British Fifth Rate frigate 'Orpheus' (1809)

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Recent Comments

Griffin (14) 1780-1780
American 14 Gun
Privateer Brigantine
(1780)
Wilkes (14) 1779-1780
American 14 Gun
Privateer Sloop
(1779)
Fairy (14) 1778-1811
British 14 Gun
Unrated Sloop
(1778)
Elizabeth (74) 1769-1797
British 74 Gun
3rd Rate Ship of the Line
(1769)
La Diane (32) 1779-1780
French 32 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
(1779)
Hussar (28) 1763-1780
British 28 Gun
6th Rate Frigate
(1763)
Nonsuch (64) 1774-1802
British 64 Gun
3rd Rate Ship of the Line
(1774)
La Légère (32) 1765-1780
French 32 Gun
5th Rate Frigate
(1765)
Le Hussard (18) 1780-1780
French 18 Gun
Privateer Unknown
(1780)
Le Printemps (4) 1780-1780
French 4 Gun
Privateer Unknown
(1780)
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Orpheus
Nominal Guns	36	BWAS-1793
Nationality	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	27.2.1808	BWAS-1793
Keel Laid Down	8.1808	BWAS-1793
Launched	12.8.1809	BWAS-1793
How acquired	Purpose built	BWAS-1793
Shipyard	Deptford Dockyard - Deptford	BWAS-1793
Ship Class	Apollo Class (1798)	BWAS-1793
Designed by	William RuleBritish Designer Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1778-1813	BWAS-1793
Constructor	Robert John NelsonBritish Ship Builder Dockyard Staff Service 1789-1793	BWAS-1793
Category	Fifth Rate	BWAS-1793
Ship Type	Frigate	BWAS-1793
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1793
Broken Up	8.1819	BWAS-1793

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1793
Length of Gundeck145' 0"Imperial Feet44.196
Length of Keel121' 8 ¾"Imperial Feet36.8999
Breadth38' 3"Imperial Feet11.5824
Depth in Hold13' 4"Imperial Feet3.9624
Burthen947 ²⁸⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

12.8.1809Broadside Weight = 476 Imperial Pound ( 215.866 kg)BWAS-1793
Upper Gun Deck26 British 18-Pounder
Quarterdeck10 British 32-Pound Carronade
Quarterdeck2 British 9-Pounder
Forecastle4 British 32-Pound Carronade
Forecastle2 British 9-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
1798264Design Complement

3 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
8.1809 - 22.1.1810Captain†BWAS-179322.1.1810 - 1.11.1810CaptainBWAS-17931.11.1810 - 1814CaptainW025

1 Commissioned Officer

DatesRankNameSource
8.1814 - 11.1814Acting LieutenantNBD1849

2 Petty Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
8.1809 - 8.1811MidshipmanNBD18499.1809 - 13.1.1810MidshipmanNBD1849

Service History

DateEventSource
12.8.1809Began fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1793
21.9.1809Completed fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1793
24.11.1809Sailed for the Leeward IslandsBWAS-1793
28.4.1813Took the Privateer
11.5.1813Took the Brig
20.4.1814Took the Sloop
11.1814Convoy to the East IndiesBWAS-1793
9.1816Laid up at ChathamBWAS-1793
8.1819Broken up at ChathamBWAS-1793

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

BWAS-1793Rif Winfield, Book

NBD1849O'Brien, Digital Book

W025P. Davis, Web Site

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Date posted	By	Page
Friday 19th of June 2026 06:00	Jon Miller	American Privateer brigantine 'Griffin' (1780) (14) 1780-1780 American 14 Gun Privateer Brigantine
Friday 19th of June 2026 05:59	Jon Miller	American Privateer sloop 'Wilkes' (1779) (14) 1779-1780 American 14 Gun Privateer Sloop
Friday 19th of June 2026 05:58	Jon Miller	British sloop 'Fairy' (1778) (14) 1778-1811 British 14 Gun Unrated Sloop
Friday 19th of June 2026 05:48	Jon Miller	British Third Rate ship of the line 'Elizabeth' (1769) (74) 1769-1797 British 74 Gun 3rd Rate Ship of the Line
Friday 19th of June 2026 00:08	Jon Miller	French Fifth Rate frigate 'La Diane' (1779) (32) 1779-1780 French 32 Gun 5th Rate Frigate

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