HMS ''Suffolk'' was a 70-gun

third-rate In the rating system of the Royal Navy, a third rate was a ship of the line which from the 1720s mounted between 64 and 80 guns, typically built with two gun decks (thus the related term two-decker). Rating When the rating system was f ...

ship of the line A ship of the line was a type of naval warship constructed during the Age of Sail from the 17th century to the mid-19th century. The ship of the line was designed for the naval tactics in the Age of Sail, naval tactic known as the line of battl ...

of the

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, built by contract of 20 February 1678 by Sir Henry Johnson at Blackwall. She participated in the War of the English Succession 1689 - 1697, in the Battles of Beachy Head and Barfleur. She was rebuilt in 1699. She was actively involved in the War of Spanish Succession 1702 - 1713. Her later career was as guard ship duties, deployments to the Baltic Sea and the West Indies. She was finally broken in 1765 after lying in Ordinary for almost twenty years. She was the first vessel to bear the name ''Suffolk'' in the English and Royal Navy. HMS ''Suffolk'' was awarded the Battle Honours Barfleur 1692, Gibraltar 1704, and Velez-Malaga 1704.

Construction and specifications

''Suffolk'' was ordered on 20 February 1678 to be built under contract by Sir Henry Johnson of Blackwall on the

River Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the The Isis, River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the Longest rivers of the United Kingdom, s ...

. She was launched in May 1680. Her dimensions were a

gun deck The term gun deck used to refer to a deck aboard a ship that was primarily used for the mounting of cannon A cannon is a large-caliber gun classified as a type of artillery, which usually launches a projectile using explosive chemical prope ...

of with a

keel The keel is the bottom-most longitudinal structural element of a watercraft, important for stability. On some sailboats, it may have a fluid dynamics, hydrodynamic and counterbalancing purpose as well. The keel laying, laying of the keel is often ...

of for tonnage calculation with a breadth of and a depth of hold of . Her builder's measure tonnage was calculated as 1,041 tons. Her draught was .Winfield (2009), Chapter 3, Vessels acquired from 2 May 1660, 1677 Construction Programme, Second Batch (1678 Orders), SuffolkLavery, Ships of the Line, vol. 1, p. 162 Her initial gun armament was in accordance with the 1677 Establishment with 72/60 guns consisting of twenty-six

demi-cannon The demi-cannon was a medium-sized cannon, similar to but slightly larger than a culverin and smaller than a regular cannon, developed in the early 17th century. A full cannon fired a 42-pound shot, but these were discontinued in the 18th centur ...

s (54 cwt, 9.5 ft) on the lower deck, twenty-six 12-pounder guns (32 cwt, 9 ft) on the upper deck, ten sakers (16 cwt, 7 ft) on the quarterdeck and four sakers (16 cwt, 7 ft) on the

forecastle The forecastle ( ; contracted as fo'c'sle or fo'c's'le) is the upper deck (ship), deck of a sailing ship forward of the foremast, or, historically, the forward part of a ship with the sailors' living quarters. Related to the latter meaning is t ...

with four 3-pounder guns (5 cwt, 5 ft) on the

poop deck In naval architecture, a poop deck is a deck that forms the roof of a cabin built in the rear, or " aft", part of the superstructure of a ship. The name originates from the French word for stern, , from Latin . Thus the poop deck is technic ...

or roundhouse. By 1688 she would carry 70 guns as per the 1685 Establishment. Her initial manning establishment would be for a crew of 460/380/300 personnel.

Commissioned service

Service 1680 to 1699

''Suffolk'' was commissioned on 11 August 1680 under the command of

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

John Perryman for delivery to

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. Perryman died on 4 September. In 1689 she was under the command of Captain Matthew Aylmer for fleet service. She was under Captain Woolfran Cornwall in 1690. ''Suffolk'' fought in the Battle of Beachy Head in the centre (red) squadron on 30 June. On 2 January 1691 she came under the command of Captain Peregrine Osbourne, Earl of Danby, followed by Captain Christopher Billop. She fought in the Battle of Barfleur in the rear (blue) squadron of the rear division between 19 and 22 May 1692. In 1693 ''Suffolk'' was under Captain James Wishart, followed by Captain Robert Robinson sailing with Lord Berkeley's Squadron. In March 1696 she was under the command of Captain John Johnson as the

flagship A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of navy, naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically ...

of Admiral

John Benbow Vice-Admiral John Benbow (10 March 16534 November 1702) was an English Royal Navy officer. He joined the Navy in 1678, seeing action against Barbary pirates before leaving to join the Merchant Navy in which Benbow served until the 1688 Glorio ...

on special service. In 1699 she was under the command of Captain

Stafford Fairborne Admiral of the Fleet Sir Stafford Fairborne (1666 – 11 November 1742) was a Royal Navy officer and Whig politician. As a captain he saw action in command of various ships at the Battle of Beachy Head, at the Battle of Barfleur and at the Ba ...

. She would be rebuilt at Blackwall in the same year.

Rebuild at Blackwall 1699

She was ordered to be rebuilt under contract by Johnson of Blackwall. She was launched/completed in April. Her dimensions were a gun deck of with a keel of for tonnage calculation with a breadth of and a depth of hold of . Her builder's measure tonnage was calculated as 1,075 tons.Winfield 2009, Chapter 3, Vessels Acquired from 18 December 1688, Rebuildings of 1697-1704, 70-guns, Group 1 (all by contract), SuffolkLavery, ''Ships of the Line'' vol.1, p166. She probably retained her armament as stated in the 1685 Establishment, though it is unclear if her armament was changed to the 1703 Establishment later. It is known that when completed her gun armament total at least 70 guns.

Service 1701 to 1717

''Suffolk'' was commissioned in 1701 under Captain Thomas Foulis and stationed at

Spithead Spithead is an eastern area of the Solent and a roadstead for vessels off Gilkicker Point in Hampshire, England. It is protected from all winds except those from the southeast, with the Isle of Wight lying to the south-west. Spithead and the ch ...

with a reduced crew. With the outbreak of the

War of the Spanish Succession The War of the Spanish Succession was a European great power conflict fought between 1701 and 1714. The immediate cause was the death of the childless Charles II of Spain in November 1700, which led to a struggle for control of the Spanish E ...

in May 1702, she was under Captain Edward Good sailing with Sir Cloudesley Shovell's fleet in October. In 1703 she was under Captain Robert Kirton assigned to Sir George Rooke's fleet. She participated in the

Capture of Gibraltar The capture of Gibraltar by Anglo-Dutch forces of the Grand Alliance occurred between 1 and 4 August 1704 during the War of the Spanish Succession. Since the beginning of the war the Alliance had been looking for a harbour in the Iberian Penins ...

on 24 July 1704. She followed this in the Battle Velez-Malaga in the centre division on 13 August.Winfield 2009, Fleet Actions, 7.4 Battle of Velez-Malaga ''Suffolk'' suffered 13 killed and 38 wounded in the battle. In 1705 ''Suffolk'' was under Captain William Wakelin serving as flagship of Rear-Admiral William Whetstone in the West Indies. Wakelin died on 1 October 1705. In 1708 Captain William Clevland was her commander with Admiral George Byng's fleet in the English Channel. She proceeded to Lisbon in October and was in the Mediterranean from 1709. She captured the 38-gun ''Le Gaillard'' on 2 May 1710. ''Suffolk'' was ordered home in July 1711.

Rebuild/repair at Chatham Dockyard 1716/18

''Suffolk'' was ordered to be rebuilt or repaired at Chatham Dockyard under the guidance of Benjamin Rosewell on 8 March 1716. She was launched/completed on 20 November 1718. Her dimensions were a gun deck of with a keel of for tonnage calculation with a breadth of and a depth of hold of . Her builder's measure tonnage was calculated as 1,129 tons.Winfield 2007, Chapter 3, Third Rates, 66 to 70 guns, Vessels Acquired from 1 August 1714, 1706 Establishment Group, SuffolkLavery, ''Ships of the Line'' vol.1, p168. Her armament was in accordance with the 1716 Establishment of 70 guns consisting of twenty-six 24-pounder guns on the lower deck, twenty-six 12-pounder guns on the upper deck, fourteen 6-pounder guns on the quarterdeck, and four 6-pounder guns on the foc's'le. Her crew size was established as 440 personnel.

Service 1719 to 1736

''Suffolk'' was commissioned in 1719 under the command of Captain Charles Stewart for service with Admiral Sir John Norris's

Baltic Fleet The Baltic Fleet () is the Naval fleet, fleet of the Russian Navy in the Baltic Sea. Established 18 May 1703, under Tsar Peter the Great as part of the Imperial Russian Navy, the Baltic Fleet is the oldest Russian fleet. In 1918, the fleet w ...

. In 1720 she was under Captain John Cooper. She was paid off in 1721. In 1727 she was recommissioned under Captain John Cockburn for service in the Baltic Sea. She then joined Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Wager's fleet in the Mediterranean. During the winters of 1731/32 and 1732/33 she was a

guard ship A guard ship is a warship assigned as a stationary guard in a port or harbour, as opposed to a coastal patrol boat, which serves its protective role at sea. Royal Navy In the Royal Navy of the eighteenth century, peacetime guard ships were usual ...

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 ...

. In 1733 she was under the command of Captain Philip Vanbrugh as guard ship at Sheerness. She was dismantled in January 1736 with the intent of rebuilding.

Rebuilding at Woolwich Dockyard 1736/39

''Suffolk'' was ordered rebuilt on 3 December 1735 at

Woolwich Dockyard Woolwich Dockyard (formally H.M. Dockyard, Woolwich, also known as The King's Yard, Woolwich) was an English Royal Navy Dockyard, naval dockyard along the river Thames at Woolwich - originally in north-west Kent, now in southeast London - whe ...

under the guidance of Master Shipwright John Hayward. She was launched on 5 March 1739. Her dimensions were a gun deck of with a keel of for tonnage calculation with a breadth of and a depth of hold of . Her builder's measure tonnage was calculated as 1,2248/94 tons.Winfield 2007, Chapter 3, Third Rates, 66 to 70 guns, Vessels Acquired from 1 August 1714, 1733 Establishment Group, SuffolkLavery, ''Ships of the Line'' vol.1, p170. Her armament was in accordance with the 1716 Establishment of 70 guns consisting of twenty-six 24-pounder guns on the lower deck, twenty-six 12-pounder guns on the upper deck, fourteen 6-pounder guns on the quarterdeck, and four 6-pounder guns on the forecastle. Her crew size was established as 440 personnel.

Service 1739 to 1765

''Suffolk'' was commissioned in 1739. She was assigned to Norris's fleet in 1740. She sailed for the West Indies in October 1740. She participated in the

Battle of Cartagena de Indias The Battle of Cartagena de Indias () took place during the 1739 to 1748 War of Jenkins' Ear between Spanish Empire, Spain and Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain. The result of long-standing commercial tensions, the war was primarily fough ...

in March/April 1741. She was recommissioned in August 1742 under Captain Charles Knowles for the

Caracas Caracas ( , ), officially Santiago de León de Caracas (CCS), is the capital and largest city of Venezuela, and the center of the Metropolitan Region of Caracas (or Greater Caracas). Caracas is located along the Guaire River in the northern p ...

expedition. In 1743 her new commander was Captain Edward Pratten sailing under the

broad pennant A broad pennant is a triangular swallow-tailed naval pennant flown from the masthead of a warship afloat or a naval headquarters ashore to indicate the presence of either: (a) a Royal Navy officer in the rank of Commodore, or (b) a U.S. Navy ...

of Knowles. During the

Battle of La Guaira The Battle of La Guaira or La Guayra, took place on 2 March 1743 in the Caribbean, off the coast of La Guaira, present day Venezuela. La Guaira was a port of the Royal Gipuzkoan Company of Caracas, whose ships had rendered great assistance to ...

she suffered 30 killed with 80 wounded. She was at the

Battle of Puerto Cabello The Battle of Puerto Cabello was a failed attack on a Spanish Main, Spanish colonial port during the War of Jenkins' Ear on 16 April 1743. Background The British naval forces under commodore Sir Charles Knowles, 1st Baronet, Sir Charles Knowles h ...

on 16 then 24 April. Upon returning to home waters, she was assigned to Norris's fleet for service in the English Channel. In August/September 1744 she was assigned to Admiral Sir John Balchen's fleet. In 1745 she was under the broad pennant of Commodore

FitzRoy Henry Lee Vice-Admiral Fitzroy Henry Lee (2 January 1699 – 14 April 1750) was a British Royal Navy officer who served as Commodore Governor of the Colony of Newfoundland. Lee supposedly inspired the character "Hawser Trunnion" in Tobias Smollett's nove ...

in the Leeward Islands. She captured the

privateer A privateer is a private person or vessel which engages in commerce raiding under a commission of war. Since robbery under arms was a common aspect of seaborne trade, until the early 19th century all merchant ships carried arms. A sovereign o ...

''Diligent'' on 22 June.

Disposition

''Suffolk'' returned to home waters and was put in

in ordinary ''In ordinary'' is an English phrase with multiple meanings. In relation to the Royal Household and public officials more generally, it indicates that a position is a permanent one (in contrast to positions that are extraordinary). In naval matt ...

. She remained inactive for almost 20 years and was finally broken on 12 June 1765.

Citations

References

* Colledge (2020), 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, (EPUB), Section S (Suffolk) * Winfield (2009), British Warships in the Age of Sail (1603–1714), by Rif Winfield, published by Seaforth Publishing, England © 2009, EPUB * Winfield (2007). British Warships in the Age of Sail (1714-1792). by Rif Winfield, published by Seaforth Publishing, England © 2007, EPUB * Lavery, Brian (1983) ''The Ship of the Line – Volume 1: The Development of the Battlefleet 1650-1850.'' Conway Maritime Press. * Clowes (1898), The Royal Navy, A History from the Earliest Times to the Present (Vol. II). London. England: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, © 1898 * Thomas (1998), Battles and Honours of the Royal Navy, by David A. Thomas, first published in Great Britain by Leo Cooper 1998, Copyright © David A. Thomas 1998, (EPUB) {{DEFAULTSORT:Suffolk (1680) Ships of the line of the Royal Navy 1680s ships Ships built by the Blackwall Yard