British Fourth Rate ship of the line 'Vigilant' (1745)

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Vigilant	7325
Nominal Guns	60	BWAS-1714
Nationality	Great Britain
Operator	Royal Navy
Previously	French Third Rate ship of the line 'Le Vigilant' (1744) (64) 1744-1745 French 64 Gun 3rd Rate Ship of the Line
Captured	19.5.1745	BWAS-1714
First Commissioned	23.5.1745	BWAS-1714
Shipyard	Brest Dockyard - Brest	NNF-1715
Ship Class	Saint Michel Class (1739)	NNF-1715
Designed by	Jean-Marie HelieFrench Ship Builder	NNF-1715
Constructor	Jacques-Luc CoulombFrench Naval Sailor Designer Ship Builder Service 1728-1768	NNF-1715
Category	Fourth Rate	BWAS-1714
Ship Type	Ship of the Line	BWAS-1714
Sailing Rig	Ship Rigged	BWAS-1714
Sold	11.12.1759	BWAS-1714

Dimensions

DimensionMeasurementTypeMetric EquivalentBWAS-1714
Length of Gundeck153' 9"Imperial Feet46.6387
Length of Keel130' 0"Imperial Feet39.624
Breadth43' 8"Imperial Feet13.1741
Depth in Hold18' 2 ½"Imperial Feet5.4991
Burthen1,318 ⁴⁸⁄₉₄Tons BM

Armament

1747Broadside Weight = 462 Imperial Pound ( 209.517 kg)BWAS-1714
Lower Gun Deck24 British 24-Pounder
Upper Gun Deck24 British 12-Pounder
Quarterdeck8 British 6-Pounder
Forecastle2 British 6-Pounder

Crew Complement

Date# of MenNotesSource
5.1745420 BWAS-1714

3 Ship Commanders

DatesRankNameSource
23.5.1745 - 23.9.1747Captain ADM 6/17/222
Issued by , Barbados - Windward Islands - Barbados & the Leeward Islands
Confirmed 1.5.1747BWAS-171423.9.1747 - 1.3.1748/49Captain ADM 6/17/269BWAS-17141.3.1748/49 - 6.6.1752Captain ADM 6/18/37
Issued by
Confirmed 10.6.1752ADM 6/18

2 Flag Officers

DatesRankNameSource
7.1746 - 1747Rear-Admiral of the WhiteBWAS-17141751 - 26.1.1751/52Commodore† ADM 107/3/65BWAS-1714

8 Commissioned Officers

DatesRankNameSource
7.7.1745 - 4.3.1745/46Third Lt. & Lt. at Arms ADM 6/17/222
Issued by , Barbados - Windward Islands - Barbados & the Leeward Islands
Confirmed 1.5.1747ADM 6/1730.9.1745 - 4.3.1745/46First Lieutenant ADM 6/17/264
Issued by , Barbados - Windward Islands - Barbados & the Leeward Islands
Confirmed 29.8.1747ADM 6/174.3.1745/46 - 16.10.1747First Lieutenant ADM 6/17/222
Issued by , Barbados - Windward Islands - Barbados & the Leeward Islands
Confirmed 1.5.1747ADM 6/174.3.1745/46 - 16.10.1747Second Lieutenant ADM 6/17/225
Issued by , English Channel - British Isles
Confirmed 15.5.1747ADM 6/174.3.1745/46 - 15.10.1747Third Lieutenant ADM 6/17/228
Issued by , Barbados - Windward Islands - Barbados & the Leeward Islands
Confirmed 26.5.1747ADM 6/1716.10.1747 - 1748Second Lieutenant† Discharged Dead ADM 6/17/275ADM 6/1716.10.1747 - 6.6.1752Third Lieutenant ADM 6/17/275ADM 6/1716.10.1747 - 7.11.1751Fourth Lt. & Lt. at Arms ADM 6/17/275ADM 6/17

2 Petty Officers

DatesRatingNameSource
15.11.1747 - 6.6.1752Midshipman ADM 107/4/246ADM 107/49.2.1751/52 - 6.6.1752Midshipman ADM 107/4/236ADM 107/4

3 Crewmen

DatesRatingNameSource
19.7.1747 - 12.11.1747Able Seaman ADM 107/4/168ADM 107/43.11.1747 - 14.11.1747Able Seaman ADM 107/4/246ADM 107/43.10.1749 - 8.2.1751/52Able Seaman ADM 107/4/236ADM 107/4

Service History

DateEventSource
20.5.1745Commissioned at LouisbourgBWAS-1714
30.4.1747Arrived at PortsmouthBWAS-1714
10.6.1747Purchased at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £15185.2.0dBWAS-1714
10.6.1747Began fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth BWAS-1714
9.1747Sailed for the East IndiesBWAS-1714
28.9.1747Completed fitting at Portsmouth Dockyard - Portsmouth at a cost of £9754.0.6dBWAS-1714
1752Returned homeBWAS-1714
6.6.1752Paid off at Chatham Dockyard ADM 6/18
29.6.1752SurveyedBWAS-1714
30.10.1759SurveyedBWAS-1714
3.11.1759Ordered to be soldBWAS-1714
11.12.1759Sold at Chatham for £810BWAS-1714

Fleets
Dates	Fleet	Fleet Commander	Source
1746-1746	British Fleet at Louisbourg	Isaac TownsendBritish Naval Sailor Service 1696-1746

Sources

IDNameAuthorType

ADM 107/4 Archive

ADM 6/17 Archive

ADM 6/18 Archive

BWAS-1714Rif Winfield, Book

NNF-1715Alain Demerliac, Book

Previous comments on this page

Posted by Jon Miller on Thursday 28th of May 2026 02:36

London, 18 April 1752: Commodore Lisle arrived at the Cape of Good-Hope, in his way to England, the latter end of December last, in his Majesty’s ship Vigilant, with the Ruby, Tartar, Syren, and Swallow men of war, which have been in the East-Indies these five years. [Kentish Post, 22 April 1752]

Posted by Nick Serpell on Monday 6th of April 2020 14:32

Walter Serpell from Menheniot Cornwall. According to his Admin papers he was a mariner who died while serving on HMS Vigilant in July 1747 . Cause of death not recorded.

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