British Third Rate ship of the line 'Terrible' (1785)

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Terrible	7099
Nominal Guns	74	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	23.7.1781	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	4.1782	BWAS-1714
Acquired	28.3.1785	BWAS-1714
First Commissioned	12.1792	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Deptford - London	BWAS-1714
Ship Class	Thunderer Class (1781)	BWAS-1714
Designed by	Sir Thomas SladeBritish Designer Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1744-1783	BWAS-1714
Constructor	John & William WellsBritish 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	3.1836	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck170' 7"Imperial Feet51.8185
Length of Keel139' 11"Imperial Feet42.3679
Breadth47' 6"Imperial Feet14.3474
Depth in Hold19' 11"Imperial Feet5.794
Draught Forward12' 5 ½"Imperial Feet3.6703
Draught Aft18' 2 ½"Imperial Feet5.4991
Burthen1,679 ¹⁷⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

28.3.1785Broadside 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
1781600Design Complement

8 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
22.12.1792 - 12.4.1794Captain ADM 6/24/186BWAS-171412.4.1794 - 6.1797Captain ADM 6/25/31BWAS-17146.1797 - 10.1797CommanderBWAS-171410.1797 - 4.1799CaptainBWAS-17144.1799 - 5.1799CaptainBWAS-17145.1799 - 1.1801CaptainBWAS-17141.1801 - 1803CaptainBWAS-17141803 - 1809CaptainBWAS-1714

6 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
22.12.1792 - 1792First Lieutenant ADM 6/24/186ADM 6/2422.12.1792 - 1792Second Lieutenant ADM 6/24/186ADM 6/2422.12.1792 - 1792Third Lieutenant ADM 6/24/186ADM 6/2422.12.1792 - 1792Fourth Lieutenant ADM 6/24/186ADM 6/2422.12.1792 - 1792Fifth Lieutenant ADM 6/24/186ADM 6/241795LieutenantADM 171/8

6 Warrant Officers

DatesRankNameSource
27.1.1785 - 3.7.1788BoatswainADM 29-11796 - bef.7.4.1796Surgeonref:19811796 - bef.22.4.1796Surgeonref:198125.2.1797 - 18.2.1799MasterADM 29-119.2.1799 - 26.10.1801MasterADM 29-11801 - bef.11.4.1801Surgeon Transferedref:1981

1 Petty Officer

DatesRatingNameSource
12.1799 - 5.1801MidshipmanNBD1849

4 Crewmen

DatesRatingNameSource
1795LandmanADM 171/81795BoyADM 171/815.11.1797 - 17971st Class VolunteerNBD18496.1799 - 12.1799Able SeamanNBD1849

1 Marine

DatesRankNameSource
1795DrummerADM 171/8

Service History

DateEventSource
28.3.1785Began Completed at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1714
12.4.1785Completed Completed at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1714
6.1785Began coppering at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich BWAS-1714
2.7.1785Completed coppering at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich at a cost of £1434.0.0dBWAS-1714
5.1792Began small repair at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
12.1792CommissionedBWAS-1714
2.1793Completed small repair at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £11449.0.0dBWAS-1714
22.4.1793Sailed for the MediterraneanBWAS-1714
14.3.1795Action off Genoa
13.7.1795Battle of Hyeres
1797Spithead mutinyBWAS-1714
12.1798Began making good defects at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1714
6.1.1799

Docked at Plymouth

TNC
13.2.1799

Docked at Plymouth

TNC
4.1799Completed making good defects at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth at a cost of £9655.0.0dBWAS-1714
1.6.1799Sailed for the MediterraneanBWAS-1714
1800Quiberon operationsBWAS-1714
1.6.1800Operation in Quiberon Bay
4.1802Began middling repair at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1714
12.1803Completed middling repair at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1714
9.1804Recommissioned for the ChannelBWAS-1714
1.1.1807Sailed for the MediterraneanBWAS-1714
3.1813Began small repair at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich BWAS-1714
12.1813Completed small repair at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich at a cost of £31314.0.0dBWAS-1714
1.1814Laid up at SheernessBWAS-1714
8.1822Began fitting at Sheerness - Kent BWAS-1714
5.1823Refitted as a Unrated Receiving Ship
5.1823Completed fitting at Sheerness - Kent BWAS-1714
5.3.1829Refitted as a Unrated Coal Depot
3.1836Broken up at DeptfordBWAS-1714

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Tony Gale on Monday 7th of March 2022 10:47

Correction : the boatswain's surname was Usherward, not Underward (see my post dated 15 Feb 22)

Posted by Tony Gale on Tuesday 15th of February 2022 17:22

The will of William Troubridge, Armourer's Mate HMS Terrible (William Wolseley Esq Commander), dated 17 July 1799, was witnessed by Gilbert Scott, Captain's Clerk and Wm Underward, Boatswain (Probate copy of will at Devon Heritage Centre, ref. 1280B/T-13)

Posted by Chris Wallage on Monday 4th of February 2019 23:08

My Ancester James Rackstraw Wallage joined Terrible 9 April 1821 aged 13 as a Boy Sailor from Greenwich Asylum. I would like to trace his Naval career. He is said to have been a commissined officer circa 1847.

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