British Third Rate ship of the line 'Orford' (1749)

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Orford	268
Nominal Guns	68	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	31.8.1745	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	24.2.1745/46	BWAS-1714
Launched	15.11.1749	BWAS-1714
First Commissioned	6.3.1755	BWAS-1714
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich	BWAS-1714
Constructor	Thomas FellowesBritish Designer Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1718-1753	BWAS-1714
Category	Third Rate	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Ship of the Line	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1714
Sunk as Breakwater	6.1783	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck160' 0"Imperial Feet48.768
Length of Keel131' 4"Imperial Feet39.9321
Breadth45' 0"Imperial Feet13.716
Depth in Hold19' 4"Imperial Feet5.8025
Burthen1,414 ⁵⁶⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

15.11.1749Broadside Weight = 731 Imperial Pound ( 331.5085 kg)BWAS-1714
Lower Gun Deck26 British 32-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck28 British 18-Pounder
Quarterdeck12 British 9-Pounder
Forecastle2 British 9-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
1745520Design Complement

11 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
6.3.1755 - 5.4.1755Captain ADM 6/18/143BWAS-17145.4.1755 - 17.1.1757Captain ADM 6/18/152BWAS-171417.1.1757 - 27.1.1757Captain Transfered ADM 6/18/344ADM 6/1827.1.1757 - 11.11.1761Captain Transfered ADM 6/18/349BWAS-171411.11.1761 - 20.9.1763Captain ADM 6/19/362BWAS-171417.11.1770 - 27.2.1771Captain ADM 6/20/315ADM 6/2027.2.1771 - 13.3.1771Captain ADM 6/20/351ADM 6/2013.3.1771 - 10.2.1772Captain ADM 6/20/359ADM 6/2010.2.1772 - 1.6.1775Captain ADM 6/20/525
Issued by
Confirmed 1.11.1773BWAS-171413.2.1777 - 25.6.1782Lieutenant ADM 6/21/259BWAS-171425.6.1782 - bef.6.1783Lieutenant ADM 6/22/485BWAS-1714

5 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
6.3.1755 - 21.3.1755Fourth Lt. & Lt. at Arms Transfered ADM 6/18/144ADM 6/185.4.1755 - 5.5.1756First Lieutenant ADM 6/18/152ADM 6/1821.4.1756 - 14.5.1756Second Lieutenant ADM 6/18/258ADM 6/1814.5.1756 - 3.2.1757First Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/18/265ADM 6/183.2.1757 - 20.9.1763First Lieutenant ADM 6/18/352ADM 6/18

Service History

DateEventSource
12.12.1749Completed at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich at a cost of £31223.11.3dBWAS-1714
13.11.1755Present at the destruciton of the Esperance (74, armed en-flute)BWAS-1714
16.4.1757Sailed for North AmericaBWAS-1714
8.1757Louisbourg Expedition
6.6.1758The Siege of Louisbourg
16.2.1759Sailed for North AmericaBWAS-1714
6.1759Seige of Quebec
9.1759At QuebecBWAS-1714
4.4.1760Took the Schooner
13.8.1761Took the Privateer in the Bay of Biscay
13.8.1761Took the Privateer in the Bay of Biscay
25.2.1762Sailed for the Leeward IslandsBWAS-1714
6.6.1762Operations against Havana
20.9.1763Paid offADM 51
15.5.1764SurveyedBWAS-1714
23.7.1765SurveyedBWAS-1714
1766Began great repair at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
8.1767Completed great repair at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £28659.10.5dBWAS-1714
11.1770RecommissionedBWAS-1714
25.3.1771Sailed for the East IndiesBWAS-1714
1.6.1775Paid offADM 51
5.1776Began fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
7.1776Completed fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
1.1777Began fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
2.1777Refitted as a Unrated Hospital Ship
3.1777Completed fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
6.1783Sunk as a breakwater at SheernessBWAS-1714

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

ADM 51 Archive

ADM 6/18 Archive

ADM 6/20 Archive

BWAS-1714Rif Winfield, Book

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Jon Miller on Wednesday 20th of May 2026 10:54

London, 29 August 1749: In a few days the Orford man of war, building at Woolwich, will be launched; she is esteemed one of the finest built ships in Europe. [Kentish Post, 2 September 1749]

Posted by Tim Oakley on Saturday 13th of October 2018 19:22

Reference: ADM 106/1198/81
Description:
Captain John Strachan, the Orford at the Nore to Commissioner Hanway. The reason the Boatswain did not fetch the stores appointed for him was because we have no boat or craft to get them to the ship. Ask for his survey and expense books, not including those stores, to be sent down immediately

Date: 1771 Feb 28

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