British Fifth Rate frigate 'Boadicea' (1797)

Three Decks' Forum

Come and ask, answer or inform.

Recent updates

Added
Sea-flower (4) 1714-1718
British 4 Gun
Merchant Sloop
Added
Charles BainsBritish
Ship Owner
Merchant Sailor
Service 1714-1718
Added
John ScottBritish
Merchant Sailor
Service 1798
Update
La Vengeance (20) 1797-1800
French 20 Gun
Privateer Unknown
Update
Zephyr (8) 1790-1798
British 8 Gun
Merchant East Indiaman
Update
Woodcot (Unknown) 1786-1798
British Unknown Gun
Merchant East Indiaman
Update
Raymond (Unknown) 1782-1798
British Unknown Gun
Merchant East Indiaman (EIC Regular Ship)
Update
Cassandra (26) 1720-1723
Pirate 26 Gun
6th Rate Ship
Update
Cassandra (26) 1719-1720
British 26 Gun
Merchant East Indiaman
Added
Richard LazenbyBritish
Naval Sailor
Pirate
Service 1719-1723
See more...

Boadicea	3347
Nominal Guns	38	BWAS-1793
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	30.4.1795	BWAS-1793
Keel Laid Down	9.1795	BWAS-1793
Named	14.11.1795	BWAS-1793
Launched	12.4.1797	BWAS-1793
How acquired	Built by Contract	BWAS-1793
Shipyard	Buckler's Hard - Hampshire	BWAS-1793
Constructor	Balthazar AdamsBritish Ship Builder Service 1783-1814	BWAS-1793
Category	Fifth Rate	BWAS-1793
Ship Type	Frigate	BWAS-1793
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1793
Broken Up	22.5.1858	BWAS-1793

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1793
Length of Gundeck148' 6"Imperial Feet45.1136
Length of Keel124' 0 ½"Imperial Feet37.8079
Breadth39' 8"Imperial Feet11.9098
Depth in Hold12' 8"Imperial Feet3.7592
Burthen1,038 ¹⁰⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

6.1797Broadside Weight = 517 Imperial Pound ( 234.4595 kg)BWAS-1793
Upper Gun Deck28 British 18-Pounder
Quarterdeck14 British 32-Pound Carronade
Forecastle2 British 32-Pound Carronade
Forecastle2 British 9-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
6.1797284 BWAS-1793

6 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
6.1797 - 3.1801CaptainBWAS-17933.1801 - 1802CaptainBWAS-179312.1802 - 6.1808CaptainBWAS-17936.1808 - 2.1811CaptainBWAS-179316.2.1811 - 5.1811CaptainBWAS-179310.1824 - 19.12.1826Captain†BWAS-1793

3 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
10.1824 - 2.12.1825LieutenantNBD18494.8.1826 - 18.1.1827LieutenantNBD18493.1827 - 7.1827LandmanNBD1849

1 Warrant Officer

DatesRankNameSource
7.7.1797 - 5.5.1802MasterADM 29-1

1 Petty Officer

DatesRatingNameSource
7.1799 - 7.1800MidshipmanNBD1849

Service History

DateEventSource
9.1795Began building at Buckler's Hard - Hampshire BWAS-1793
12.4.1797Completed building at Buckler's Hard - Hampshire at a cost of £16885.0.0dBWAS-1793
17.4.1797Began fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1793
9.9.1797Completed fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £30669.0.0dBWAS-1793
19.10.1797Took the Brig BG
17.11.1797Took the Corvette in the ChannelBG
9.12.1798Took the Ship BG
20.2.1799Took the Cutter in the Channel
8.3.1799Took the Privateer
1.4.1799Took the Sloop in the ChannelBG
2.7.1799Attack on Aix Roads
6.1800Quiberon operationsBWAS-1793
14.7.1800Took the in the Channel
1.1801Took the Gunvessel off Brest
20.8.1801Took the Sixth Rate by boats at Corunna
12.1802RecommissionedBWAS-1793
3.1803Completed fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1793
4.1803Began fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1793
6.1803Took a small privateerBWAS-1793
29.8.1803Action of 1803-08-29
25.11.1803Took the Lugger off Finisterre
1804Off RochefortBWAS-1793
2.11.1805Sighted Dumanoir's squadronBWAS-1793
15.12.1805Sighted Leissegue's and Willaumez's squadrons in the AtlanticBWAS-1793
1806On the Irish StationBWAS-1793
1807On the Irish StationBWAS-1793
9.2.1809Sailed for the Cape of Good HopeBWAS-1793
7.1810Occupation of St Paul , ReunionBWAS-1793
6.7.1810The Capture of Reunion
12.9.1810Capture of the Africaine
17.9.1810Capture of the Ceylon
18.9.1810Took the Frigate off Mauritius
18.9.1810Took the Frigate off Reunion
19.10.1810Off Port Louis, MauritiusTRN5
5.1811Laid up in Ordinary at PlymouthBWAS-1793
2.1815Began large repair at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1793
8.1816Laid up in Ordinary at PlymouthBWAS-1793
8.1816Completed large repair at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth at a cost of £35433.0.0dBWAS-1793
10.1824RecommissionedBWAS-1793
10.1824Recommissioned for the East IndiesBWAS-1793
10.1824Began fitting for sea at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1793
1825In the Burma WarBWAS-1793
1.1825Completed fitting for sea at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth at a cost of £9387.0.0dBWAS-1793
1827Returned homeBWAS-1793
12.1829Began middling repair at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1793
12.1830Completed middling repair at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £10027.0.0dBWAS-1793
1831Laid upBWAS-1793
1854Harbour serviceBWAS-1793
22.5.1858Breaking up completed at ChathamBWAS-1793

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

ADM 29-1 Document

BGOfficial, Web Site

BWAS-1793Rif Winfield, Book

NBD1849O'Brien, Digital Book

TRN5William Laird Clowes, Digital Book

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Jon Miller on Tuesday 2nd of June 2026 05:16

Plymouth, 30 December 1802: Went up the harbour the Aggressor gun brig, and the Hunter, of 18 guns, Capt Jones, to refit. At last it is settled that the Boadicea, of 44 guns, Captain Maitland, is to be commissioned, and not the Beaulieu. [Kentish Post, 7 January 1803]

Make a comment about this page

Recent comments to other pages

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

GDPR Statement