British Fourth Rate ship of the line 'Tavistock' (1747)

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Tavistock

610
Nominal Guns50BWAS-1714
NationalityGreat Britain
OperatorRoyal Navy
Ordered18.10.1745BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down11.1746BWAS-1714
Named20.8.1747BWAS-1714
Launched26.8.1747BWAS-1714
First Commissioned19.8.1747BWAS-1714
How acquiredPurpose builtBWAS-1714
ShipyardHessel Cliff - The Humber ref:1326
Ship Class1745 Establishment 50-Gunner (1745)BWAS-1714
Constructor
Hugh BlaydesBritish
Ship Builder
Service 1686
BWAS-1714
CategoryFourth RateBWAS-1714
Ship TypeShip of the LineBWAS-1714
Sailing RigShip RiggedBWAS-1714
Broken Up24.12.1768BWAS-1714

Dimensions


DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck144' 0"Imperial Feet43.8912 
Length of Keel117' 8 ½"Imperial Feet35.6743 
Breadth41' 2"Imperial Feet12.5476 
Depth in Hold17' 8 ½"Imperial Feet5.1943 
Burthen1,061 6⁄94Tons BM 

Armament


26.8.1747Broadside Weight = 414 Imperial Pound ( 187.749 kg)BWAS-1714
Lower Gun Deck22 British 24-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck22 British 12-Pounder
Quarterdeck4 British 6-Pounder
Forecastle2 British 6-Pounder

Crew Complement


Date# of MenNotesSource
1745350Design Complement

2 Ship Commanders


DatesRankNameSource
19.8.1747 - 23.9.1748Captain
Justinian NuttBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1729-1752
Transfered ADM 6/17/260BWAS-171423.9.1748 - 6.10.1752Commodore
Francis HolburneBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1720-1768
ADM 6/17/385BWAS-1714

1 Commissioned Officer


DatesRankNameSource
25.8.1747 - 23.9.1748First Lieutenant
Richard KempenfeltBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1727-1782
Transfered ADM 6/17/261ADM 6/17

1 Petty Officer


DatesRatingNameSource
27.3.1748 - 10.4.1749Midshipman
Thomas CouchmanBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1747-1762
Transfered ADM 6/87/3ADM 6/87

Service History


DateEventSource
25.12.1747Began fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
25.11.1748Completed fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £4164.14.6dBWAS-1714
1749Sailed for North AmericaBWAS-1714
1751Sailed to the Leeward IslandsBWAS-1714
6.10.1752Paid off at Woolwich Dockyard ADM 6/18
14.12.1752SurveyedBWAS-1714
10.1758Began fitting at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich BWAS-1714
22.11.1758SurveyedBWAS-1714
9.1760Refitted as a Unrated Hulk
9.1760Completed fitting at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich at a cost of £3660.15.2dBWAS-1714
14.11.1768SurveyedBWAS-1714
24.11.1768Ordered to be broken upBWAS-1714
24.12.1768Breaking up completed at WoolwichBWAS-1714

 
Previous comments on this page

Posted by Jon Miller on Sunday 24th of May 2026 16:51

Antigua, 21 November 1750: Extract of a letter from a gentleman to his friend at Charles-Town:
A few days ago, Commodore Holbourne, in the Tavistock, of fifty guns, sailed from Barbadoes; and yesterday Captain Falkingham, in the Shark sloop,sailed from the same place; from whence it is said they are going to the Neutral Islands, and see them evacuated, a new Governor being just arrived at Martinico, in the room of Caylus, who is empowered to oblige his countrymen to leave them. [Kentish Post, 2 March 1751]

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