British Fifth Rate frigate 'Terpsichore' (1785)

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Terpsichore	6773
Nominal Guns	32	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	29.7.1782	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	11.1782	BWAS-1714
Launched	17.12.1785	BWAS-1714
First Commissioned	8.1793	BWAS-1714
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Mistley - Essex	BWAS-1714
Ship Class	Amazon Class (1770)	BWAS-1714
Designed by	John WilliamsBritish Designer Ship Builder Service 1762-1784	BWAS-1714
Constructor	James BettsBritish Ship Builder Service 1778-1807	BWAS-1714
Category	Fifth Rate	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Frigate	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1714
Broken Up	11.1830	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck126' 0"Imperial Feet38.4048
Length of Keel103' 11 ⅝"Imperial Feet31.4103
Breadth35' 1 ½"Imperial Feet10.6807
Depth in Hold12' 2"Imperial Feet3.683
Draught Forward7' 0"Imperial Feet2.1336
Draught Aft11' 3"Imperial Feet3.429
Burthen682 ⁴⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

17.12.1785Broadside Weight = 228 Imperial Pound ( 103.398 kg)BWAS-1714
Upper Gun Deck26 British 12-Pounder
Quarterdeck4 British 18-Pound Carronade
Quarterdeck4 British 6-Pounder
Forecastle2 British 18-Pound Carronade
Forecastle2 British 6-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
1770220Design Complement

12 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
22.11.1790Captain ADM 6/24/88ADM 6/2426.8.1793 - 9.1794Captain ADM 6/24/263BWAS-17149.1794 - 24.7.1797Captain†BWAS-171426.7.1797 - 1801CaptainBWAS-17141801 - 1803CaptainBWAS-17141804 - 4.1805CaptainBWAS-171410.4.1805 - 1806CaptainBWAS-17141806 - 7.1806Commander†BWAS-17147.1806 - 1807CaptainBWAS-17141807 - 8.1807LieutenantBWAS-17148.1807 - 28.12.1807LieutenantBWAS-17141808 - 1809CaptainBWAS-1714

6 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
22.11.1790 - 31.3.1791First Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/24/90ADM 6/2422.11.1790 - 19.1.1791Second Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/24/90ADM 6/2420.9.1793 - 1793Second Lieutenant ADM 6/24/268ADM 65.10.1793 - 1793Third Lieutenant ADM 6/24/271ADM 6/2428.10.1793 - 1793First Lieutenant ADM 6/24/278ADM 6/241797 - 24.7.1797Lieutenant†TRN4

4 Petty Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
13.10.1796 - 7.3.1801MidshipmanADM 29/81797 - 1.1800Midshipman TransferedNBD18491799MidshipmanNBD18491803 - 8.1807MidshipmanNBD1849

2 Crewmen

DatesRatingNameSource
15.11.1793 - 12.10.1796Able SeamanADM 29/86.10.1796 - 1797VolunteerNBD1849

Service History

DateEventSource
17.12.1785building at Mistleythorne - Essex at a cost of £8295.18.3dBWAS-1714
31.1.1786Began coppering and fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
11.1786Completed coppering and fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £4025.0.0dBWAS-1714
3.1793Began repairs at Northfleet - Kent BWAS-1714
8.1793Completed repairs at Northfleet - Kent at a cost of £2979.0.0dBWAS-1714
8.1793Began fitting at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich BWAS-1714
8.10.1793Completed fitting at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich at a cost of £5833.0.0dBWAS-1714
20.12.1793Sailed for the Leeward IslandsBWAS-1714
16.8.1794Took the Privateer
1795In the North SeaBWAS-1714
22.2.1796Sailed for the MediterraneanBWAS-1714
13.10.1796Terpsichore vs Mahonesa
13.10.1796Took the Frigate off Cap de Gata, near Malaga
13.12.1796Terpsichore vs Vestale
14.2.17972nd Battle of Cape St Vincent
1.3.1797Terpsichore vs Santissima Trinidad
24.7.1797Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife
1798Blockade of MaltaBWAS-1714
23.6.1799Took the Unrated
21.6.1801Sailed for the East IndiesBWAS-1714
27.8.1804Took the Privateer
10.7.1807Took the Brig-Corvette
15.3.1808Terpsichore vs Sémillante
1809Returned home with a convoyBWAS-1714
12.1810Began fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
1.1811Completed fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
1812In ordinary at ChathamBWAS-1714
1814In ordinary at PortsmouthBWAS-1714
1816In ordinary at ChathamBWAS-1714
11.1830Broken up at ChathamBWAS-1714

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

ADM 29/8 Archive

ADM 6Authority, Archive

ADM 6/24 Archive

BWAS-1714Rif Winfield, Book

NBD1849O'Brien, Digital Book

TRN4William Laird Clowes, Digital Book

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Jon Miller on Friday 17th of July 2026 16:48

Portsmouth, 20 June 1801: Sunday sailed the Terpsichore frigate for the Cape of Good Hope. She has on board £750,000 worth of dollars, on account of the East India Company. [Hampshire Chronicle, 22 June 1801]

Posted by Jon Miller on Wednesday 15th of July 2026 06:05

Portsmouth, 2 May 1801: The Terpsichore has detained and sent into the Downs a Prussian brig, laden with salt, for Embden. [Hampshire Telegraph, 4 May 1801]

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