British Fifth Rate ship 'Penzance' (1747)

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Penzance

5753
Nominal Guns44BWAS-1714
NationalityGreat Britain
OperatorRoyal Navy
Ordered6.1.1745/46BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down1.1746BWAS-1714
Launched7.11.1747BWAS-1714
First Commissioned5.12.1747BWAS-1714
How acquiredPurpose builtBWAS-1714
ShipyardChichester - Sussex BWAS-1714
Ship Class1745 Establishment 44-Gunner (1745)BWAS-1714
Constructor
and Vernon ChittyBritish
Ship Builder
BWAS-1714
CategoryFifth RateBWAS-1714
Ship TypeShipBWAS-1714
Sailing RigShip RiggedBWAS-1714
Sold13.5.1766BWAS-1714

Dimensions


DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck134' 9"Imperial Feet40.8499 
Length of Keel109' 4"Imperial Feet33.2345 
Breadth37' 7 ½"Imperial Feet11.2903 
Depth in Hold15' 10 ½"Imperial Feet4.5847 
Burthen823 26⁄94Tons BM 

Armament


7.11.1747Broadside 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
1745280Design Complement

9 Ship Commanders


DatesRankNameSource
5.12.1747 - 18.12.1748Captain
Jervis Henry PorterBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1732-1763
ADM 6/17/291BWAS-171418.2.1751/52 - 23.1.1753Commodore
Charles SaundersBritish
Naval Sailor
Marine
Service 1727-1773
ADM 6/18/25BWAS-171423.1.1753 - 11.2.1755Captain
Hugh BonfoyBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1731-1735
ADM 6/18/56BWAS-171411.2.1755 - 12.2.1756Captain
Richard DorrillBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1739-1759
ADM 6/18/135BWAS-171418.11.1757 - 13.1.1758Captain
John KnightBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1727-1766
Transfered ADM 6/18/453ADM 6/1819.1.1758 - 31.8.1758Captain
Thomas WardBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1740-1759
ADM 6/18/474BWAS-171431.8.1758 - 2.7.1760Captain
William GoughBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1737-1756
† Discharged Dead ADM 6/18/535BWAS-17145.11.1761 - 26.3.1762Captain
John BoydBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1738-1762
BWAS-171426.3.1762 - 1.12.1762Captain
Philip BotelerBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1743-1780
ADM 6/19/453
Issued by
George Brydges RodneyBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1740-1782
, Barbados - Windward Islands - Barbados & the Leeward Islands
Confirmed 6.12.1762BWAS-1714

11 Commissioned Officers


DatesRankNameSource
7.12.1747 - 18.12.1748First Lieutenant
Robert TaylorBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1730-1759
ADM 6/17/293ADM 6/177.12.1747 - 23.5.1748Second Lieutenant
William OsborneBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1737-1763
ADM 6/17/293ADM 6/177.12.1747 - 3.5.1748Third Lt. & Lt. at Arms
Thomas AllwrightBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1731-1772
ADM 6/17/293ADM 6/173.5.1748 - 18.12.1748Third Lt. & Lt. at Arms
Lancelot SkynnerBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1748-1756
ADM 3/17/349ADM 6/175.3.1751/52 - 13.2.1755Third Lt. & Lt. at Arms
Robert SuttieBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1748-1755
ADM 6/18/27ADM 6/1818.11.1757 - 6.2.1758First Lieutenant
John TrehearneBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1735-1780
ADM 6/18/453ADM 6/1821.11.1757 - 6.9.1758Second Lieutenant
Nathaniel AllenBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1739-1771
ADM 6/18/454ADM 6/186.9.1758 - 2.7.1759First Lieutenant
Nathaniel AllenBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1739-1771
ADM 6/18/536ADM 6/1812.12.1758 - 2.7.1759Third Lieutenant
John RogersBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1735-1762
ADM 6/19/12ADM 6/192.7.1759 - 1.12.1762First Lieutenant
John RogersBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1735-1762
ADM 6/19/75ADM 6/1911.7.1759 - 7.5.1762Third Lieutenant
William RedmonBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1752-1783
ADM 6/19/78ADM 6/19

3 Petty Officers


DatesRatingNameSource
22.8.1752 - 28.8.1754Midshipman
John FrodshamBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1752-1783
ADM 107/5/50ADM 107/510.4.1753 - 16.1.1754Midshipman
Rawlins HeyBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1747-1752
ADM 107/4/268ADM 107/417.1.1754 - 4.6.1755Master's Mate
Edward KatonBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1743-1774
ADM 107/4/307ADM 107/4

8 Crewmen


DatesRatingNameSource
2.7.1752 - 21.8.1752Captain's Servant
John FrodshamBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1752-1783
ADM 107/5/50ADM 107/54.7.1752 - 28.4.1753Able Seaman
John RaynorBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1746-1780
ADM 107/4/343ADM 107/413.1.1753 - 7.2.1753Able Seaman
Percy PowlettBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1746-1771
ADM 107/4/251ADM 107/421.1.1753 - 9.4.1753Able Seaman
Rawlins HeyBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1747-1752
ADM 107/4/268ADM 107/413.2.1753 - 16.1.1754Able Seaman
Basil KeithBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1747-1751
ADM 107/4/267ADM 107/416.9.1753 - 16.1.1754Able Seaman
Edward KatonBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1743-1774
ADM 107/4/307ADM 107/429.8.1754 - 21.5.1755Able Seaman
John FrodshamBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1752-1783
Transfered ADM 107/5/50ADM 107/526.10.1756 - 8.10.1757Able Seaman
Henry ClarkBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1747-1762
Transfered ADM 107/5/180ADM 107/5

Service History


DateEventSource
7.11.1747building at Chichester - Sussex at a cost of £8343.10.0dBWAS-1714
7.11.1747Began fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
1748Sailed to North AmericaBWAS-1714
15.4.1748Completed fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £3784.7.0dBWAS-1714
18.12.1748Paid off at Portsmouth Dockyard ADM 106
28.1.1748/49SurveyedBWAS-1714
1753On the Newfoundland stationBWAS-1714
20.6.1755Sailed for NewfoundlandBWAS-1714
12.2.1756Paid offADM 51
9.1757Began fitting at UnknownBWAS-1714
1.1758Completed fitting at a cost of £3074.12.1dBWAS-1714
10.4.1758Sailed with a Baltic convoyBWAS-1714
11.3.1760Sailed for North AmericaBWAS-1714
6.1761In the Leeward IslandsBWAS-1714
3.6.1761Occupation of Dominica
7.1.1762Operations against Martinique
24.2.1762At St LuciaBWAS-1714
24.2.1762Capture of Saint Lucia
6.6.1762Operations against Havana
1.12.1762Paid offADM 51
13.5.1766Sold at Plymouth for £500BWAS-1714

 
Previous comments on this page

Posted by Jon Miller on Wednesday 27th of May 2026 18:46

Gosport, 1 March 1752: Yesterday his Majesty’s ship the Penzance of forty guns was put into commission in this harbour, and the command is given to Capt Saunders. [Kentish Post, 7 March 1752]

Posted by Jon Miller on Wednesday 27th of May 2026 18:41

Gosport, 5 March1752: On Tuesday arrived at Spithead from the Nore, his Majesty’s ship Phoenix, having on board the men draughted from the guardships at Chatham; and yesterday morning they were sent into the harbour and put on board the Tyger and Invincible, &c. The Tyger, Invincible, Penzance, and Jason men of war , are fitting for sea service with all expedition. [Kentish Post, 14 March 1752]

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