HMS ''Success'' was a 20-gun

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

ship launched in 1740 as the first government contract for the

Blaydes Yard Blaydes' Yard was a private shipbuilder in Kingston upon Hull, England, founded in the 18th century which fulfilled multiple Royal Navy contracts. Her most notable ship was HMS Bounty, HMS ''Bounty'' famed for its mutiny. History Hugh Blaydes ...

in Hull. She had a crew of 140 men. She had several famous commanders over her lifetime.

History

She was commissioned in October 1739 at a cost of £4800 and launched July 1740 under the command of Captain Bradwarden Thomas who took her over the

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. There in October 1742 command passed to Captain Jack Wickham who sailed her to

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in 1743. In June 1744 she went to

Dunkirk Dunkirk ( ; ; ; Picard language, Picard: ''Dunkèke''; ; or ) is a major port city in the Departments of France, department of Nord (French department), Nord in northern France. It lies from the Belgium, Belgian border. It has the third-larg ...

. From January to May 1746 she underwent repairs at

Sheerness Dockyard Sheerness Dockyard was a Royal Navy Dockyard located on the Sheerness peninsula, at the mouth of the River Medway in Kent. It was opened in the 1660s and closed in 1960. Location In the Age of Sail, the Royal Navy would often establish shore ...

. She went under further alterations and repair at

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bringing total costs to £7000 over her original build cost and did not return to action until June 1749 when she returned to New England. After three years service she returned for further repair at

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which were completed May 1754 at a cost of a further £7000. Under command of Captain

John Rous John Rous (21 May 1702 – 3 April 1760) was a Royal Navy officer and privateer. He served during King George's War and the French and Indian War. Rous was also the senior naval officer on the Nova Scotia station during Father Le Loutre's War. ...

she was part in the

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off the

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coast in May 1755. In August 1755 the ship attacked several French-owned fishing boats and destroyed harbour facilities at Codroy, Newfoundland. In 1757 she was stationed at

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and command transferred to Captain Paul Henry Ourry who took her on the Louisburg Expedition but departed prior to the Siege of Louisburg. In 1758 she had a fourth refit, again at Deptford which was completed in March. In June 1758 still under command of Captain Ourry she attacked

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before joining a convoy to

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where command changed to Captain George Watson (d.1774). In 1761/2 she had a fifth repair and upgrade, again at Deptford, costing over £5000. She then returned to South Carolina with Captain

John Botterell John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second Ep ...

. She was paid off in February 1764 but had three further captains, the last Skeffington Lutwidge leaving her in August 1775. She was broken in

Sheerness Sheerness () is a port town and civil parish beside the mouth of the River Medway on the north-west corner of the Isle of Sheppey in north Kent, England. With a population of 13,249, it is the second largest town on the island after the nearby ...

in May 1779. This exercise reused as much material as possible for other ships. The ship's logbook of 1747 to 1752 plus the private logbook of midshipman John Gauntlett covering the period 1754 to 1756 are held at the National Archive, Kew.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Success (1740) 1740 ships