British Sixth Rate ship 'Fox' (1740)

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1st Rate Ship of the Line
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1819 Renamed "Barfleur"
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Fox
Nominal Guns	20	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	13.8.1739	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	16.9.1739	BWAS-1714
Launched	1.5.1740	BWAS-1714
First Commissioned	25.4.1740	BWAS-1714
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Rotherhithe - London - Surrey	BWAS-1714
Ship Class	1733 Establishment 20-Gunner (1733)	BWAS-1714
Designed by	The SurveyorsBritish Designer Ship Builder Service 1739-1806	BWAS-1714
Constructor	John BuxtonBritish Ship Builder	BWAS-1714
Category	Sixth Rate	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Ship	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1714
Foundered	15.11.1745	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck106' 8"Imperial Feet32.3427
Length of Keel87' 11 ⅛"Imperial Feet26.5208
Breadth30' 8 ⅛"Imperial Feet9.1472
Depth in Hold9' 6"Imperial Feet2.8956
Burthen440 ¹⁸⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

1.5.1740Broadside Weight = 90 Imperial Pound ( 40.815 kg)BWAS-1714
Upper Gun Deck20 British 9-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
1733140Design Complement

4 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
24.4.1740 - 3.11.1740Captain ADM 6/15/281BWAS-17144.11.1740 - 12.11.1742Captain ADM 6/16/357BWAS-171413.11.1742 - 17.4.1744Captain ADM 6/16/117BWAS-171418.4.1744 - 15.11.1745Captain† ADM 6/16/296BWAS-1714

2 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
29.10.1740 - 3.2.1742/43Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/16/354ADM 6/1521.7.1743 - 15.11.1745Lieutenant† ADM 6/16/199ADM 6/16

1 Warrant Officer

DatesRankNameSource
11.5.1744 - 1744Purser ADM 6/16/307ref:1788

Service History

DateEventSource
1.5.1740building at Rotherhithe - London - Surrey at a cost of £3771.5.0dBWAS-1714
1.5.1740Began fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1714
27.6.1740Completed fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford at a cost of £2974.10.5dBWAS-1714
11.1740Off LisbonBWAS-1714
11.1742Off the CanariesBWAS-1714
2.2.1742/43Took the Privateer
19.2.1742/43Took the Privateer
14.3.1743/44Took the Privateer
4.1744In the North SeaBWAS-1714
10.5.1745Took the Privateer about 4 leagues off Flamborough HeadBG
15.11.1745

Foundered with all hands in a gale off Dunbar. She was carrying some Scottish rebel prisoners at the time

BWAS-1714

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

ADM 6/15 Archive

ADM 6/16 Archive

BGOfficial, Web Site

BWAS-1714Rif Winfield, Book

ref:1788Christopher Donnithorne, Book

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Brendan Seeto on Wednesday 21st of December 2022 17:53

HMS Fox was somewhat involved in supporting Sir John Cope's army that opposed the Jacobites at the Battle of Prestonpans. She was apparently on station to the north of the battlefield when the Jacobites attacked the Hanoverian force and defeated it in under 20 minutes. Sailors from HMS Fox were attached to the artillery train that accompanied Sir John's force and acted as gun crews. They fled rather quickly after the battle began in the face of a fiece attack by Clan Cameron.

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