HMS Betty (1695)

HMS Betty was purchased on 24 April 1695.[1] She was previously a privateer at Bristol in British service. After commissioning she went to the West Indies on trade protection duties. She was captured by the French while returning in 1695, however was retaken in 1696 by the British. She was again commissioned in British service and served in the Mediterranean, Guinea and did surveying work off Ireland. She was sold in 1702.[2]

History
United Kingdom
NameHMS Betty
Acquired26 April 1695
Commissioned1695
Fatesold 1 October 1702
General characteristics
Type36-gun Fifth Rate
Tons burthen371+65⁄94 bm
Length
  • 103 ft 0 in (31.4 m) gundeck
  • 86 ft 0 in (26.2 m) keel for tonnage
Beam28 ft 6 in (8.7 m) for tonnage
Depth of hold11 ft 9 in (3.6 m)
Sail planship-rigged
Armament
  • 8 short demi-culverins on wooden trucks (LD)
  • 20 x 6-pdr guns on wooden trucks (UD)
  • 8 x minions on wooden trucks (QD)

Betty was the only named vessel in the Royal Navy.[3]

Construction

She was purchased on 224 April 1695 and established in the Royal Navy three days later on 29 April.[4]

Commissioned Service

She was commissioned in 1695 under the command of Captain James Powell, RN for service in the West Indies. She was captured by a French 30-gun privateer while defending a homebound convoy on 14 August 1695 during which Captain Powell was killed along with 18 members of the crew with 14 wounded. She was in French hands until 15 February 1696 when she was recaptured by HMS Phoenix and renamed Betty Prize. She reverted to her original name and had Commander Thomas Lambert, RN placed in command on 4 March 1696. On 20 October Commander Lambert was promoted to captain. She was off Lisbon, Portugal before proceeding to the Mediterranean for 1698/99. On 3 March 1701 Captain Peregrine Bertie, RN took command and sailed to Guinea in Africa, then was doing survey work off Ireland in 1702.

Disposition

HMS Betty was sold by Admiralty Order (AO) September 1702 for £147[Note 1] on 1 October 1702.[5]

Notes
  1. The cost accounting for inflation of approximately £24,600 in reference to today

Citations
  1. Winfield 2009
  2. Winfield 2009
  3. Colledge
  4. Winfield 2009
  5. Winfield 2009

References
  • Winfield 2009, British Warships in the Age of Sail (1603 – 1714), by Rif Winfield, published by Seaforth Publishing, England © 2009, EPUB ISBN 978-1-78346-924-6, Chapter 5, The Fifth Rates, Vessels acquired from 2 May 1660, Fifth Rates of 32 and 36 guns, Purchased Vessel (1695), Betty
  • 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, EPUB ISBN 978-1-5267-9328-7, (EPUB), Section B (Betty)
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