British Fourth Rate ship of the line 'Ruby' (1708)

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Ruby ➡ 1744 Mermaid	538
Nominal Guns	54	BWAS-1603
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Previously	British Fourth Rate ship of the line 'Ruby' (1652) (42) 1652-1708 British 42 Gun 4th Rate Ship of the Line
Ordered	26.3.1707	BWAS-1603
Launched	25.3.1708	BWAS-1603
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1603
Shipyard	Deptford Dockyard - Deptford	B028
Ship Class	1706 Establishment 54-Gunner (1706)	B028
Constructor	Joseph AllinBritish Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1695-1715	BWAS-1603
Category	Fourth Rate	BWAS-1603
Ship Type	Ship of the Line	B028
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	B028
Sold	19.5.1748	B028

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1603
Length of Gundeck130' 4 ¾"Imperial Feet39.6431
Length of Keel108' 0"Imperial Feet32.9184
Breadth35' 2"Imperial Feet10.6782
Depth in Hold14' 0"Imperial Feet4.2672
Burthen707 ⁷⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

25.3.1708Broadside Weight = 228 Imperial Pound ( 103.398 kg)BWAS-1603
Lower Gun Deck22 British 12-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck22 British 6-Pounder
Quarterdeck8 British 6-Pounder
Forecastle2 British 6-Pounder

1744Broadside Weight = 252 Imperial Pound ( 114.282 kg)BWAS-1603
Lower Gun Deck20 British 18-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck20 British 6-Pounder
Quarterdeck4 British 6-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
11.1693280Design Complement
1744250As a 44-gun Fifth RateBWAS-1603

15 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
10.4.1708 - 12.1.1709/10Captain Transfered ADM 6/9/154BWAS-160313.1.1709/10 - 15.6.1710Captain ADM 6/11/19BWAS-160316.6.1710 - 27.12.1710Captain Transfered ADM 6/11/53ADM 6/114.3.1711/12 - 27.8.1712Captain ADM 6/11/197BWAS-160328.8.1712 - 2.5.1715Captain ADM 6/11/221BWAS-16039.8.1739 - 4.12.1739Captain ADM 6/15/209ADM 6/155.12.1739 - 6.10.1740Captain† Discharged Dead ADM 6/15/239BWAS-16035.11.1740 - 21.1.1740/41Captain ADM 6/15/357BWAS-160322.1.1740/41 - 9.9.1743Captain ADM 6/15/372BWAS-160323.1.1743/44 - 18.3.1743/44Captain Transfered ADM 6/16/262BWAS-160319.3.1743/44 - 25.5.1744Captain ADM 6/16/280BWAS-160326.5.1744 - 22.5.1745Captain ADM 6/16/311ADM 6/1623.5.1745 - 20.8.1745Captain Transfered ADM 6/16/531
Issued by , Barbados - Windward Islands - Barbados & the Leeward Islands
Confirmed 21.8.1745BWAS-160322.6.1745 - 5.7.1745Captain Transfered ADM 6/17/167
Issued by , Barbados - Windward Islands - Barbados & the Leeward Islands
Confirmed 27.10.1746BWAS-16036.7.1745 - 14.9.1747CaptainBWAS-1603

22 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
26.3.1708 - 21.7.1709First Lieutenant ADM 6/9/152ADM 6/926.3.1708 - 9.9.1711Second Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/9/152ADM 6/922.7.1709 - 7.12.1711First Lieutenant ADM 6/10/77ADM 6/1010.9.1711 - 2.5.1715Second Lieutenant ADM 6/11/160ADM 6/118.12.1711 - 2.5.1715First Lieutenant ADM 6/11/181ADM 6/119.8.1739 - 13.8.1739First Lieutenant ADM 6/15/209ADM 6/159.8.1739 - 15.1.1740/41Third Lt. & Lt. at Arms ADM 6/15/209ADM 6/1516.1.1740/41 - 11.6.1741Second Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/15/370ADM 6/1516.1.1740/41 - 11.6.1741Third Lt. & Lt. at Arms ADM 6/15/370ADM 6/1512.6.1741 - 30.7.1742Second Lieutenant ADM 6/16/427ADM 6/1531.7.1742 - 9.9.1743First Lieutenant ADM 6/16/82ADM 6/1623.1.1743/44 - 18.3.1743/44First Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/16/262ADM 6/162.2.1743/44 - 25.5.1744Third Lt. & Lt. at Arms ADM 6/16/266ADM 6/1616.2.1743/44 - 25.5.1744Second Lieutenant ADM 6/16/273ADM 6/1627.3.1744 - 25.5.1744First Lieutenant ADM 6/16/282ADM 6/1626.5.1744 - 13.4.1746First Lieutenant ADM 6/16/319ADM 6/1626.5.1744 - 13.4.1746Second Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/16/319ADM 6/1626.5.1744 - 22.5.1745Third Lt. & Lt. at Arms ADM 6/16/319ADM 6/1614.4.1746 - 28.8.1746First Lieutenant ADM 6/17/87ADM 6/1714.4.1746 - 1.5.1746Second Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/17/87ADM 6/1714.4.1746 - 28.8.1746Third Lt. & Lt. at Arms ADM 6/17/87ADM 6/1729.8.1746 - 14.9.1747Second Lieutenant ADM 6/17/148ADM 6/17

1 Warrant Officer

DatesRankNameSource
7.1.1712/13 - 2.5.1715Midshipman Extra ADM 6/11/238ADM 6/11

4 Petty Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
22.1.1710/11 - 24.2.1711/12Volunteer-per-order Transfered ADM 107/3/30ADM 107/33.12.1739 - 19.12.1743Midshipman Transfered ADM 107/3/559ADM 107/314.12.1739 - 13.4.1740Midshipman Transfered ADM 107/3/414ADM 107/320.4.1747 - 14.9.1747Midshipman ADM 6/87/3ADM 6/87

4 Crewmen

DatesRatingNameSource
1.6.1710 - 21.1.1710/11Ordinary Seaman ADM 107/3/30ADM 107/330.9.1710 - 4.5.1712Ordinary Seaman Transfered ADM 107/3/135ADM 107/32.1711 - 27.3.1711Volunteer TransferedE-WIKI9.12.1746 - 4.2.1746/47Able Seaman Transfered ADM 107/4/223ADM 107/4

Service History

DateEventSource
3.1707/8Comissioned for the North SeaBWAS-1603
1710With the Dunkirk squadron and in the North SeaBWAS-1603
1712In the ChannelBWAS-1603
1713Sailed to the Mediterranean and SaleeBWAS-1603
1715Returned homeBWAS-1603
5.1715Began great repair at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1603
2.5.1715Paid offADM 51
8.1716Completed great repair at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £7558.18.1dBWAS-1603
1739RecommissionedBWAS-1603
1740In the Bristol ChannelBWAS-1603
7.1740Fitting outBWAS-1603
1741In the Irish Sea for the Winter of 1741/42BWAS-1603
19.1.1740/41

lying in Kingroad, Bristol

ref:1846
1742Off Africa for the Winter of 1742/43BWAS-1603
1743In the ChannelBWAS-1603
9.1743Refitted as a 44 gun Fifth Rate Ship
9.1743Began middling repair at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich BWAS-1603
9.9.1743Paid offADM 51
1.1744Recommissioned for VirginiaBWAS-1603
3.1743/44Completed middling repair at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich at a cost of £10099.18.2dBWAS-1603
23.5.1744Renamed MermaidBWAS-1603
19.5.1745Took the Ship of the Line
1747Sailed to New EnglandBWAS-1603
14.9.1747Paid offADM 51
9.1.1747/48Ordered to be soldBWAS-1603
19.5.1748Sold at Chatham for £346BWAS-1603

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

ADM 107/3 Archive

ADM 107/4 Archive

ADM 51 Archive

ADM 6/10 Archive

ADM 6/11 Archive

ADM 6/15 Archive

ADM 6/16 Archive

ADM 6/17 Archive

ADM 6/87 Archive

ADM 6/9 Archive

B028J. J. Colledge, Book

BWAS-1603Rif Winfield, Book

E-WIKIVarious, Web Site

ref:1846J W Damer Powell, Book

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