British Third Rate ship of the line 'Stately' (1784)

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Stately	6901
Nominal Guns	64	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	10.2.1777	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	25.5.1779	BWAS-1714
Launched	27.12.1784	BWAS-1714
First Commissioned	3.1793	BWAS-1714
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Northam - Devon	BWAS-1714
Ship Class	Ardent Class (1762)	BWAS-1714
Designed by	Sir Thomas SladeBritish Designer Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1744-1783	BWAS-1714
Constructor	Thomas RaymondBritish Ship Builder	BWAS-1714
Category	Third Rate	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Ship of the Line	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1714
Broken Up	7.1814	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck160' 0 ½"Imperial Feet48.7807
Length of Keel131' 7"Imperial Feet39.9345
Breadth44' 6 ½"Imperial Feet13.4239
Depth in Hold19' 9"Imperial Feet5.8166
Burthen1,388 ⁵⁶⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

27.12.1784Broadside Weight = 575 Imperial Pound ( 260.7625 kg)BWAS-1793
Lower Gun Deck26 British 24-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck26 British 18-Pounder
Quarterdeck10 British 4-Pounder
Forecastle2 British 9-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
1762500Design Complement

17 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
28.9.1790 - 30.8.1791Captain Transfered ADM 6/24/71ADM 6/247.2.1793 - 17.4.1794Captain: on board from 11.2.1793 Transfered ADM 6/24/205BWAS-171417.4.1794 - 30.6.1794Captain Transfered ADM 6/25/33BWAS-17141.7.1794 - 3.1797Captain ADM 6/25/54BWAS-171410.1796 - 4.9.1797LieutenantBWAS-17148.1797 - 8.1798CaptainBWAS-17148.1798 - 11.1798CommanderBWAS-171411.1798 - 1799CaptainBWAS-17147.1799 - 1804CaptainBWAS-17144.1805 - 6.1808CaptainBWAS-17146.1808 - 4.1809CaptainBWAS-17144.1809 - 1810CaptainBWAS-17141810 - 1811CaptainBWAS-17141811 - 8.1812CaptainBWAS-17148.1812 - 11.1812CaptainBWAS-17141.10.1812 - 14.4.1813Captain Transfered ADM 196/3/80ADM 1961813CaptainBWAS-1714

3 Flag Officers

DatesRankNameSource
11.2.1793 - 1.1795Vice-Admiral of the Blue TransferedBWAS-17144.1809 - 19.2.1810Rear-Admiral of the BlueBWAS-17141813Vice-Admiral of the WhiteBWAS-1714

25 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
21.9.1790 - 3.10.1790Fourth Lieutenant ADM 6/24/69ADM 6/2428.9.1790 - 29.8.1791First Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/24/71ADM 6/2428.9.1790 - 27.2.1793Second Lieutenant ADM 6/24/71ADM 6/244.10.1790 - 27.2.1793Third Lieutenant ADM 60/24/73ADM 6/244.10.1790 - 27.2.1793Fourth Lieutenant ADM 60/24/73ADM 6/2428.2.1793 - 18.7.1793First Lieutenant ADM 6/24/215ADM 6/2428.2.1793 - 14.7.1793Second Lieutenant ADM 6/24/215ADM 6/2428.2.1793 - 14.7.1793Third Lieutenant ADM 6/24/215ADM 6/2428.2.1793 - 14.7.1793Fourth Lieutenant ADM 6/24/215ADM 6/2415.7.1793 - 7.7.1794First Lieutenant ADM 6/24/254ADM 6/2415.7.1793 - 7.7.1794Second Lieutenant ADM 6/24/254ADM 6/2415.7.1793 - 29.10.1793Third Lieutenant ADM 6/24/254ADM 6/2415.7.1793 - 17.4.1794Fourth Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/24/254ADM 6/2415.7.1793 - 20.4.1794Fifth Lieutenant ADM 6/24/254ADM 6/2427.8.1793 - 29.10.1793Sixth Lieutenant ADM 6/25/19
Issued by , Newfoundland - Canada
Confirmed 11.3.1794ADM 6/258.10.1793 - 29.10.1793Sixth Lieutenant ADM 6/25/54
Issued by , English Channel - British Isles
Confirmed 1.7.1794ADM 6/2530.10.1793 - 16.4.1794Sixth Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/25/33
Issued by , Newfoundland - Canada
Confirmed 17.4.1794ADM 6/2521.4.1794 - 15.5.1794Fifth Lieutenant ADM 6/25/34ADM 6/2516.5.1794 - 1794Fourth Lieutenant ADM 6/25/43ADM 6/2516.5.1794 - 6.7.1794Fifth Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/25/43ADM 6/258.7.1794 - 1794First Lieutenant ADM 6/25/58ADM 6/258.7.1794 - 1794Second Lieutenant ADM 6/25/58ADM 6/258.7.1794 - 1794Third Lieutenant ADM 6/25/58ADM 6/2513.4.1805 - 9.1806LieutenantNBD18492.1812 - 12.4.1813LieutenantNBD1849

1 Warrant Officer

DatesRankNameSource
1804 - 20.10.1804Surgeon Transferedref:1876

6 Petty Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
20.6.1793 - 25.10.1793Master's Mate ADM 6/24/278ref:61620.1.1800 - 24.4.1800MidshipmanNAO4.1809 - 12.1810MidshipmanNBD18491810 - 12.1810Master's MateNBD184912.1810 - 12.8.1812MidshipmanNBD18491812 - 30.9.1813MidshipmanNBD1849

1 Crewman

DatesRatingNameSource
2.11.1799 - 19.1.1800Able SeamanNAO

Service History

DateEventSource
27.12.1784Completed at Northam - Devon at a cost of £25037.9.11dBWAS-1714
30.12.1784Began fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
25.2.1785Completed fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £6735.0.0dBWAS-1714
9.1787Began small repair at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
4.1788Completed small repair at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £3638.0.0dBWAS-1714
1790Commissioned for the Spanish ArmamentBWAS-1714
2.1793Began fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
6.1793Completed fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £4671.0.0dBWAS-1714
12.3.1795Sailed for the East IndiesBWAS-1714
7.7.1796Took the Privateer
17.8.1796Present at capture of Dutch in Saldhana BayBWAS-1714
6.1799Began fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
7.1799Refitted as a Unrated Troop Ship
8.1799Completed fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £8278.0.0dBWAS-1714
4.1800Sailed for the MediterraneanBWAS-1714
1801Egypt operationsBWAS-1714
1802In MediterraneanBWAS-1714
1803In MediterraneanBWAS-1714
1804In Mediterranean then homeBWAS-1714
11.1804Began repairsBWAS-1714
4.1805RecommissionedBWAS-1714
4.1805Recommissioned for the North SeaBWAS-1714
4.1805Refitted as a 64 gun Third Rate Ship of the Line
5.1805Completed repairs at a cost of £22422.0.0dBWAS-1714
1808In the BalticBWAS-1714
22.3.1808In company with burnt the near GrenadaBWAS-1714
22.3.1808Battle of Zealand Point
8.1808Began repairs at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
10.1808Completed repairs at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £6652.0.0dBWAS-1714
2.1810Began repairs at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
4.1810Completed repairs at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £10394.0.0dBWAS-1714
28.12.1810Sailed for the MediterraneanBWAS-1714
1812Off PortugalBWAS-1714
1813Off PortugalBWAS-1714
7.1814Broken up at PortsmouthBWAS-1714

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Jon Miller on Saturday 20th of June 2026 16:48

Southampton, 19 August 1780: Te Active, an excellent constructed frigate of 31 guns, will certainly be launched at Northam on Wednesday, the 30th of September. The Stately, of 64 guns, and Mediator, of 44, now building in the same yard with the above frigate, attract the observation of every stranger. [Hampshire Chronicle, 21 August 1780]

Posted by Alan Millar on Monday 4th of July 2022 23:06

A poem by James Orr of Ballycarry Co Antrim referrs to a William Kirk of Carrickfergus, ships surgeon on the Stately, killed in 1800 ahead 24. Is there any record of him?

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