ServantWWNH1.3.1782 - 19.1.17831st Class Volunteerref:616

Service History

DateEventSource
3.7.1780Taken by
28.11.1780Began coppering and fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
1.1781RecommissionedBWAS-1714
21.3.1781Completed coppering and fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £7684.11.4dBWAS-1714
5.8.1781Battle of Dogger Bank
3.12.1781Took the Brig off Flamborough Head
3.12.1781Took the Sloop off Flamborough Head
1.7.1782Took the Privateer off the Head of Kinsale
23.4.1783

Paid off

BWAS-1714
2.2.1786Sold at Woolwich for £650BWAS-1714

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

BWAS-1714Rif Winfield, Book

NAOVarious, Web Site

NNF-1774Alain Demerliac, Book

WWNHJoseph F. Callo, Alastair Wilson, Book

ref:616Nicholas Tracy, Book

ref:676 Web Site

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Jon Miller on Wednesday 17th of June 2026 11:04

Orders are sent to Woolwich to inspect into the state of the Artois, of 64 guns, lately come up there to be repaired, and if her upper works prove to be unsound, to take them off, and convert her into a frigate of 42 guns. [Exeter Flying Post, 15 December 1780]

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Recent comments to other pages

Date posted	By	Page
Saturday 25th of July 2026 07:16	Jon Miller	British Merchant east indiaman 'Princess Mary' (1796) (Unknown) 1796-1805 British Unknown Gun Merchant East Indiaman
Saturday 25th of July 2026 07:15	Jon Miller	British Merchant 'Indian Chief' (1800) (Unknown) 1800-1801 British Unknown Gun Merchant Unknown
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Saturday 25th of July 2026 07:10	Jon Miller	Sir Adam DrummondBritish Naval Sailor Service 1795-9990

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