British bomb vessel 'Falcon' (1745)

Three Decks' Forum

Come and ask, answer or inform.

Recent updates

Recent Comments



Falcon

4201
Nominal Guns10BWAS-1714
NationalityGreat Britain
OperatorRoyal Navy
Ordered5.4.1745BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down4.1745BWAS-1714
Named22.11.1745BWAS-1714
Launched30.11.1745BWAS-1714
First Commissioned27.12.1745BWAS-1714
How acquiredPurpose builtBWAS-1714
ShipyardRotherhithe - London - Surrey BWAS-1714
Ship ClassMerlin Class (1743)BWAS-1714
Designed by
Jacob AckworthBritish
Naval Sailor
Designer
Ship Builder
Dockyard Staff
Service 1690-1744
BWAS-1714
CategoryUnratedBWAS-1714
Ship TypeBomb VesselBWAS-1714
Sailing RigKetchBWAS-1714
Wrecked19.4.1759BWAS-1714

Dimensions


DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck91' 7"Imperial Feet27.9146 
Length of Keel74' 8 ¾"Imperial Feet22.5743 
Breadth26' 1"Imperial Feet7.929 
Depth in Hold11' 11 ½"Imperial Feet3.3655 
Burthen270 40⁄94Tons BM 

Armament


30.11.1745Broadside Weight = 33.5 Imperial Pound ( 15.1926 kg)BWAS-1714
Upper Gun Deck10 British 6-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck14 British 1/2-Pound Swivel

1748Broadside Weight = 45.5 Imperial Pound ( 20.6346 kg)BWAS-1714
Upper Gun Deck14 British 6-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck14 British 1/2-Pound Swivel

9.1758Broadside Weight = 19 Imperial Pound ( 8.6168 kg)BWAS-1714
Upper Gun Deck8 British 4-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck12 British 1/2-Pound Swivel
Upper Gun Deck1 British 12 1/2" Mortar
Upper Gun Deck1 British 13" Mortar

Crew Complement


Date# of MenNotesSource
1743110Design Complement
1748125 BWAS-1714

9 Ship Commanders


DatesRankNameSource
27.12.1745 - 27.5.1747Commander
Richard GwynnBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1739-1760
ADM 6/17/35ADM 6/1727.5.1747 - 23.11.1747Commander
John CampbellBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1737-1790
ADM 6/17/229BWAS-171423.11.1747 - 27.11.1748Commander
Thomas SaumarezBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1730-1760
ADM 6/17/286BWAS-171427.11.1748 - 17.2.1749/50Commander
John RussellBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1741-1753
ADM 6/17/507BWAS-171410.6.1752 - 27.12.1753Commander
Richard EdwardsBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1740-1794
ADM 6/18/37BWAS-171427.12.1753 - 19.1.1755Commander
Robert RouthBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1739-1760

Issued by
Thomas CoatesBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1722-1762
, Jamaica - Greater Antilles
Confirmed 1.5.1755BWAS-171419.1.1755 - 5.4.1756Commander
Charles WebberBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1743-1780
ADM 6/18/314
Issued by
Thomas CoatesBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1722-1762
, Jamaica - Greater Antilles
Confirmed 6.10.1759BWAS-17145.4.1756 - 13.7.1756Commander
Walker FarrBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1746-1755
Transfered ADM 6/18/293BWAS-171427.9.1758 - 19.4.1759Commander
Mark RobinsonBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1740-1787
ADM 6/18/540ADM 6/18

5 Commissioned Officers


DatesRankNameSource
28.11.1748 - 19.8.1749Lieutenant
William ManleyBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1741-1749
ref:82218.8.1749 - 17.2.1749/50Lieutenant
Robert SuttieBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1748-1755
ADM 6/17/514
Issued by
Isaac TownsendBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1696-1746
, North America
Confirmed 13.3.1749/50ADM 6/1717.4.1754 - 19.1.1755Lieutenant
Gamaliel NightingaleBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1744-1763
Transfered ADM 6/18/173
Issued by
Thomas CoatesBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1722-1762
, Jamaica - Greater Antilles
Confirmed 10.6.1755ADM 6/186.8.1755 - 8.2.1756Lieutenant
George WatsonBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1745-1773
ADM 6/18/385
Issued by
Thomas CoatesBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1722-1762
, Jamaica - Greater Antilles
Confirmed 13.4.1757ADM 6/185.4.1756 - 23.4.1756Lieutenant
William MainwaringBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1756-1758
Transfered ADM 6/18/298
Issued by
Thomas CoatesBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1722-1762
, Jamaica - Greater Antilles
Confirmed 4.8.1756ADM 6/18

7 Petty Officers


DatesRatingNameSource
27.11.1748 - 17.2.1749/50Midshipman
John BrownBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1748-1767
ADM 107/4/408ADM 107/419.10.1752 - 19.2.1753Master's Mate
John JacksonBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1742-1778
ADM 107/4/350ADM 107/412.2.1753 - 1.9.1753Master's Mate
John ChapmanBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1747-1784
Transfered ADM 107/4/279ADM 107/411.5.1753 - 31.1.1755Midshipman
William ClarkBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1748-1766
Transfered ADM 107/4/337ADM 107/422.8.1753 - 24.8.1753Midshipman
John JacksonBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1742-1778
ADM 107/4/350ADM 107/425.8.1753 - 26.4.1755Master's Mate
John JacksonBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1742-1778
Transfered ADM 107/4/350ADM 107/44.8.1755 - 4.4.1756Midshipman
Connolly HodgsonBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1749-1777
Transfered ADM 107/4/395ADM 107/4

4 Crewmen


DatesRatingNameSource
17.7.1748 - 26.11.1748Able Seaman
John BrownBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1748-1767
ADM 107/4/408ADM 107/423.10.1752 - 10.5.1753Able Seaman
William ClarkBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1748-1766
ADM 107/4/337ADM 107/420.2.1753 - 21.8.1753Able Seaman
John JacksonBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1742-1778
ADM 107/4/350ADM 107/47.5.1756 - 31.7.1756Able Seaman
William TruscottBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1747-1797
ADM 107/4/394ADM 107/4

Service History


DateEventSource
4.1745Began building at Rotherhithe - London - Surrey BWAS-1714
30.11.1745Completed building at Rotherhithe - London - Surrey at a cost of £2144.0.0dBWAS-1714
30.11.1745Began fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1714
9.2.1745/46Completed fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford at a cost of £2050.9.5dBWAS-1714
3.5.17471st Battle of Cape Finisterre
16.6.1747Took the Privateer
Le Foudre (24) 1747-1747
French 24 Gun
Privateer Unknown
and carried in PlymouthBG
5.7.1747Took the Privateer
La Parfaite (Unknown) 1747-1747
French Unknown Gun
Privateer Unknown

7.1748Sailed for the West IndiesBWAS-1714
16.3.1748/49

Surveyed

BWAS-1714
17.2.1749/50

Paid off

ADM 33
2.1751Began great repair at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1714
7.1752Completed great repair at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford at a cost of £3291.13.11dBWAS-1714
12.1752Sailed for Anamboc, Africa and then to JamaicaBWAS-1714
1756Returned home to pay offBWAS-1714
25.6.1756Took the Privateer
Le Pont Carré (Unknown) 1756-1756
French Unknown Gun
Privateer Unknown

31.7.1756Paid offADM 33
5.8.1756SurveyedBWAS-1714
18.8.1757SurveyedBWAS-1714
9.1758Recommissioned and sailed for the West IndiesBWAS-1714
9.1758Refitted as a 8 gun Unrated Bomb Vessel
9.1758Began fitting at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich BWAS-1714
10.1758Completed fitting at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich at a cost of £5511.16.0dBWAS-1714
16.1.1759Attack on Martinique
20.1.1759Capture of Guadeloupe
19.4.1759Bilged on the Saintes, near Guadaloupe and sankBWAS-1714

 
Previous comments on this page

Posted by Jon Miller on Thursday 21st of May 2026 18:21

London, 4 January 1750: Yesterday the Falcon sloop of war, Capt Russel, arrived at Portsmouth from Jamaica, having on board a great deal of bullion and specie for the merchants. [Kentish Post, 6 January 1750]

Make a comment about this page






Recent comments to other pages

Date postedByPage
Thursday 4th of June 2026 20:01James Daschuk
British steam sloop 'Devastation' (1841) (6) 1841-1866
British 6 Gun
Unrated Steam Sloop
Thursday 4th of June 2026 14:56AvM
British Merchant east indiaman 'Zephyr' (1790) (8) 1790-1798
British 8 Gun
Merchant East Indiaman
Wednesday 3rd of June 2026 19:37Jon 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 19:33Jon Miller
British Sixth Rate ship 'Mercury' (1745) (20) 1745-1753
British 20 Gun
6th Rate Ship
Wednesday 3rd of June 2026 19:26Jon Miller
British Sixth Rate frigate 'Seahorse' (1748) (24) 1748-1784
British 24 Gun
6th Rate Frigate
Copyright © Cy Harrison 2010-2026, all rights reserved
GDPR Statement