HMS Greenwich (1666)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Greenwich.
History
Great Britain
Name: HMS Greenwich
Builder: Christopher Pett, Woolwich Dockyard
Launched: 1666
Fate: Wrecked, 1744
General characteristics as built[1]
Class and type: 54-gun fourth-rate ship of the line
Tons burthen: 646 tons (656.4 tonnes)
Length: 110 ft (34 m) (keel)
Beam: 33 ft 6 in (10.21 m)
Depth of hold: 14 ft 6 in (4.42 m)
Propulsion: Sails
Sail plan: Full rigged ship
Armament: 54 guns of various weights of shot
General characteristics after 1699 rebuild[2]
Class and type: 46-54-gun fourth-rate ship of the line
Tons burthen: 785 tons (797.6 tonnes)
Length: 135 ft 10 in (41.40 m) (gundeck)
Beam: 36 ft (11 m)
Depth of hold: 13 ft 6 12 in (4.1 m)
Propulsion: Sails
Sail plan: Full rigged ship
Armament: 46-54 guns of various weights of shot
General characteristics after 1730 rebuild[3]
Class and type: 1719 Establishment 50-gun fourth-rate ship of the line
Tons burthen: 759 tons (771.2 tonnes)
Length: 134 ft (41 m) (gundeck)
Beam: 36 ft (11 m)
Depth of hold: 15 ft 2 in (4.62 m)
Propulsion: Sails
Sail plan: Full rigged ship
Armament:
  • 50 guns:
  • Gundeck: 22 × 18 pdrs
  • Upper gundeck: 22 × 9 pdrs
  • Quarterdeck: 4 × 6 pdrs
  • Forecastle: 2 × 6 pdrs

HMS Greenwich was a 54-gun fourth-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built by Christopher Pett at Woolwich Dockyard and launched in 1666.[1]

Greenwich was rebuilt at Portsmouth Dockyard in 1699 as a fourth-rate of 46-54 guns.[2] She fought at the Action of August 1702 as part of a squadron under Admiral John Benbow, but hung back from the engagement. As a result her Captain Cooper Wade was tried and convicted of cowardice and shot. On 16 April 1724 she was ordered to be taken to pieces at Chatham, and rebuilt as a 50-gun fourth-rate to the dimensions of the 1719 Establishment, relaunching on 15 February 1730.[3]

On 20 October 1744, whilst preparing to come alongside the hulk HMS Lark, they were struck by hurricane force winds which caused severe damage to both vessels, which subsequently sank. From Greenwich, Captain Allen and 85 others were drowned. His Majesty's ships St Albans, Bonetta and Thunder were also lost in this incident.[4]

Notes

  1. 1 2 Lavery, Ships of the Line vol.1, p161.
  2. 1 2 Lavery, Ships of the Line vol.1, p167.
  3. 1 2 Lavery, Ships of the Line vol.1, p170.
  4. Ships of the Old Navy, Greenwich 1730.

References

  • 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.
  • Michael Phillips. Greenwich (54) (1730). Michael Phillips' Ships of the Old Navy. Retrieved 2 December 2007.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 10/13/2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.