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

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Britannia (100) 1762-1825
British 100 Gun
1st Rate Ship of the Line
1812 Renamed "Princess Royal"
1812 Renamed "Saint George"
1819 Renamed "Barfleur"
(1762)
Devastation (6) 1841-1866
British 6 Gun
Unrated Steam Sloop
(1841)
Zephyr (8) 1790-1798
British 8 Gun
Merchant East Indiaman
(1790)
Pembroke (60) 1733-1749
British 60 Gun
4th Rate Ship of the Line
(1733)
Mercury (20) 1745-1753
British 20 Gun
6th Rate Ship
(1745)
Seahorse (24) 1748-1784
British 24 Gun
6th Rate Frigate
(1748)
Charles PowlettBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1728-1749
Namur (74) 1746-1749
British 74 Gun
3rd Rate Ship of the Line
(1746)
Namur (74) 1746-1749
British 74 Gun
3rd Rate Ship of the Line
(1746)
Shark (8) 1732-1755
British 8 Gun
Unrated Sloop
(1732)
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Essex
Nominal Guns	64	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	13.12.1758	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	31.1.1759	BWAS-1714
Named	13.8.1760	BWAS-1714
Launched	28.8.1760	BWAS-1714
First Commissioned	20.1.1761	BWAS-1714
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Rotherhithe - London - Surrey	BWAS-1714
Designed by	Sir Thomas SladeBritish Designer Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1744-1783	BWAS-1714
Constructor	Wells & BronsdonBritish Ship Builder	BWAS-1714
Category	Third Rate	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Ship of the Line	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1714
Sold	22.8.1799	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck158' 1 ¼"Imperial Feet48.1648
Length of Keel129' 9"Imperial Feet39.3271
Breadth44' 2"Imperial Feet13.4239
Depth in Hold18' 10"Imperial Feet5.4864
Burthen1,346 ²⁷⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

28.8.1760Broadside Weight = 600 Imperial Pound ( 272.1 kg)BWAS-1714
Lower Gun Deck26 British 24-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck26 British 18-Pounder
Quarterdeck10 British 9-Pounder
Forecastle2 British 9-Pounder

1794Broadside Weight = 678 Imperial Pound ( 307.473 kg)BWAS-1714
Lower Gun Deck26 British 24-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck26 British 18-Pounder
Quarterdeck2 British 24-Pound Carronade
Quarterdeck10 British 9-Pounder
Forecastle2 British 9-Pounder
Roundhouse6 British 18-Pound Carronade

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
26.1.1759470Design Complement
1761500 BWAS-1714
1794491 BWAS-1714

3 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
21.1.1761 - 27.1.1763Captain ADM 6/19/268BWAS-17146.5.1763 - 26.12.1763Captain ADM 6/19/493BWAS-171426.12.1763 - 22.7.1766Captain ADM 6/19/558BWAS-1714

2 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
30.11.1761 - 14.9.1762Second Lieutenant ADM 6/19/369ADM 6/1914.9.1762 - 27.1.1763First Lieutenant ADM 6/19/436ADM 6/19

Service History

DateEventSource
9.1760Began fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1714
6.10.1760Completed at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford at a cost of £21742.10.9dBWAS-1714
6.10.1760Completed fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford at a cost of £7915.7.2dBWAS-1714
29.3.1761Expedition against Belle-Isle
11.1761Sternpost copperedBWAS-1714
7.3.1762Took the Privateer BG
8.3.1762Took the Privateer
9.3.1762Took the Privateer off UshantBG
20.3.1762Took the Privateer
27.1.1763

Paid off

ADM 33
5.1763Recommissioned as a guard shipBWAS-1714
6.1763fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
22.9.1764Sailed for JamaicaBWAS-1714
5.1766Began small repair at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
22.7.1766

Paid off

BWAS-1714
12.1766Completed small repair at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £5157.8.3dBWAS-1714
1.1777Refitted as a Unrated Receiving Ship
1.1777fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
7.1778Began fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
8.1778Refitted as a Unrated Hulk
8.1778Completed fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
11.1783Began fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
2.1784Refitted as a Unrated Receiving Ship
2.1784Completed fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

ADM 33 Archive

ADM 6/19 Archive

BGOfficial, Web Site

BWAS-1714Rif Winfield, Book

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Date posted	By	Page
Monday 8th of June 2026 17:20	F.F.	British First Rate ship of the line 'Britannia' (1762) (100) 1762-1825 British 100 Gun 1st Rate Ship of the Line 1812 Renamed "Princess Royal" 1812 Renamed "Saint George" 1819 Renamed "Barfleur"
Thursday 4th of June 2026 20:01	James Daschuk	British steam sloop 'Devastation' (1841) (6) 1841-1866 British 6 Gun Unrated Steam Sloop
Thursday 4th of June 2026 14:56	AvM	British Merchant east indiaman 'Zephyr' (1790) (8) 1790-1798 British 8 Gun Merchant East Indiaman
Wednesday 3rd of June 2026 19:37	Jon Miller	British Fourth Rate ship of the line 'Pembroke' (1733) (60) 1733-1749 British 60 Gun 4th Rate Ship of the Line
Wednesday 3rd of June 2026 19:33	Jon Miller	British Sixth Rate ship 'Mercury' (1745) (20) 1745-1753 British 20 Gun 6th Rate Ship

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