British Third Rate ship of the line 'Thunderer' (1760)

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Thunderer

311
Nominal Guns74BWAS-1714
NationalityGreat Britain
OperatorRoyal Navy
Ordered15.7.1756BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down17.9.1756BWAS-1714
Launched18.5.1760BWAS-1714
First Commissioned24.3.1760BWAS-1714
How acquiredPurpose builtBWAS-1714
ShipyardWoolwich Dockyard - Woolwich BWAS-1714
Ship ClassHero Class (1756)BWAS-1714
Designed by
Sir Thomas SladeBritish
Designer
Ship Builder
Dockyard Staff
Service 1744-1783
BWAS-1714
Constructor
William PownallBritish
Ship Builder
BWAS-1714
CategoryThird RateBWAS-1714
Ship TypeShip of the LineBWAS-1714
Sailing RigShip RiggedBWAS-1714
Foundered5.10.1780BWAS-1714

Dimensions


DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck166' 6"Imperial Feet50.5991 
Length of Keel136' 0"Imperial Feet41.4528 
Breadth47' 2"Imperial Feet14.3329 
Depth in Hold19' 9"Imperial Feet5.8166 
Burthen1,609 33⁄94Tons BM 

Armament


18.5.1760Broadside Weight = 781 Imperial Pound ( 354.1835 kg)BWAS-1714
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
7.7.1756550Design Complement

4 Ship Commanders


DatesRankNameSource
24.3.1760 - 4.3.1763Captain
Charles ProbyBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1745-1772
ADM 6/19/149BWAS-17146.9.1763 - 25.7.1766Captain
Samuel HoodBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1741-1793
ADM 6/19/534BWAS-171423.2.1778 - 15.2.1780Captain
The Hon. Robert BoyleBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1748-1780
ADM 6/21/371BWAS-171415.2.1780 - 8.11.1782Captain
William Henry King O'HaraBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1768-1789
Transfered ADM 6/22/89ADM 6/22

1 Flag Officer


DatesRankNameSource
15.2.1780 - 5.10.1780Commodore
The Hon. Robert BoyleBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1748-1780
† Discharged DeadBWAS-1714

4 Commissioned Officers


DatesRankNameSource
24.3.1760 - 14.2.1763Second Lieutenant
James StewartBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1744-1763
ADM 6/19/149ADM 6/196.4.1761 - 12.7.1762Fifth Lieutenant
The Hon. William CornwallisBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1755-1807
ADM 6/19/422
Issued by
Charles SaundersBritish
Naval Sailor
Marine
Service 1727-1773
, The Mediterranean Sea
Confirmed 12.7.1762ref:6766.9.1763 - 13.9.1764First Lieutenant
Thomas PorterBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1750-1771
ADM 6/19/534ADM 6/1923.2.1778 - 21.9.1778First Lieutenant
Isaac HoyBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1732-1780
Transfered ADM 6/21/371ADM 6/21

1 Crewman


DatesRatingNameSource
20.4.1760 - 28.4.1760Supernumerary
Abraham CrespinBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1729-1781
Transfered ADM 107/5/343ADM 107/5

Service History


DateEventSource
18.5.1760Completed at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich at a cost of £39155.16.9dBWAS-1714
21.7.1760Sailed for the MediterraneanBWAS-1714
17.7.1761Action of 17th July 1761
17.7.1761Took the Ship of the Line
L'Achille (64) 1747-1761
French 64 Gun
3rd Rate Ship of the Line
off Vigo losing 20 killedBWAS-1714
17.7.1761Took the Frigate
La Bouffonne (32) 1758-1761
French 32 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
E-WIKI
4.3.1763Paid offADM 51
4.1763fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
9.1763Recommissioned as a guardshipBWAS-1714
1765Carried troops to AmericaBWAS-1714
7.1766Began fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
25.7.1766Paid offADM 51
9.1766Completed fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £7522.11.3dBWAS-1714
10.1772Began large repair at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich BWAS-1714
24.10.1772Paid offADM 51
11.1777Completed large repair at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich at a cost of £28160.14.3dBWAS-1714
2.1778RecommissionedBWAS-1714
27.7.17781st Battle of Ushant
31.12.1779Affair of Fielding and Bylandt
2.1780Began fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
3.1780Completed fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £7903.16.5dBWAS-1714
28.5.1780Sailed for the Leeward IslandsBWAS-1714
12.7.1780Joined Rodney's fleetBWAS-1714
5.10.1780Foundered with all hands in a hurricane off San DomingoBWAS-1714

 
Previous comments on this page

Posted by Jon Miller on Thursday 28th of May 2026 20:31

London, 16 February 1801: The Diligence brig, of 16 guns, was lately lost on a ridge of rocks, off the NW side of Cuba; the officers and crew escaped from wreck to a small island, where, with wretched accommodation, they remained three days, when the Thunderer, of 74 guns, hove in sight and picked them up. Previously to this, however, the Spaniards, who had witnessed their condition, sent an armed vessel for the purpose of making Capt Ross and his people prisoners, but the boats of the Thunderer fortunately fell with, and captured her. London Packet, 16 February 1801]

Posted by Des grant on Saturday 6th of January 2018 19:53

there was two Richard boyle'S onboard . RBW commodore. RBN captain. They were related. The commodore's flag was flying , as commander of the small squadron , RBN was captain . Both died. Captain cook's 16 year old son (mid) was onboard. Nathaniel

Posted by Des grant on Saturday 6th of January 2018 19:46

there was two Richard boyle'S onboard . RBW commodore. RBN captain. They were related. The commodore's flag was flying , as commander of the small squadron , RBN was captain . Both died. Captain cook's 16 year old son (mid) was onboard. Nathaniel

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