British sloop 'Swan' (1745)

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Yarmouth (64) 1745-1811
British 64 Gun
3rd Rate Ship of the Line
(1745)
Somerset (68) 1748-1778
British 68 Gun
3rd Rate Ship of the Line
(1748)
Santisima Trinidad (136) 1805-1805
British 136 Gun
1st Rate Ship of the Line
(1805)
Nuestra Señora de la Santísima Trinidad (116) 1769-1805
Spanish 116 Gun
1st Rate Ship of the Line
(1769)
Drake (14) 1798-1804
British 14 Gun
Unrated Sloop
(1798)
Drake (14) 1798-1804
British 14 Gun
Unrated Sloop
(1798)
Magicienne (32) 1781-1810
British 32 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
(1781)
L'Africaine (18) 1796-1796
French 18 Gun
Unrated Unknown
(1796)
Quebec (32) 1781-1816
British 32 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
(1781)
Diamond (38) 1794-1812
British 38 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
(1794)
See more...

Swan
Nominal Guns	10	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	6.10.1744	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	11.1744	BWAS-1714
Named	12.11.1745	BWAS-1714
Launched	14.12.1745	BWAS-1714
First Commissioned	27.12.1745	BWAS-1714
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Chester - Cheshire	BWAS-1714
Ship Class	Merlin Class (1743)	BWAS-1714
Designed by	Jacob AckworthBritish Naval Sailor Designer Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1690-1744	BWAS-1714
Constructor	Thomas HinksBritish Ship Builder	BWAS-1714
Category	Unrated	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Sloop	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Snow	BWAS-1714
Sold	31.3.1763	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck91' 0"Imperial Feet27.7368
Length of Keel76' 7"Imperial Feet23.1944
Breadth26' 2 ½"Imperial Feet7.9375
Depth in Hold11' 11 ½"Imperial Feet3.3655
Burthen279 ⁷⁶⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

14.12.1745Broadside Weight = 33.5 Imperial Pound ( 15.1926 kg)BWAS-1714
Upper Gun Deck10 British 6-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck14 British 1/2-Pound Swivel

1748Broadside Weight = 45.5 Imperial Pound ( 20.6346 kg)BWAS-1714
Upper Gun Deck14 British 6-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck14 British 1/2-Pound Swivel

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
1743110Design Complement
1745125 BWAS-1714

9 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
27.12.1745 - 4.5.1749Commander ADM 6/17/34BWAS-171414.3.1750/51 - 28.8.1751Commander† Discharged Dead ADM 6/17/543BWAS-171423.4.1752 - 18.12.1753Commander Transfered ADM 6/18/32BWAS-17148.12.1753 - 25.4.1755Commander ADM 6/18/84BWAS-171425.4.1755 - 17.6.1755Commander ADM 6/18/159ADM 6/1817.6.1755 - 29.6.1756Commander Transfered ADM 6/18/174ADM 6/1830.6.1756 - 8.4.1757Commander ADM 6/18/287BWAS-17148.4.1757 - 1.12.1758Commander ADM 6/18/383BWAS-17141.12.1758 - 20.1.1763Commander ADM 6/19/9BWAS-1714

4 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
14.3.1750/51 - 6.4.1751Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/17/543ADM 6/1726.4.1755 - 20.5.1755Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/18/159ADM 6/1827.10.1758 - 22.5.1759Lieutenant ADM 6/18/553ADM 6/1822.5.1759 - 20.1.1763Lieutenant ADM 6/19/66ADM 6/19

5 Petty Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
24.4.1746 - 18.9.1747Midshipman ADM 107/4/161ADM 107/431.5.1751 - 1.11.1751Midshipman Transfered ADM 107/4/251ADM 107/428.9.1751 - 8.7.1752Coxswain ADM 107/5/2ADM 107/514.1.1751/52 - 8.5.1752Master's Mate Transfered ADM 107/4/265ADM 107/49.8.1754 - 16.4.1755Midshipman Transfered ADM 107/4/417ADM 107/4

3 Crewmen

DatesRatingNameSource
9.7.1752 - 23.11.1754Able Seaman Transfered ADM 107/5/2ADM 107/513.4.1753 - 8.8.1754Able Seaman ADM 107/4/417ADM 107/49.5.1760 - 1761Boyref:849

Service History

DateEventSource
11.1744Began building at Chester - Cheshire BWAS-1714
14.12.1745Completed building at Chester - Cheshire at a cost of £3200.9.2dBWAS-1714
1748Sailed to AmericaBWAS-1714
1748Refitted as a 14 gun Unrated SloopBWAS-1714
4.5.1749Paid off at Portsmouth Dockyard ADM 106
3.1750/51RecommissionedBWAS-1714
20.3.1750/51Ordered to build a slight awning about 6' long and to make the cabin more convenient at PortsmouthBWAS-1714
5.1751Sailed for AfricaBWAS-1714
8.1751In the Leeward IslandsBWAS-1714
1754Paid offBWAS-1714
30.9.1754SurveyedBWAS-1714
4.1755RecommissionedBWAS-1714
9.3.1758Sailed for AfricaBWAS-1714
9.3.1758Capture of Fort Louis
1.5.1758Capture of SenegalBWAS-1714
11.7.1761Took the Privateer
1762Paid offBWAS-1714
1.3.1763SurveyedBWAS-1714
31.3.1763Sold at Sheerness for £1,000BWAS-1714

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

ADM 106 Document

ADM 107/4 Archive

ADM 107/5 Archive

ADM 6/17 Archive

ADM 6/18 Archive

ADM 6/19 Archive

BWAS-1714Rif Winfield, Book

ref:849Samantha Cavell, Thesis

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Date posted	By	Page
Thursday 23rd of July 2026 13:29	keith wilkie	British Third Rate ship of the line 'Yarmouth' (1745) (64) 1745-1811 British 64 Gun 3rd Rate Ship of the Line
Thursday 23rd of July 2026 13:13	keith wilkie	British Third Rate ship of the line 'Somerset' (1748) (68) 1748-1778 British 68 Gun 3rd Rate Ship of the Line
Wednesday 22nd of July 2026 04:24	F.F.	British First Rate ship of the line 'Santisima Trinidad' (1805) (136) 1805-1805 British 136 Gun 1st Rate Ship of the Line
Wednesday 22nd of July 2026 01:36	F.F.	Spanish First Rate ship of the line 'Nuestra Señora de la Santísima Trinidad' (1769) (116) 1769-1805 Spanish 116 Gun 1st Rate Ship of the Line
Tuesday 21st of July 2026 16:47	Jon Miller	British sloop 'Drake' (1798) (14) 1798-1804 British 14 Gun Unrated Sloop

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