British Fourth Rate ship of the line 'Anson' (1747)

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Anson	258
Nominal Guns	60	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	6.8.1745	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	9.1745	BWAS-1714
Named	20.8.1747	BWAS-1714
Launched	10.10.1747	BWAS-1714
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Bursledon - Hampshire	BWAS-1714
Ship Class	1745 Establishment 60-Gunner (1745)	BWAS-1714
Designed by	Jacob AckworthBritish Naval Sailor Designer Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1690-1744	BWAS-1714
Constructor	Philemon EwerBritish Ship Builder Service 1744	BWAS-1714
Category	Fourth Rate	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Ship of the Line	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1714
Sold	25.6.1773	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck150' 2"Imperial Feet45.721
Length of Keel122' 8 ½"Imperial Feet37.1983
Breadth42' 10"Imperial Feet12.8016
Depth in Hold18' 5 ¼"Imperial Feet5.4928
Burthen1,197 ⁴⁸⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

10.10.1747Broadside Weight = 474 Imperial Pound ( 214.959 kg)BWAS-1714
Lower Gun Deck24 British 24-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck26 British 12-Pounder
Quarterdeck8 British 6-Pounder
Forecastle2 British 6-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
1745420Design Complement

6 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
2.11.1747 - 26.8.1748Captain Transfered ADM 6/17/280BWAS-171423.9.1748 - 17.11.1752Captain ADM 6/17/385BWAS-171410.1.1753 - 4.2.1755Captain Transfered ADM 6/18/52BWAS-17144.2.1755 - 6.1.1758Captain Transfered ADM 6/18/128BWAS-171415.2.1759 - 1.11.1762Captain ADM 6/19/36BWAS-17141.11.1762 - 29.3.1763Captain ADM 6/19/447ADM 6/19

8 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
2.9.1747 - 23.12.1747Second Lieutenant ADM 6/17/264ADM 6/1723.9.1748 - 17.11.1752First Lieutenant ADM 6/17/385ADM 6/175.12.1749 - 17.11.1752Third Lt. & Lt. at Arms ADM 6/17/505ADM 6/1710.1.1753 - 16.1.1755First Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/18/52ADM 6/1810.1.1753 - 10.1.1754Third Lt. & Lt. at Arms Transfered ADM 6/18/52ADM 6/1823.10.1754 - 13.11.1754Third Lt. & Lt. at Arms Transfered ADM 6/18/113ADM 6/185.5.1755 - 9.12.1755Third Lieutenant ADM 6/18/218
Issued by , North America
Confirmed 11.12.1755ADM 6/183.4.1757 - 27.1.1758Second Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/18/437
Issued by , East Indies - Asia
Confirmed 15.9.1757ADM 6/18

5 Petty Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
9.10.1753 - 13.4.1754Midshipman Transfered ADM 107/4/342ADM 107/429.10.1755 - 9.5.1758Midshipman ADM 107/5/42ADM 107/55.12.1755 - 21.9.1757Midshipman ADM 107/5/13ADM 107/52.9.1760 - 2.4.1761Midshipman ADM 107/5/406ADM 107/53.4.1761 - 9.12.1761Master's Mate ADM 107/5/406ADM 107/5

2 Crewmen

DatesRatingNameSource
26.8.1749 - 8.6.1750Able Seaman Transfered ADM 107/4/254ADM 107/44.5.1758 - 20.6.1758Able Seaman ADM 107/5/284ADM 107/5

Service History

DateEventSource
10.10.1747Completed at Bursledon - Hampshire at a cost of £16971.15.0dBWAS-1714
10.10.1747Began fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1714
9.1.1747/48Completed fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth at a cost of £1245.12.10dBWAS-1714
22.11.1748Ordered reduced to a guard shipBWAS-1714
1749Guard ship at PortsmouthBWAS-1714
17.11.1752Paid off at Portsmouth Dockyard ADM 6/18
18.1.1753

Recommissioned as a guard ship at Portsmouth

BWAS-1714
2.1754fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
22.4.1755Sailed to North AmericaBWAS-1714
27.4.1756Sailed to the Leeward IslandsBWAS-1714
9.1757Began great repair at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
29.9.1757SurveyedBWAS-1714
11.1758Completed great repair at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £19302.19.4dBWAS-1714
6.9.1760Sailed for the MediterraneanBWAS-1714
29.3.1763

Paid off

ADM 51
2.1764SurveyedBWAS-1714
25.6.1773Sold at Portsmouth for £800BWAS-1714

Fleets
Dates	Fleet	Fleet Commander	Source
27.4.1755-4.11.1755	Fleet for North America	The Hon. Edward BoscawenBritish Naval Sailor Ship Owner Administrator Marine Service 1726-1759

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

ADM 107/4 Archive

ADM 107/5 Archive

ADM 51 Archive

ADM 6/17 Archive

ADM 6/18 Archive

ADM 6/19 Archive

BWAS-1714Rif Winfield, Book

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Jon Miller on Wednesday 20th of May 2026 13:04

Gosport, 2 October 1748: On Friday last his Majesty’s ship the Anson was put into commission, and the command of her given to Capt Justinian Nutt; and ’tis said, she is to lie guard-ship here. [Kentish Post, 8 October 1748]

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