British Third Rate ship of the line 'Cumberland' (1774)

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Cumberland	356
Nominal Guns	74	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	8.6.1768	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	7.1.1769	BWAS-1714
Named	8.1768	BWAS-1714
Launched	29.3.1774	BWAS-1714
First Commissioned	12.1777	BWAS-1714
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Deptford Dockyard - Deptford	BWAS-1714
Designed by	Sir Thomas SladeBritish Designer Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1744-1783	BWAS-1714
Constructor	Adam HayesBritish Designer Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1748-1785	BWAS-1714
Category	Third Rate	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Ship of the Line	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1714
Broken Up	1804	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck168' 6"Imperial Feet51.2086
Length of Keel138' 3"Imperial Feet42.0644
Breadth46' 10"Imperial Feet14.0208
Depth in Hold19' 9"Imperial Feet5.8166
Draught Forward12' 2"Imperial Feet3.683
Draught Aft16' 11 ½"Imperial Feet4.8895
Burthen1,612 ⁸⁸⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

12.1777Broadside 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

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
8.12.1765550Design Complement

12 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
29.12.1777 - 11.9.1780Captain Transfered ADM 6/21/349BWAS-17149.11.1781 - 8.1.1782Captain ADM 6/22/362ADM 6/228.1.1782 - 31.5.1784Captain ADM 6/22/395BWAS-171413.10.1787 - 14.9.1791Captain ADM 6/23/423BWAS-171420.2.1793 - 13.3.1794Captain Transfered ADM 6/24/211BWAS-171423.7.1794 - 7.1797Captain ADM 6/25/65BWAS-17147.1797 - 2.6.1798CaptainBWAS-17141799 - 1801CaptainBWAS-17141.1801 - 6.1803CaptainBWAS-171423.1.1801 - 16.4.1801Acting Captain Discharged ADM 196/5/1ADM 1966.1803 - 1.1804CaptainBWAS-17141.1804 - 21.2.1804CaptainBWAS-1714

4 Flag Officers

DatesRankNameSource
14.7.1793 - 10.8.1793Rear-Admiral of the Blueref:67610.1793 - 8.1794Rear-Admiral of the WhiteBWAS-17147.1797 - 1798Vice-Admiral of the BlueBWAS-17141799 - 8.1799Rear-Admiral of the BlueBWAS-1714

24 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
30.5.1780 - 31.5.1784Fourth Lieutenant ADM 6/22/138ADM 6/2217.3.1781 - 31.5.1784Fifth Lieutenant ADM 6/22/335
Confirmed 8.9.1781ADM 6/225.12.1781 - 31.5.1784First Lieutenant ADM 6/22/379ADM 6/223.10.1787 - 12.10.1787Fifth Lieutenant ADM 6/23/423ADM 6/2312.10.1787 - 27.4.1789Third Lieutenant ADM 6/23/427ADM 6/2311.3.1788 - 14.9.1791First Lieutenant ADM 6/23/452ADM 6/2327.4.1789 - 10.5.1789Third Lieutenant ADM 6/23/523ADM 6/2327.4.1789 - 10.5.1790Fourth Lieutenant ADM 6/23/523ADM 6/2311.5.1790 - 14.9.1791Second Lieutenant ADM 6/24/27ADM 6/2411.5.1790 - 20.7.1790Third Lieutenant ADM 6/24/27ADM 6/2411.5.1790 - 20.7.1790Fourth Lieutenant ADM 6/24/27ADM 6/2411.5.1790 - 20.7.1790Fifth Lieutenant ADM 6/24/27ADM 6/2421.7.1790 - 14.9.1791Third Lieutenant ADM 6/24/52ADM 6/2421.7.1790 - 14.9.1791Fourth Lieutenant ADM 6/24/52ADM 6/2420.2.1793 - 1793First Lieutenant ADM 6/24/211ADM 6/2420.2.1793 - 17.3.1794Second Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/24/211ADM 6/2420.2.1793 - 31.1.1794Third Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/24/211ADM 6/2420.2.1793 - 11.7.1794Fourth Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/24/211ADM 6/2420.2.1793 - 17.5.1793Fifth Lieutenant ADM 6/24/211ADM 6/2418.5.1793 - 17.3.1794Fifth Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/24/239ADM 6/2418.5.1793 - 31.1.1794Sixth Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/24/239ADM 6/241794 - 20.7.1797LieutenantNBD184911.8.1800 - 14.7.1803LieutenantNBD184929.10.1803 - 21.2.1804LieutenantNBD1849

2 Warrant Officers

DatesRankNameSource
1797 - bef.1.11.1797Surgeonref:19811799 - 22.4.1799MasterADM 29-1

1 Petty Officer

DatesRatingNameSource
14.12.1794 - 27.5.1797MidshipmanNAO

Service History

DateEventSource
8.6.1774Completed at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford at a cost of £38105.0.0dBWAS-1603
5.1778fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £6543.17.9dBWAS-1603
27.7.17781st Battle of Ushant
26.12.1778Sailed as reinforcement for the West IndiesBWAS-1714
9.1779Sailed to the Relief of GuernseyBWAS-1714
8.1.1780Attack on the Caracas shipsBWAS-1714
8.1.1780Attack on the Caracas Convoy
16.1.1780Battle of Cape St. Vincent
19.1.1780Relief of GibraltarBWAS-1714
28.3.1780Took the Privateer off North America
5.1780Began coppering and fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1603
6.1780Completed coppering and fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth at a cost of £7309.0.10dBWAS-1603
6.2.1782Sailed for the East IndiesBWAS-1714
20.6.17832nd Battle of Cuddalore
31.5.1784

Paid off

ADM 34
7.1784fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1603
12.1785Began middling repair at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1603
2.1787Completed middling repair at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth at a cost of £17850.17.5dBWAS-1603
9.1787Began fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1603
10.1787Recommissioned as a guard ship at PlymouthBWAS-1714
7.1789Completed fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth at a cost of £11270.10.2dBWAS-1603
14.9.1791

Paid off

BWAS-1714
2.1793RecommissionedBWAS-1714
22.3.1794Paid offADM 35
23.5.1795Sailed for the MediterraneanBWAS-1714
13.7.1795Battle of Hyeres
3.1797Began refitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1603
6.1797Completed refitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £18154.0.0dBWAS-1603
1798Began refitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1603
2.6.1798

Paid off

ADM 35
1799Completed refitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £16553.0.0dBWAS-1603
9.1799Recommissioned for Channel serviceBWAS-1714
1801To the West IndiesBWAS-1714
30.6.1803Action off San Domingo where 4 French vessels were takenBWAS-1714
30.6.1803Took the Frigate off San Domingo
25.7.1803Capture of the Duquesne
1.1804Arrived at Portsmouth to pay offBWAS-1714
21.2.1804Paid offADM 35

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

ADM 196 Document

ADM 29-1 Document

ADM 34 Document

ADM 35 Archive

ADM 6/22 Archive

ADM 6/23 Archive

ADM 6/24 Archive

BWAS-1603Rif Winfield, Book

BWAS-1714Rif Winfield, Book

NAOVarious, Web Site

NBD1849O'Brien, Digital Book

ref:1981 Document

ref:676 Web Site

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Will Johnson on Wednesday 8th of January 2025 18:31

Possibly Robert McDougall? That would be after he was Captain and Commander of HMS Romney.

Posted by Will Johnson on Wednesday 8th of January 2025 18:28

Robert McDouall or McDonall Esq. was listed as the commander of the Cumberland in the will of William Rees, Mariner belonging to His Majesty's Ship Cumberland, made on 27th December, 1781, proved 18th February, 1785 P.C.C. I tried to find Robert under various spellings on the threeships database i.e. as above or Macdowell, Mcdowell, Macdonald, Mcdonald etc. without success so far.

Posted by Tim Oakley on Sunday 3rd of September 2017 18:28

Robert Mann (c.1748 – 20 September 1813) was promoted to rear-admiral of the blue on 4 July 1794 and raised his flag aboard the 74-gun HMS Defence. He soon transferred his flag to the 74-gun HMS Cumberland and sailed from Portsmouth in March 1795, through the strait of Gibraltar to reinforce the Mediterranean Fleet under Admiral Sir William Hotham off the east coast of Minorca. Mann was promoted to rear-admiral of the white on 1 June 1795. After cruising for a short time, the British anchored in St. Fiorenzo Bay on 29 June and refitted their ships. Mann transferred his flag to the 100-gun HMS Victory on 7 July and took part in the Battle of Hyères Islands on 13 July 1795. Victory suffered considerable damage, having had her stays shot away, as well as much of the rigging. He transferred his flag to the 98-gun HMS Windsor Castle in December 1795. He was given command of a detached squadron in 1796 and sailed to Gibraltar with seven ships to watch the French fleet at anchor at Cadiz under Admiral Joseph de Richery.

Posted by Tim Oakley on Sunday 3rd of September 2017 06:24

27 Oct 1800 Portsmouth a Court-Martial was held on board the Gladiator for the trial of John Brown, a private marine belonging to the Cumberland for writing a disrespectful letter reflecting on the conduct of Captain Gardiner, of the Marines, and Captain Growes, and on William Dean, and Thomas Taylor, private marines, for abetting and advising the said John Brown in his libellous and seditious conduct, and for endeavouring to propagate the same disrespectful spirit amongst the ship's company. The charges being proved against the prisoners, Brown was sentenced to receive 100 lashes, and the two others 50 lashes each.

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Cumberland

Dimensions

Armament

Crew Complement

12 Ship Commanders

4 Flag Officers

24 Commissioned Officers

2 Warrant Officers

1 Petty Officer

Service History

Sources

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