British Third Rate ship of the line 'Swiftsure' (1805)

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Swiftsure ➡ 1806 Irresistible			7042
Nominal Guns	74
Nationality	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Operator	Royal Navy
Previously	French Third Rate ship of the line 'Le Swiftsure' (1801) (74) 1801-1805 French 74 Gun 3rd Rate Ship of the Line
Captured	21.10.1805
Shipyard	Deptford - London
Category	Third Rate
Ship Type	Ship of the Line
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged
Broken Up	1.1816

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck168' 9 ½"Imperial Feet51.2191
Length of Keel137' 11 ¾"Imperial Feet41.7767
Breadth47' 0"Imperial Feet14.3256
Depth in Hold19' 9 ½"Imperial Feet5.8039
Draught Forward12' 3"Imperial Feet3.6957
Draught Aft16' 2"Imperial Feet4.8853
Burthen1,621 ²³⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

21.10.1805Broadside Weight = 781 Imperial Pound ( 354.1835 kg)BWAS-1793
Lower Gun Deck28 British 32-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck28 British 18-Pounder
Quarterdeck14 British 9-Pounder
Forecastle4 British 9-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
8.12.1765550Design Complement

4 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
4.1806 - 8.1806CaptainBWAS-17143.1808 - 1812CaptainBWAS-17141812 - 1813CaptainBWAS-171419.7.1814 - 10.1814CaptainNBD1849

1 Warrant Officer

DatesRankNameSource
1808SurgeonNA-ROA

1 Petty Officer

DatesRatingNameSource
3.1809 - 6.1809MidshipmanNBD1849

Service History

DateEventSource
1803Refitted as a Unrated Prison Ship
21.10.1805Retaken at the Battle of TrafalgarBWAS-1714
11.1805Repaired at GibraltarBWAS-1793
4.1806Recommissioned and sailed for EnglandBWAS-1793
11.6.1806Arrived at ChathamBWAS-1714
11.6.1806Renamed IrresistibleBWAS-1714
11.6.1806Began fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
8.1806Laid upBWAS-1793
8.1806Completed fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £2738.0.0dBWAS-1714
3.1808RecommissionedBWAS-1793
1.1816Broken up at ChathamBWAS-1714

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

BWAS-1714Rif Winfield, Book

BWAS-1793Rif Winfield, Book

NA-ROA Book

NBD1849O'Brien, Digital Book

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Date posted	By	Page
Friday 24th of July 2026 08:52	Jon Miller	Philip AffleckBritish Naval Sailor Service 1743-1799
Friday 24th of July 2026 08:41	Jon Miller	George SarradineBritish Naval Sailor Service 1794-1802
Friday 24th of July 2026 08:28	Jon Miller	British Other Vessels discovery vessel 'Discovery' (1789) (10) 1789-1834 British 10 Gun Other Discovery Vessel
Friday 24th of July 2026 08:15	Jon Miller	Mark RobinsonBritish Naval Sailor Service 1740-1787
Friday 24th of July 2026 06:56	Jon Miller	British Fifth Rate frigate 'Ethalion' (1797) (38) 1797-1799 British 38 Gun 5th Rate Frigate

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