British Fifth Rate ship 'Gosport' (1741)

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Gosport	4505
Nominal Guns	44	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	14.12.1739	BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down	10.1.1740	BWAS-1714
Launched	20.2.1740/41	BWAS-1714
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Limehouse - London	BWAS-1714
Ship Class	1733 Establishment 44-Gunner (1733)	BWAS-1714
Constructor	Thomas SnelgroveBritish Ship Builder Service 1740-1745	BWAS-1714
Category	Fifth Rate	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Ship	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1714
Broken Up	16.6.1768	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck124' 0"Imperial Feet37.7952
Length of Keel101' 9 ⅜"Imperial Feet30.7943
Breadth35' 8 ⅜"Imperial Feet10.6775
Depth in Hold14' 7"Imperial Feet4.3117
Burthen691 ¹⁷⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

20.2.1740/41Broadside Weight = 222 Imperial Pound ( 100.677 kg)BWAS-1714
Lower Gun Deck20 British 12-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck20 British 9-Pounder
Quarterdeck4 British 6-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
1733250Design Complement

8 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
19.2.1740/41 - 6.1742Captain† Discharged Dead ADM 6/15/382BWAS-171426.5.1744 - 6.7.1744Captain ADM 6/16/311BWAS-17147.7.1744 - 6.11.1744Captain Transfered ADM 6/16/355ADM 6/1616.11.1744 - 8.2.1747/48Captain ADM 6/16/375BWAS-17146.4.1751 - 1.2.1751/52Captain ADM 6/17/545BWAS-171429.8.1754 - 5.3.1760Captain Transfered ADM 6/18/109BWAS-171425.4.1760 - 13.10.1760Captain Transfered ADM 6/19/160BWAS-171413.10.1760 - 11.3.1763Captain ADM 6/19/203BWAS-1714

19 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
21.2.1740/41 - 31.8.1741First Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/15/385ADM 6/1521.2.1740/41 - 31.8.1741Third Lt. & Lt. at Arms ADM 6/15/388ADM 6/151.9.1741 - 27.12.1743Second Lieutenant ADM 6/15/447ADM 6/1515.6.1744 - 20.6.1744First Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/16/322ADM 6/1615.6.1744 - 21.7.1746Second Lieutenant ADM 6/16/322ADM 6/1630.6.1744 - 27.10.1746First Lieutenant ADM 6/16/331ADM 6/1615.4.1745 - 21.7.1746Third Lt. & Lt. at Arms ADM 6/17/318
Issued by , The Mediterranean Sea
Confirmed 5.2.1747/48ADM 6/1721.7.1746 - 27.10.1746Second Lieutenant ADM 6/17/318
Issued by , The Mediterranean Sea
Confirmed 5.2.1747/48ADM 6/1721.7.1746 - 27.10.1746Third Lt. & Lt. at Arms ADM 6/17/297
Issued by , Barbados - Windward Islands - Barbados & the Leeward Islands
Confirmed 17.12.1747ADM 6/1727.10.1746 - 8.2.1747/48First Lieutenant ADM 6/17/318
Issued by , The Mediterranean Sea
Confirmed 5.2.1747/48ADM 6/1727.10.1746 - 8.2.1747/48Second Lieutenant ADM 6/17/297
Issued by , Barbados - Windward Islands - Barbados & the Leeward Islands
Confirmed 17.12.1747ADM 6/176.4.1751 - 13.1.1751/52First Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/17/545ADM 6/1716.10.1755 - 25.4.1757Third Lieutenant ADM 6/18/202ADM 6/189.1.1756 - 25.1.1757First Lieutenant ADM 6/18/226ADM 6/1825.1.1757 - 25.4.1757First Lieutenant ADM 6/18/348ADM 6/1825.4.1757 - 8.5.1759Second Lieutenant ADM 6/18/389ADM 6/188.5.1759 - 20.3.1760First Lieutenant Transfered ADM 6/19/63ADM 6/188.5.1759 - 1.4.1760Third Lieutenant ADM 6/19/63ADM 6/191.4.1760 - 11.3.1763Second Lieutenant ADM 6/19/152ADM 6/19

1 Warrant Officer

DatesRankNameSource
16.12.1744 - 14.4.1745Master ADM 107/4/186ADM 107/4

6 Petty Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
1741MidshipmanE-WIKI23.6.1751 - 25.3.1752Midshipman ADM 107/4/233ADM 107/45.9.1751 - 5.6.1752Midshipman Transfered ADM 107/4/267ADM 107/410.4.1753 - 14.1.1754Master's Mate Transfered ADM 107/4/280ADM 107/429.9.1754 - 3.8.1755Midshipman Transfered ADM 107/4/395ADM 107/46.10.1754 - 7.2.1757Midshipman ADM 107/4/406ADM 107/4

3 Crewmen

DatesRatingNameSource
24.5.1751 - 25.1.1751/52Able Seaman Transfered ADM 107/4/257ADM 107/426.6.1751 - 8.5.1752Able Seaman Transfered ADM 107/4/354ADM 107/418.10.1751 - 5.8.1752Able Seaman Transfered ADM 107/4/360ADM 107/4

Service History

DateEventSource
20.2.1740/41building at Limehouse - London at a cost of £7119.0.0dBWAS-1714
20.2.1740/41Began fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1714
16.5.1741Completed fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford at a cost of £4126.19.2dBWAS-1714
1742In the Leeward IslandsBWAS-1714
1743In New EnglandBWAS-1714
27.12.1743Paid offADM 51
3.1743/44Began small repair at Sheerness Dockyard - Sheerness BWAS-1714
5.1744RecommissionedBWAS-1714
8.1744Completed small repair at Sheerness Dockyard - Sheerness at a cost of £5493.10.4dBWAS-1714
1745Africa and BarbadosBWAS-1714
1746In the Leeward IslandsBWAS-1714
1747In the Leeward IslandsBWAS-1714
8.2.1747/48

Paid off

BWAS-1714
4.1748Began middling repair at Limehouse - London BWAS-1714
4.1751RecommissionedBWAS-1714
5.1751Completed middling repair at Limehouse - London at a cost of £8587.12.3dBWAS-1714
5.1751Began fitting at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich BWAS-1714
6.1751Sailed for Nova ScotiaBWAS-1714
12.6.1751Completed fitting at Woolwich Dockyard - Woolwich at a cost of £566.4.3dBWAS-1714
1.2.1751/52Paid offADM 51
4.1752Began small repair at Sheerness Dockyard - Sheerness BWAS-1714
5.1752Completed small repair at Sheerness Dockyard - Sheerness at a cost of £1416.11.2dBWAS-1714
8.1754RecommissionedBWAS-1714
30.11.1754Sailed for Africa and then to the West IndiesBWAS-1714
28.4.1757Sailed for NewfoundlandBWAS-1714
23.3.1758Sailed for NewfoundlandBWAS-1714
24.5.1759Sailed for NewfoundlandBWAS-1714
15.5.1760Sailed with a Baltic convoyBWAS-1714
12.8.1760Took the Privateer Olsund, Norway
1761Cruising in the SoundingsBWAS-1714
7.4.1762Sailed with a North American convoyBWAS-1714
9.1762Returned homeBWAS-1714
11.3.1763

Paid off

BWAS-1714
16.6.1768Broken up at Chatham for £262.14.6dBWAS-1714

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Jon Miller on Wednesday 27th of May 2026 06:56

Gosport, 26 December 1751: Since my last arrived at Spithead, his Majesty’s ship the Gosport, Capt Pye, from Nova Scotia. She sailed in company with the Torrington man of war, from Chebucto Harbour, but parted in a gale of wind about a fortnight after they came out. Kentish Post, 4 January 1752]

Posted by Jon Miller on Wednesday 27th of May 2026 02:05

London, 4 January 1752: Thursday ws held a Board of Admiralty when their Lordships continued the Gosport, Commodore Pye, the Torrington, Capt Hutchinson, from Nova Scotia, and the King’s Fisher, lately arrived from Gibraltar, in commission. And put into commission the Buckingham man of war of 70 guns, a new ship now at Chatham. [Kentish Post, 8 January 1752]

Posted by Jon Miller on Monday 25th of May 2026 02:02

London, 13 April 1751: Thursday was held a Board of the Admiralty, when the Gosport of 40 guns, and the Centaur were put into commission. [Kentish Post, 17 April 1751]

Posted by Jon Miller on Monday 25th of May 2026 01:55

London, 16 April 1751: The Lords of the Admiralty have appointed Captain Hutchenson commander of the Torrington man of war, of forty guns; Capt Pye commander of the Gosport, of forty guns; and Capt Crosby commander of the Santloe of twenty guns; which men of war are to join Commodore Edgecumbe’s squadron, in order to sail to the Mediterranean, and relieve Commodore Keppel. [Kentish Post, 20 April 1751]

Posted by Fran on Friday 7th of October 2022 12:45

According to his will, written on 18 August 1744, Cook Gadd of Hitchin, Herts., was a surgeon serving on HMS Gosport. He subsequently served on HMS Lenox and HMS Dorchester (although the latter is unclear). The probate entry for his will is 1751

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