HMS Oxford (1695)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Oxford.

History
England
NameHMS Oxford
Ordered22 March 1695
BuilderThomas Ellis, Shoreham
Launched29 November 1695
Commissioned26 October 1695
FateSunk as a breakwater 15 October 1714
General characteristics
Type20-gun Sixth Rate
Tons burthen250+72⁄94 bm
Length
  • 93 ft 8 in (28.5 m) gundeck
  • 77 ft 6 in (23.6 m) keel for tonnage
Beam24 ft 8 in (7.5 m) for tonnage
Depth of hold10 ft 8 in (3.3 m)
Armament
  • initially as ordered
  • 20 × sakers on wooden trucks (UD)
  • 4 × 3-pdr on wooden trucks (QD)
  • 1703 Establishment
  • 20 × 6-pdrs on wooden trucks (UD)
  • 4 × 4-pdr on wooden trucks (QD)

HMS Oxford was a member of the standardized 20-gun sixth rates built at the end of the 17th century. After commissioning she spent her career escorting convoys of merchant ships, participated with the fleet, including the Battle Velez-Malaga in 1704. She was sold in 1714.[1]

Oxford was the first vessel to bear this name in the Royal Navy.[2]

Newport was the second named vessel since its use for a 24-gun sixth rate launched at Portsmouth in 1694 and captured by the French on 5 July 1696 in the Bay of Fundy.[3]

Construction

She was ordered in the third batch of two ships to be built under contract by Thomas Ellis of Shoreham. She was launched on 29 November 1695.[4]

Commissioned service

She was commissioned on 26 October 1695 under the command of Captain Richard Sheerman, RN. Two days later on the 28th, Captain George Delavall, RN took command. In 1696 Captain James Jesson, RN took command for a New England convoy. She was renamed Newport on 3 September 1698.[5]

She was commissioned as HMS Newport in 1699 under the command of Captain Salmon Morricw, RN for the North America and West Indies station through 1701; by 1702 she had been assigned to the fleet. 1703 a new commander took command, Captain Charles Fotherby, RN for service in the North Sea. 1704 she was under command of Captain George Paddon, RN. At the Battle of Velez-Malaga She was in the center squadron of Rooke's Fleet on 13 August 1704. She was with Leake's squadron in 1704–05. In 1705 she was assigned to the Mediterranean under Commander Robert Leake, RN. In 1706, Commander Isaac Cooke, RN took command for service in the English Channel and North Sea. 1709 she was with the Leeward Islands convoy under command of Commander Charles Poole, RN then a Newfoundland convoy in 1710. She was then assigned to the Channel and North Sea in 1711 and just the North Sea 1712 thru 1713. Finally she was assigned as quarantine guard at Hull in 1713.[6]

Disposition

HMS Oxford was sold to John Mackfeorys for £408 on 29 July 1714.[7][Note 1]

Notes

  1. ^ A total amount accounting for inflation of approximately £74,500 in today's money.

Citations

  1. ^ Winfield
  2. ^ Colledge
  3. ^ Colledge
  4. ^ Winfield
  5. ^ Winfield
  6. ^ Winfield
  7. ^ Winfield

References

  • Winfield, British Warships in the Age of Sail (1603 – 1714), by Rif Winfield, published by Seaforth Publishing, England © 2009, EPUB ISBN 9781783469246, Chapter 6, The Sixth Rates, Vessels acquired from 18 December 1688, Sixth Rates of 20 guns and up to 26 guns, Maidstone Group, Oxford
  • Colledge, Ships of the Royal Navy, by J.J. Colledge, revised and updated by Lt Cdr Ben Warlow and Steve Bush, published by Seaforth Publishing, Barnsley, Great Britain, © 2020, e ISBN 978-1-5267-9328-7 (EPUB), Section O (Oxford) Section N (Newport)