British sloop 'Helicon' (1808)

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Britannia (100) 1762-1825
British 100 Gun
1st Rate Ship of the Line
1812 Renamed "Princess Royal"
1812 Renamed "Saint George"
1819 Renamed "Barfleur"
(1762)
Devastation (6) 1841-1866
British 6 Gun
Unrated Steam Sloop
(1841)
Zephyr (8) 1790-1798
British 8 Gun
Merchant East Indiaman
(1790)
Pembroke (60) 1733-1749
British 60 Gun
4th Rate Ship of the Line
(1733)
Mercury (20) 1745-1753
British 20 Gun
6th Rate Ship
(1745)
Seahorse (24) 1748-1784
British 24 Gun
6th Rate Frigate
(1748)
Charles PowlettBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1728-1749
Namur (74) 1746-1749
British 74 Gun
3rd Rate Ship of the Line
(1746)
Namur (74) 1746-1749
British 74 Gun
3rd Rate Ship of the Line
(1746)
Shark (8) 1732-1755
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Unrated Sloop
(1732)
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Helicon
Nominal Guns	10	BWAS-1793
Nationality	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	31.12.1807	BWAS-1793
Keel Laid Down	5.1808	BWAS-1793
Launched	5.8.1808	BWAS-1793
How acquired	Built by Contract	BWAS-1793
Shipyard	Upnor - Kent	BWAS-1793
Ship Class	Cherokee Class (1807)	BWAS-1793
Designed by	Sir Henry PeakeBritish Designer Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1762-1813	BWAS-1793
Constructor	John KingBritish Ship Builder Service 1769	BWAS-1793
Category	Unrated	BWAS-1793
Ship Type	Sloop	BWAS-1793
Sailing Rig	Brig	BWAS-1793
Broken Up	7.1829	BWAS-1793

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1793
Length of Gundeck90' 2"Imperial Feet27.4828
Length of Keel74' 0"Imperial Feet22.5552
Breadth24' 7"Imperial Feet7.3597
Depth in Hold11' 0"Imperial Feet3.3528
Draught Forward6' 5"Imperial Feet1.9558
Draught Aft9' 2"Imperial Feet2.794
Burthen237 ⁸²⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

5.8.1808Broadside Weight = 78 Imperial Pound ( 35.373 kg)B181
Gun Deck8 British 18-Pound Carronade
Bow Chaser2 British 6-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
26.11.180775Design Complement

11 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
9.1808 - 17.5.1810CommanderBWAS-17936.1810 - 7.1810LieutenantBWAS-17937.1810 - 7.6.1814CommanderBWAS-17937.6.1814 - 4.10.1816CommanderBWAS-17934.10.1816 - 1818CommanderBWAS-17931819 - 5.1821CommanderBWAS-17935.1821 - 9.1824CommanderBWAS-17939.1824 - 7.1825CommanderBWAS-17937.1825 - 1.1828CommanderBWAS-17931.1828 - 5.1829CommanderBWAS-17935.1829 - 6.1829CommanderNBD1849

1 Commissioned Officer

DatesRankNameSource
5.12.1810 - 9.1815LieutenantNBD1849

1 Warrant Officer

DatesRankNameSource
14.7.1825 - 23.4.1828Masterref:1871

Service History

DateEventSource
8.8.1808Began fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1793
9.1808Commissioned for the DownsBWAS-1793
21.11.1808Completed fitting at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1793
25.6.1812Took the Privateer off Île Bas
22.12.1813Took the Schooner off the Eddystone
10.1816At CorkBWAS-1793
12.1817Began middling repair at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1793
4.1819Completed middling repair at Plymouth Dockyard - Plymouth BWAS-1793
7.1829Broken up at SheernessBWAS-1793

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

B181David Lyon, Book

BWAS-1793Rif Winfield, Book

NBD1849O'Brien, Digital Book

ref:1871 Archive

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Date posted	By	Page
Monday 8th of June 2026 17:20	F.F.	British First Rate ship of the line 'Britannia' (1762) (100) 1762-1825 British 100 Gun 1st Rate Ship of the Line 1812 Renamed "Princess Royal" 1812 Renamed "Saint George" 1819 Renamed "Barfleur"
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

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