British Fifth Rate frigate 'Aurora' (1766)

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Aurora
Nominal Guns	32	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	8.12.1762	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	10.10.1763	BWAS-1714
Named	30.4.1763	BWAS-1714
Launched	13.1.1766	BWAS-1714
First Commissioned	15.6.1769	BWAS-1714
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Chatham Dockyard - Chatham	BWAS-1714
Ship Class	Niger Class (1757)	BWAS-1714
Designed by	Sir Thomas SladeBritish Designer Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1744-1783	BWAS-1714
Constructor	Joseph HarrisBritish Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1742-1773	BWAS-1714
Category	Fifth Rate	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Frigate	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1714
Foundered	1.1770	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck125' 0"Imperial Feet38.1
Length of Keel103' 3 ⅜"Imperial Feet31.4039
Breadth35' 3"Imperial Feet10.6832
Depth in Hold12' 0"Imperial Feet3.6576
Burthen682 ⁵⁹⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

13.1.1766Broadside Weight = 177 Imperial Pound ( 80.2698 kg)BWAS-1714
Upper Gun Deck26 British 12-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck12 British 1/2-Pound Swivel
Quarterdeck4 British 6-Pounder
Forecastle2 British 6-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
1757220Design Complement

1 Ship Commander

DatesRankNameSource
15.6.1769 - 1.1770Captain† Discharged Dead ADM 6/20/243BWAS-1714

Service History

DateEventSource
13.1.1766building at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £10595.3.6dBWAS-1714
1769Began fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
24.7.1769Completed fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £5632.10.10dBWAS-1714
30.9.1769Sailed for the East Indies with Governor Vansittart and supervisors for the East India companyBWAS-1714
29.12.1769SailedBWAS-1714
1.1770Lost with all hands in the Indian OceanBWAS-1714

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

BWAS-1714Rif Winfield, Book

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Jon Miller on Sunday 21st of June 2026 18:09

Monday some insurances were paid that had been made on the Aurora frigate, which sailed for the East Indies, with the supervisors on board; it being now beyond a doubt (as no news of her has arrived) that she was either burnt or foundered at sea. [Exeter Flying Post, 31 January 1772]

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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
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