British sloop 'Kingfisher' (1770)

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Kingfisher
Nominal Guns	14	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	18.1.1766	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	1.1769	BWAS-1714
Launched	13.7.1770	BWAS-1714
First Commissioned	25.9.1770	BWAS-1714
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Chatham Dockyard - Chatham	BWAS-1714
Ship Class	Swan Class (1766)	BWAS-1714
Designed by	John WilliamsBritish Designer Ship Builder Service 1762-1784	BWAS-1714
Constructor	Joseph HarrisBritish Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1742-1773	BWAS-1714
Category	Unrated	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Sloop	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1714
Burnt to avoid capture	7.8.1778	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck96' 8 ½"Imperial Feet29.2735
Length of Keel78' 10 ½"Imperial Feet23.7871
Breadth26' 10"Imperial Feet7.9248
Depth in Hold12' 10"Imperial Feet3.6576
Burthen302 ⁸⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

13.7.1770Broadside Weight = 42 Imperial Pound ( 19.047 kg)BWAS-1714
Upper Gun Deck14 British 6-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
8.5.1766125Design Complement

7 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
25.9.1770 - 10.1.1771Commander ADM 6/20/294ADM 6/2010.1.1771 - 24.6.1771Commander ADM 6/20/334ADM 6/2024.6.1771 - 7.7.1772Commander ADM 6/20/384BWAS-171411.9.1772 - 20.2.1773Commander† Discharged DeadBWAS-17149.4.1773 - 15.4.1774Commander ADM 6/20/515
Issued by
Confirmed 15.9.1773BWAS-171414.11.1775 - 24.1.1778Commander ADM 6/21/136BWAS-171424.1.1778 - 7.8.1778Commander ADM 6/21/484
Issued by , North America
Confirmed 7.12.1778BWAS-1714

1 Commissioned Officer

DatesRankNameSource
5.1775Acting Lieutenantref:616

1 Petty Officer

DatesRatingNameSource
10.1773 - 30.12.1775Midshipman Transferedref:616

2 Supernumeraries

DatesRankNameSource
1.10.1775 - 26.1.1776Supernumerary Ran/Deserted ADM 36/7725.ADM 361.10.1775 - 5.2.1776Supernumerary Ran/Deserted ADM 36/7725.ADM 36

3 Crewmen

DatesRatingNameSource
1.10.1775 - 1776Able Seaman Dismissed ADM 36/7723ADM 361.10.1775 - 24.1.1776Able Seaman Ran/Deserted ADM 36/7725.ADM 361.10.1775 - 24.1.1776Ordinary Seaman: on board from 24.1.1776 Ran/Deserted ADM 36/7725.ADM 36

Service History

DateEventSource
1.1769Began building at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
13.7.1770Completed building at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £6503.11.0dBWAS-1714
13.7.1770Began fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
21.11.1770Completed fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
1.8.1771Sailed for North AmericaBWAS-1714
12.1.1775Sailed from New York for Turtle BayNDARI
6.12.1776Occupation of Rhode Island
27.8.1777Action in Narragansett Bay
7.8.1778Burnt to avoid capture at Rhode IslandBWAS-1714

Fleets
Dates	Fleet	Fleet Commander	Source
1.1.1775-1.1.1775	North American Squadron on the 1st of January 1775	Samuel GravesBritish Naval Sailor Service 1732-1783

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

ADM 36 Archive

ADM 6/20 Archive

BWAS-1714Rif Winfield, Book

NDARIWilliam Bell Clark, Digital Book

ref:616Nicholas Tracy, Book

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Date posted	By	Page
Friday 24th of July 2026 08:52	Jon Miller	Philip AffleckBritish Naval Sailor Service 1743-1799
Friday 24th of July 2026 08:41	Jon Miller	George SarradineBritish Naval Sailor Service 1794-1802
Friday 24th of July 2026 08:28	Jon Miller	British Other Vessels discovery vessel 'Discovery' (1789) (10) 1789-1834 British 10 Gun Other Discovery Vessel
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Friday 24th of July 2026 06:56	Jon Miller	British Fifth Rate frigate 'Ethalion' (1797) (38) 1797-1799 British 38 Gun 5th Rate Frigate

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