British Third Rate ship of the line 'Lion' (1777)

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Lion	367
Nominal Guns	64	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	12.10.1768	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	5.1769	BWAS-1714
Launched	3.9.1777	BWAS-1714
First Commissioned	5.1778	BWAS-1714
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth	BWAS-1714
Ship Class	Worcester Class (1765)	BWAS-1714
Designed by	Sir Thomas SladeBritish Designer Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1744-1783	BWAS-1714
Constructor	Edward HuntBritish Ship Builder Administrator Dockyard Staff Service 1757-1809	BWAS-1714
Category	Third Rate	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Ship of the Line	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1714
Sold for Break Up	31.11.1837	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck159' 0"Imperial Feet48.4632
Length of Gundeck1,377 ⁸⁶⁄₉₄Tons BM
Length of Keel130' 4"Imperial Feet39.6274
Breadth44' 8"Imperial Feet13.462
Depth in Hold19' 0"Imperial Feet5.7912
Draught Forward11' 11"Imperial Feet3.3782
Draught Aft16' 0"Imperial Feet4.8768

Armament

3.9.1777Broadside 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

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
11.1765500Design Complement

22 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
16.5.1778 - 3.9.1778Captain† Discharged Dead ADM 6/21/406BWAS-171423.9.1778 - 23.6.1781Captain Transfered ADM 6/21/454BWAS-171427.6.1781 - 14.12.1782Captain ADM 6/22/304BWAS-171414.12.1782 - 8.1783Captain ADM 6/23/152
Issued by , North America
Confirmed 13.10.1783BWAS-171412.6.1790 - 1.5.1792Captain ADM 6/24/40BWAS-17141.5.1792 - 10.1794Captain ADM 6/24/163BWAS-17142.1795CaptainBWAS-17142.1795 - 1796CaptainBWAS-17141796 - 1797CaptainBWAS-17147.1797 - 9.1797CaptainBWAS-17149.1797 - 4.1800CaptainBWAS-17144.1800 - 7.1800CaptainBWAS-17147.1800 - 11.1800CaptainBWAS-17143.1801 - 1804CaptainBWAS-171412.1805 - 2.1808CaptainBWAS-17142.1808 - 1812CaptainBWAS-17141812CaptainBWAS-171426.1.1812 - 3.1813Acting CaptainNBD184928.2.1812 - 1813CaptainBWAS-17141813 - 8.1813CaptainBWAS-17146.4.1813 - 1813CaptainBWAS-17148.1813 - 24.5.1814CaptainNBD1849

4 Flag Officers

DatesRankNameSource
1782 - 1783Rear-Admiral of the RedBWAS-17141812 - 1813Rear-Admiral of the RedBWAS-171431.1.1812 - 11.8.1812Rear-Admiral of the Red ADM 196/68/191BWAS-171412.8.1812 - 31.8.1812Vice-Admiral of the Blue Transfered ADM 196/68/191ADM 196

10 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
2.9.1790 - 19.10.1790Fourth Lieutenant ADM 6/24/65ADM 6/2420.10.1790 - 5.10.1791Third Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/24/80ADM 6/2420.10.1790 - 30.4.1792Fourth Lieutenant ADM 6/24/80ADM 6/241.5.1792 - 1792First Lieutenant ADM 6/24/163ADM 6/241.5.1792 - 1792Second Lieutenant ADM 6/24/163ADM 6/241.5.1792 - 1792Third Lieutenant ADM 6/24/163ADM 6/241.5.1792 - 1792Fourth Lieutenant ADM 6/24/163ADM 6/2420.5.1793 - 1793Fifth Lieutenant ADM 6/24/240ADM 6/2421.9.1795 - 15.7.1798LieutenantADM 6/2416.1.1810 - 26.1.1812LieutenantNBD1849

8 Petty Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
1778 - 1779Midshipmanref:6161778 - 12.1780MidshipmanRNLPC1780 - 6.3.1781Midshipmanref:6169.1792 - 1794Midshipmanref:6161796MidshipmanTGM1797 - 4.1800MidshipmanNBD184910.1806 - 6.1810MidshipmanNBD18491.1813 - 4.1814MidshipmanNBD1849

5 Crewmen

DatesRatingNameSource
1792 - 1794Captain's ServantNBD184922.5.1794 - 12.10.1794Able SeamanNAO1.5.1796 - 17971st Class VolunteerNBD184915.1.1806 - 3.3.18083rd Class BoyNBD184921.1.1806 - 18061st Class VolunteerNBD1849

1 Passenger

DatesRankNameSource
16.8.1780 - 25.11.1780CaptainNAO

Service History

DateEventSource
10.1777Began fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
7.9.1778Completed at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £26220.18.10dBWAS-1714
7.9.1778Completed fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £4923.4.3dBWAS-1714
26.12.1778Sailed for the Leeward IslandsBWAS-1714
1779At JamaicaBWAS-1714
6.7.1779Battle of Grenada
20.3.17801st Action off Monti Christi
20.6.1780Action off Monti Christi
12.1780Began coppering and fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
1.1781Completed coppering and fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £8255.14.11dBWAS-1714
20.7.1781Sailed to AmericaBWAS-1714
24.9.1781Arrived in North AmericaBWAS-1714
12.9.1782Took the Ship BG
14.9.1782Took the Frigate In the Delaware
8.1783Paid offBWAS-1714
2.1787Began middling repair at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
9.1787Completed middling repair at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £13489.0.0dBWAS-1714
6.1790Recommissioned for the Spanish ArmamentBWAS-1714
7.1790fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £4759.0.0dBWAS-1714
9.1791Paid offBWAS-1714
5.1792RecommissionedBWAS-1714
26.9.1792Sailed for ChinaBWAS-1714
10.1794Paid offBWAS-1714
10.1794Began fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
2.1795Recommissioned for the North SeaBWAS-1714
4.1795Completed fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £8518.0.0dBWAS-1714
1797Nore mutinyBWAS-1714
2.6.1798Sailed for the MediterraneanBWAS-1714
15.7.1798Action of 1798-07-15
15.7.1798Took the Frigate at the action of 1798/07/15
31.3.1800Capture of the Guillaume Tell
11.1800Paid offBWAS-1714
2.1801Began fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
3.1801RecommissionedBWAS-1714
5.1801Completed fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £13545.0.0dBWAS-1714
20.5.1801Sailed for the East IndiesBWAS-1714
12.1804Began repairs at Deptford - London BWAS-1714
12.1805RecommissionedBWAS-1714
12.1805Completed repairs at Deptford - London at a cost of £58124.0.0dBWAS-1714
12.1805Began fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1714
1.1806Completed fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford at a cost of £15509.0.0dBWAS-1714
5.1806Sailed for the East IndiesBWAS-1714
27.12.1807Took the Lugger off Beachy Headref:692
18.7.1810Sailed for the East IndiesBWAS-1714
7.1811At the reduction of JavaBWAS-1714
1812Flagship at Cape of Good HopeBWAS-1714
8.1814Refitted as a Other Vessels Sheer Hulk
8.1814fitting at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth at a cost of £15509.0.0dBWAS-1714
9.1816Moved to SheernessBWAS-1714
31.11.1837Sold at Chatham to John Levy & Son for £2,300 for breaking upBWAS-1714

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Cy on Thursday 18th of September 2025 09:29

Yes it is, check the reference to the National Archives. However he wasn't the commander, just a passenger. I've updated the record.

Posted by RONALD SEGERS on Thursday 18th of September 2025 07:36

SHIP COMMANDERS LIST HORATIO NELSON AS CAPTAIN FROM 18/06/1780 TO 25/11/1780. THIS IS NOT CONFIRMED ANYWHERE?

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