British Fifth Rate ship 'Lark' (1744)

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Lark

5032
Nominal Guns44BWAS-1714
NationalityGreat Britain
OperatorRoyal Navy
Ordered14.4.1743BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down2.4.1743BWAS-1714
Launched30.6.1744BWAS-1714
First Commissioned11.5.1744BWAS-1714
How acquiredPurpose builtBWAS-1714
ShipyardLiverpool - Lancashire BWAS-1714
Ship Class1741 Establishment 44-Gunner (1741)BWAS-1714
Constructor
Richard GolightlyBritish
Ship Owner
Ship Builder
Service 1744-1746
BWAS-1714
CategoryFifth RateBWAS-1714
Ship TypeShipBWAS-1714
Sailing RigShip RiggedBWAS-1714
Sold4.8.1757BWAS-1714

Dimensions


DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck126' 1"Imperial Feet38.4058 
Length of Keel102' 7"Imperial Feet31.1785 
Breadth36' 1"Imperial Feet10.977 
Depth in Hold15' 5 ½"Imperial Feet4.5847 
Burthen710 42⁄94Tons BM 

Armament


30.6.1744Broadside Weight = 282 Imperial Pound ( 127.887 kg)BWAS-1714
Lower Gun Deck20 British 18-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck20 British 9-Pounder
Quarterdeck4 British 6-Pounder

Crew Complement


Date# of MenNotesSource
1741250Design Complement

4 Ship Commanders


DatesRankNameSource
11.5.1744 - 28.5.1746Captain
John WickhamBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1719-1759
Transfered ADM 6/16/307BWAS-171429.5.1746 - 22.1.1746/47Captain
David CheapBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1730-1747
ADM 6/17/109BWAS-171422.1.1746/47 - 6.2.1747/48Captain
John CrookshanksBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1725-1779
ADM 6/17/193BWAS-17146.2.1747/48 - 23.6.1750Captain
Edward HughesBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1735-1793
ADM 6/17/524BWAS-1714

15 Commissioned Officers


DatesRankNameSource
24.4.1744 - 23.6.1745Third Lt. & Lt. at Arms
William UnderdownBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1744-1749
Transfered ADM 6/16/300ADM 6/169.1.1744/45 - 10.1.1744/45First Lieutenant
Washington ShirleyBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1735-1778
Transfered ADM 6/16/419ADM 6/1611.1.1744/45 - 2.4.1746First Lieutenant
Paul LovelaceBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1726-1757
ADM 6/16/420ADM 6/1624.6.1745 - 27.3.1746Third Lt. & Lt. at Arms
James StevensBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1745-1783
Transfered ADM 6/17/85
Issued by
Peter WarrenBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1716-1748
, Barbados - Windward Islands - Barbados & the Leeward Islands
Confirmed 5.4.1746ADM 6/173.4.1746 - 17.6.1746First Lieutenant
Thomas FoleyBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1741-1767
ADM 6/17/83ADM 6/173.4.1746 - 13.4.1746Third Lt. & Lt. at Arms
William ConeyBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1744-1754
Transfered ADM 6/17/83ADM 6/1715.4.1746 - 4.5.1746Third Lt. & Lt. at Arms
James BrydgesBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1744-1752
ADM 6/17/89ADM 6/175.5.1746 - 17.6.1746Third Lt. & Lt. at Arms
Francis TuckerBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1745-1770
ADM 6/17/100ADM 6/1718.6.1746 - 20.3.1746/47Second Lieutenant
Francis TuckerBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1745-1770
ADM 6/17/117ADM 6/1718.6.1746 - 25.5.1747Third Lt. & Lt. at Arms
John SmithBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1746-1763
Transfered ADM 6/17/117ADM 6/176.3.1746/47 - 23.6.1748First Lieutenant
Robert CraigBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1734-1758
ADM 6/17/205ADM 6/1720.3.1746/47 - 19.11.1748Second Lieutenant
John CrispoBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1734-1771
ADM 6/17/209ADM 6/1725.5.1747 - 23.6.1748Third Lt. & Lt. at Arms
David YoungBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1739-1759
ADM 6/17/227ADM 6/1719.11.1748 - 18.8.1749Second Lieutenant
Robert SuttieBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1748-1755
Transfered ADM 6/17/514
Issued by
Charles KnowlesBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1718-1770
, Jamaica - Greater Antilles
Confirmed 13.3.1749/50ADM 6/1729.5.1750 - 6.7.1750Third Lt. & Lt. at Arms
John RawlingBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1744-1750
ADM 6/17/529
Issued by
Isaac TownsendBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1696-1746
, North America
Confirmed 9.8.1750ADM 6/17

1 Petty Officer


DatesRatingNameSource
19.5.1744 - 9.4.1745Master's Mate
James RobsonBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1738-1747
ADM 6/86/277ADM 6/86

1 Crewman


DatesRatingNameSource
21.9.1749 - 6.7.1750Able Seaman
John RobsonBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1743-1783
ADM 107/4/417ADM 107/4

Service History


DateEventSource
1745Sailed to NewfoundlandBWAS-1714
6.1747Sailed for North AmericaBWAS-1714
15.7.1747

Encounter with the <IDShip=2758=ID> off the Azores

BWAS-1714
15.7.1747Warwick vs Glorioso
2.1748At JamaicaBWAS-1714
6.7.1750

Paid off

ADM 33
16.8.1750

Surveyed

BWAS-1714
4.8.1757

Sold at Woolwich for £602

BWAS-1714

 
Previous comments on this page

Posted by Jon Miller on Tuesday 26th of May 2026 09:59

London, 13 July 1751: Mr James Collett, one of the messengers to the Lords of the Admiralty, is appointed Purser of his Majesty’s ship the Lark, in the room of Mr Kirk, appointed Purser of a sixty-gun ship. [Kentish Post, 13 July 1751]

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