British Sixth Rate ship 'Wager' (1744)

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Wager

7214
Nominal Guns20BWAS-1714
NationalityGreat Britain
OperatorRoyal Navy
Ordered30.4.1743BWAS-1714
Keel Laid Down19.5.1743BWAS-1714
Launched2.6.1744BWAS-1714
First Commissioned28.6.1744BWAS-1714
How acquiredPurpose builtBWAS-1714
ShipyardRotherhithe - London - Surrey BWAS-1714
Ship Class1741 Establishment 20-Gunner (1741)BWAS-1714
Designed by
Jacob AckworthBritish
Naval Sailor
Designer
Ship Builder
Dockyard Staff
Service 1690-1744
BWAS-1714
Constructor
John QuallettBritish
Ship Builder
Service 1755
BWAS-1714
CategorySixth RateBWAS-1714
Ship TypeShipBWAS-1714
Sailing RigShip RiggedBWAS-1714
Sold10.11.1763BWAS-1714

Dimensions


DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck112' 6"Imperial Feet34.1503 
Length of Keel91' 7 ¼"Imperial Feet27.7432 
Breadth32' 4 ¾"Imperial Feet9.7727 
Depth in Hold11' 0 ½"Imperial Feet3.3655 
Burthen511 35⁄94Tons BM 

Armament


2.6.1744Broadside Weight = 90 Imperial Pound ( 40.815 kg)BWAS-1714
Upper Gun Deck20 British 9-Pounder

1.1752Broadside Weight = 102 Imperial Pound ( 46.257 kg)BWAS-1714
Lower Gun Deck2 British 9-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck20 British 9-Pounder
Quarterdeck2 British 3-Pounder

Crew Complement


Date# of MenNotesSource
1741140Design Complement

8 Ship Commanders


DatesRankNameSource
28.6.1744 - 9.3.1744/45Captain
Samuel LoftingBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1728-1745
ADM 6/16/330BWAS-17149.3.1744/45 - 23.6.1748Captain
Arthur ForrestBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1740-1744
B05121.1.1751/52 - 23.9.1755Captain
Thomas SaumarezBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1730-1760
Transfered ADM 6/18/23BWAS-171411.2.1756 - 29.9.1756Captain
William PrestonBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1733-1750
† Discharged Dead ADM 6/18/235BWAS-171412.3.1757 - 7.8.1759Captain
William ShurmurBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1739-1760
ADM 6/19/73
Issued by
The Hon. George TownshendBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1729-1765
, Jamaica - Greater Antilles
Confirmed 21.6.1759BWAS-17147.8.1759 - 18.2.1760Captain
Francis WyattBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1740-1760
ADM 6/19/511
Issued by
Thomas CoatesBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1722-1762
, Jamaica - Greater Antilles
Confirmed 15.6.1763ADM 6/1918.2.1760 - 1.4.1761Captain
Robert Alexander LambertBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1745-1780
Transfered ADM 6/19/136BWAS-171410.7.1761 - 14.3.1763Captain
Thomas FitzherbertBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1739-1794
ADM 6/19/328BWAS-1714

5 Commissioned Officers


DatesRankNameSource
16.2.1744/45 - 23.6.1748Lieutenant
John BallvairdBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1723-1748
ADM 6/16/442ADM 6/1623.1.1751/52 - 19.1.1755Lieutenant
Edward GascoigneBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1731-1763
ADM 6/18/23ADM 6/1819.1.1755 - 30.9.1755Lieutenant
Gamaliel NightingaleBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1744-1763
Transfered ADM 6/18/172
Issued by
Thomas CoatesBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1722-1762
, Jamaica - Greater Antilles
Confirmed 10.6.1755ADM 6/1815.7.1757 - 25.8.1758Lieutenant
James BurnettBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1747-1762
Transfered ADM 6/19/15
Issued by
Thomas CoatesBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1722-1762
, Jamaica - Greater Antilles
Confirmed 26.12.1758ADM 6/1925.8.1758 - 6.5.1760Lieutenant
Robert CurryBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1748-1796
Transfered ADM 6/19/142
Issued by
Thomas CoatesBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1722-1762
, Jamaica - Greater Antilles
Confirmed 4.3.1760ADM 6/19

1 Warrant Officer


DatesRankNameSource
7.11.1754 - 3.9.1755Master
Thomas TonkenBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1749-1791
Transfered ADM 107/4/352ADM 107/4

3 Petty Officers


DatesRatingNameSource
20.10.1752 - 5.6.1754Midshipman
Samuel MayBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1744-1756
ADM 107/4/275ADM 107/419.5.1753 - 13.12.1753Midshipman
Francis BuckworthBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1752-1759
Transfered ADM 107/5/28ADM 107/514.10.1757 - 3.1.1760Midshipman
William QuarmeBritish
Naval Sailor
Service 1754-1799
Transfered ADM 107/5/295ADM 107/5

Service History


DateEventSource
2.6.1744building at Rotherhithe - London - Surrey at a cost of £4394.17.0dBWAS-1714
2.6.1744Began fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1714
26.7.1744Completed fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford at a cost of £3649.6.10dBWAS-1714
14.3.1744/45Took the Privateer
La Chatte (Unknown) 1745-1745
French Unknown Gun
Privateer Unknown

5.4.1745Took the Privateer
Nuestra Señora de Soledad (Unknown) 1745-1746
Spanish Unknown Gun
Privateer Unknown

1746Sailed to Jamaica from Newfoundland
11.1747Began middling repair at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham BWAS-1714
4.1748Completed middling repair at Chatham Dockyard - Chatham at a cost of £5690.1.2dBWAS-1714
23.6.1748

Paid off at Deptford Dockyard

ADM 106
17.8.1748

Surveyed

BWAS-1714
11.1748Began small repair at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1714
2.1749Completed small repair at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford at a cost of £1147.3.4dBWAS-1714
10.1751Began fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford BWAS-1714
1.1752Recommissioned
1.1752Refitted as a 24 gun Sixth Rate Ship
3.1752Completed fitting at Deptford Dockyard - Deptford at a cost of £2130.9.1dBWAS-1714
5.1752Sailed for Jamaica
1754Ordered home
10.1755Began great repairBWAS-1714
3.10.1755

Surveyed

BWAS-1714
2.1756Recommissioned
11.2.1756

Sailed for Jamaica

BWAS-1714
6.1756Completed great repair at a cost of £2497.3.5dBWAS-1714
1761Cruising in home waters
24.12.1762Sailed for Jamaica
14.3.1763Paid offADM 51
10.6.1763Surveyed
15.6.1763Ordered to be sold
10.11.1763Sold at Sheerness for £300

 
Previous comments on this page

Posted by Jon Miller on Wednesday 27th of May 2026 11:00

London, 21 January 1752: Commodore Cotes is appointed Captain of the Wager man of war, and commander of a squadron of men of war, which are to sail to the West-Indies to relieve Commodore Townshend. [Kentish Post, 25 January 1752]

Posted by Jon Miller on Wednesday 27th of May 2026 02:17

London, 25 January 1752: Thursday his Majesty’s ship the Wager was put into commission, and the command thereof given to Captain Saumarez. [Kentish Post, 29 January 1752]

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