HMS Norfolk was a 74-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, and the second ship to bear the name. She was built by Adrian Hayes at Deptford Dockyard and launched on 8 December 1757.[1] She was active during the Seven Years' War.

Norfolk
History
Great Britain
NameHMS Norfolk
Ordered26 August 1755
BuilderDeptford Dockyard
Laid down18 November 1755
Launched28 December 1757
Commissioned23 February 1758
FateBroken up, December 1774
General characteristics [1]
Class and typeDublin-class ship of the line
Tons burthen15561794 (bm)
Length165 ft 6 in (50.44 m) (gundeck)
Beam46 ft 6 in (14.17 m)
Depth of hold19 ft 9 in (6.02 m)
PropulsionSails
Sail planFull-rigged ship
Armament
  • 74 guns:
  • Gundeck: 28 × 32 pdrs
  • Upper gundeck: 28 × 18 pdrs
  • Quarterdeck: 14 × 9 pdrs
  • Forecastle: 4 × 9 pdrs

Service history edit

Her first commander was Captain Peircy Brett (later Commodore Brett) and she had a complement of 550 crew. Under Brett on 5 June 1758 she was part of the major British raid on St Malo (totalling around 50 ships).[2]

Norfolk emulated her predecessor (HMS Norfolk (1693)) by reinforcing the West Indies, where she escorted a fleet that was transporting vital stores and six infantry regiments to that region.

In September 1758 command passed to Captain Robert Hughes and under Hughes in January 1759 a successful attack was made on Guadeloupe.

In September 1760 under Captain Richard Kempenfelt, she was part of the Siege of Pondicherry (1760).

On 10 February 1761 she took part in the capture of Mahe. On 24 September 1762 she was part of the Battle of Manila.

She became flagship of the Commander-In-Chief East Indies Station, Rear-Admiral Charles Steevens and his successor Vice-Admiral Samuel Cornish. Norfolk was decommissioned in 1764, after her return to Portsmouth was broken up in 1774.[1]

 
Plan of the attack against Basseterre, Guadeloupe by a squadron of Royal Navy ships of war commanded by Commodore Moore on 22 January 1759 - also the encampments of the British. Shows Norfolk

Notable Commanders edit

Notable Crew edit

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ a b c Lavery, Ships of the Line vol.1, p176.
  2. ^ "British Third Rate ship of the line 'Norfolk' (1757)".

References edit

  • 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.

External links edit

  Media related to HMS Norfolk (ship, 1757) at Wikimedia Commons