HMS Guernsey (1696)

Plan of the 1740 rebuild
History
Royal Navy EnsignGreat Britain
NameHMS Guernsey
Ordered12 September 1695
BuilderSir Henry Johnson, Blackwall Yard
Launched6 July 1696
FateSold, 2 February 1786
General characteristics as built[1][2]
Class and type50-gun fourth rate ship of the line
Tons burthen680 1294 bm
Length131 ft 9 in (40.2 m) (gundeck) 109 ft (33.2 m) (keel)
Beam34 ft 3 in (10.4 m)
Depth of hold13 ft 6 in (4.1 m)
PropulsionSails
Sail planFull-rigged ship
Armament50 guns of various weights of shot
General characteristics after 1717 rebuild[3][4]
Class and type1706 Establishment 50-gun fourth rate ship of the line
Tons burthen706 594 bm
Length130 ft (39.6 m) (on gundeck) 107 ft 4 in (32.7 m) (keel)
Beam35 ft (10.7 m)
Depth of hold14 ft (4.3 m)
PropulsionSails
Sail planFull-rigged ship
Armament
  • 50 guns:
  • Gundeck: 22 × 18 pdrs
  • Upper gundeck: 22 × 9 pdrs
  • Quarterdeck: 4 × 6 pdrs
  • Forecastle: 2 × 6 pdrs
General characteristics after 1740 rebuild[5][6]
Class and type1733 proposals 50-gun fourth rate ship of the line
Tons burthen862 8194 bm
Length134 ft (40.8 m) (on gundeck) 108 ft 6 in (33.1 m) (keel)
Beam38 ft 8 in (11.8 m)
Depth of hold15 ft 9 in (4.8 m)
PropulsionSails
Sail planFull-rigged ship
Armament
  • 50 guns:
  • Gundeck: 22 × 18 pdrs
  • Upper gundeck: 22 × 9 pdrs
  • Quarterdeck: 4 × 6 pdrs
  • Forecastle: 2 × 6 pdrs

HMS Guernsey was a 50-gun fourth rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, one of four ordered in September 1694 (Blackwall and Guernsey on 12 September and Nonsuch and Warwick on 25 September) to be built by commercial contracts; eight further ships of this type were ordered on 24 December (six to be built by contract and two in Royal Dockyards). The Guernsey was built by Sir Henry Johnson's Blackwall Yard and launched on 6 July 1696.[1][2]

She was ordered on 16 May 1716 to be rebuilt according to the 1706 Establishment at Woolwich Dockyard, where she arrived on 24 June 1716. Work commenced on 7 September and she was re-launched on 24 October 1717.[4] On 23 February 1737 orders were issued for Guernsey to be taken to pieces and rebuilt again at Chatham Dockyard to the 1733 proposals of the 1719 Establishment. Work commenced in March 1738 and she was re-launched on 11 August 1740, and remained in active service until 1769 when she was hulked, being finally sold for break-up on 2 February 1786.[6]

Guernsey was sold out of the navy in 1786.[6]

The Guernsey; before a light breeze

Notes

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  1. ^ a b Rif Winfield, British Warships in the Age of Sail 1603-1714, p.136.
  2. ^ a b Lavery, Ships of the Line, vol. 1, p. 164.
  3. ^ Rif Winfield, British Warships in the Age of Sail 1714-1792, p.144.
  4. ^ a b Lavery, Ships of the Line, vol. 1, p. 168.
  5. ^ Rif Winfield, British Warships in the Age of Sail 1714-1792, p.147.
  6. ^ a b c Lavery, Ships of the Line, vol. 1, p. 171.

References

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  • Lavery, Brian (2003) The Ship of the Line – Volume 1: The development of the battlefleet 1650-1850. Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-252-8.
  • Winfield, Rif (1997), The 50-Gun Ship: A Complete History. Chatham Publishing (1st edition); Mercury Books (2nd edition 2005). ISBN 1-845600-09-6.
  • Winfield, Rif (2009) British Warships in the Age of Sail 1603-1714: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-040-6.
  • Winfield, Rif (2007) British Warships in the Age of Sail 1714-1792: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-040-6.