British Fifth Rate frigate 'Castor' (1785)

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...

Castor	3516
Nominal Guns	32	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	30.1.1782	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	1.1783	BWAS-1714
Launched	26.5.1785	BWAS-1714
First Commissioned	7.1790	BWAS-1714
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Harwich - Essex	BWAS-1714
Ship Class	Amazon Class (1770)	BWAS-1714
Designed by	John WilliamsBritish Designer Ship Builder Service 1762-1784	BWAS-1714
Constructor	Joseph GrahamBritish Ship Builder	BWAS-1714
Category	Fifth Rate	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Frigate	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1714
Sold	22.7.1819	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck126' 0"Imperial Feet38.4048
Length of Keel104' 0"Imperial Feet31.6992
Breadth35' 1"Imperial Feet10.6731
Depth in Hold12' 2"Imperial Feet3.683
Draught Forward9' 0"Imperial Feet2.7432
Draught Aft12' 6"Imperial Feet3.7338
Burthen680 ⁷⁷⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

26.5.1785Broadside Weight = 228 Imperial Pound ( 103.398 kg)BWAS-1714
Upper Gun Deck26 British 12-Pounder
Quarterdeck4 British 18-Pound Carronade
Quarterdeck4 British 6-Pounder
Forecastle2 British 18-Pound Carronade
Forecastle2 British 6-Pounder

9.1808Broadside Weight = 466 Imperial Pound ( 211.331 kg)BWAS-1714
Upper Gun Deck22 British 32-Pound Carronade
Quarterdeck4 British 32-Pound Carronade
Quarterdeck2 British 6-Pounder
Forecastle2 British 32-Pound Carronade
Forecastle2 British 12-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
1770220Design Complement

11 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
19.7.1790 - 29.3.1791Captain Transfered ADM 6/24/52BWAS-171414.2.1793 - 9.5.1794Captain ADM 6/24/209BWAS-17141.1795 - 9.1796CaptainBWAS-171412.1798 - 1800CaptainBWAS-17141801CaptainBWAS-17141801 - 1802Captain†BWAS-17141802CaptainBWAS-17148.1803 - 1804CaptainBWAS-17143.1805 - 1806CaptainBWAS-17149.1808 - 10.1810CaptainBWAS-171410.1810 - 8.1815CaptainBWAS-1714

7 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
19.7.1790 - 19.2.1793Second Lieutenant ADM 6/24/52ADM 6/2420.2.1793 - 1793First Lieutenant ADM 6/24/211ADM 6/2420.2.1793 - 16.4.1794Second Lieutenant ADM 6/24/211ADM 6/2420.2.1793 - 16.4.1794Third Lieutenant ADM 6/24/211ADM 6/2417.4.1794 - 1794Second Lieutenant ADM 6/25/33ADM 6/2417.4.1794 - 1794Third Lieutenant ADM 6/25/33ADM 6/251802 - 26.9.1802Lieutenant†TNC

3 Warrant Officers

DatesRankNameSource
1794 - bef.24.5.1794Surgeonref:198121.10.1798 - 31.12.1798GunnerADM 29-125.10.1812 - 22.6.1813Boatswain†BG

4 Petty Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
1801MidshipmanNBD184910.1808 - 7.1810MidshipmanNBD18491809 - 17.4.1809Master's Mate†BG2.1811 - 1811MidshipmanNBD1849

7 Crewmen

DatesRatingNameSource
24.10.1803 - 19.9.1804Ordinary SeamanADM 29/821.11.1804 - 29.4.1805Ordinary SeamanADM 29/81809 - 17.4.1809SeamanBG1809 - 17.4.1809SeamanBG1809 - 17.4.1809SeamanBG1809 - 17.4.1809SeamanBG1809 - 17.4.1809SeamanBG

1 Marine

DatesRankNameSource
1809 - 17.4.1809PrivateBG

Service History

DateEventSource
7.6.1786fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
6.1790Began fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
12.8.1790Completed fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £2795.0.0dBWAS-1714
12.1790Paid offBWAS-1714
2.1793RecommissionedBWAS-1714
2.1793Began fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
4.1793Completed fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £4066.0.0dBWAS-1714
22.5.1793Sailed for the MediterraneanBWAS-1714
6.1793Took a 14-gun privateer in the MediterraneanBWAS-1714
9.5.1794Taken by the French off Cape ClearBWAS-1714
29.5.1794Taken by Off Lands End
6.11.1794Re-registeredBWAS-1714
1.1795RecommissionedBWAS-1714
23.5.1795Sailed for the MediterraneanBWAS-1714
9.1796Paid offBWAS-1714
11.1798Began fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1714
12.1798RecommissionedBWAS-1714
13.2.1799

Docked at Plymouth

TNC
3.1799Completed fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1714
20.3.1799

Sailed from Plymouth on a cruise

TNC
4.1799Sailed for NewfoundlandBWAS-1714
25.12.1799Took the Privateer Off OportoBG
5.4.1801Sailed for the West IndiesBWAS-1714
1802In the West IndiesBWAS-1714
8.1803Began fitting at UnknownBWAS-1714
10.1803Completed fittingBWAS-1714
3.1805RecommissionedBWAS-1714
4.1805At SheernessBWAS-1714
3.1806Began middling repair at Sheerness Dockyard - Sheerness BWAS-1714
9.1808RecommissionedBWAS-1714
1.1809Completed middling repair at Sheerness Dockyard - Sheerness BWAS-1714
27.3.1809Attempted cutting out operation at Port Marin, MartiniqueBWAS-1714
14.4.1809Capture of the d'Hautpoult
16.4.1809Chase of the d'Hautpoule off Porto RicoBWAS-1714
17.4.1809Took the Ship of the Line off Puerto Rico
1811Jamaica and Leeward IslandsBWAS-1714
1812Jamaica and Leeward IslandsBWAS-1714
21.10.1812Sailed for the MediterraneanBWAS-1714
22.6.1813Took the Privateer losing 4 killed, 9 wounded Montgat BG
15.1.1814Took the Privateer off BarcelonaBG
23.1.1814Took the Privateer off BarcelonaBG
8.1815Laid up at PortsmouthBWAS-1714
22.7.1819Sold to G. Bailey at Portsmouth for £2,650BWAS-1714

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Tim Oakley on Monday 16th of July 2012 20:27

9 May 1794 Castor 36 captain Thomas Troubridge taken by the French from Nielly’s squadron while escorting a convoy home from North America, off Cape Clear, Ref Wiki

Make a comment about this page

Recent comments to other pages

Date posted	By	Page
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
Wednesday 3rd of June 2026 19:26	Jon Miller	British Sixth Rate frigate 'Seahorse' (1748) (24) 1748-1784 British 24 Gun 6th Rate Frigate

GDPR Statement