HMS Venus (renamed HMS Heroine in 1809) was the name ship of the 36-gun Venus-classfifth-ratefrigates of the Royal Navy. She was launched in 1758 and served for more than half a century until 1809. She was reduced from 36 to 32 guns in 1792. She was sold in 1822.
Action between HMS Venus (left) and French frigate La Sémillante, 27 May 1793.
On 18 May 1759, Venus, HMS Thames, and HMS Chatham, were in company when Venus intercepted the French frigateArethuse near Audierne Bay (Baie d'Audierne(in French)).[1] After a two-hour chase, Arethuse lost her top masts and was overtaken. Thames and Venus engaged her with heavy fire, causing 60 casualties before she surrendered.[1]Arethuse subsequently had a lengthy career as HMS Arethusa. HMS Hero and Venus captured the French East IndiamanBertin on 3 April 1761 and sent her into Plymouth. There the Royal Navy purchased her and commissioned as the third rateBelleisle.
On 27 May 1793, Venus, Captain Jonathon Faulkner, encountered the French frigate La Sémillante south-west of Cape Finisterre which resulted in close action.[3] "The sails, rigging and spars of the British frigate had taken the brunt of the enemy fire and were extremely cut up so that a further engagement was inadvisable. Indeed she was lucky to escape an encounter with a fresh opponent."[4]
On 17 July 1801, Tromp, Circe, and Venus left Portsmouth with a convoy to the West Indies.[5]
Napoleonic Warsedit
On the morning of 10 July 1805, Venus encountered the French privateer brig Hirondelle. After a chase of 65 miles, during which Hirondelle threw two of her 6-pounder guns overboard, Venus succeeded in capturing her quarry. Hirondelle, of Dunkirk, was armed with four 6-pounder guns and twelve 3-pounder guns, and had a crew of 90 men. She left Gigeon, Spain, on 27 June, but had not captured anything. However, on prior cruise, she had captured several vessels, most notably the Falmouth packetQueen Charlotte, which had resisted for some two hours before striking her colours.[6]
On 18 January 1807 Venus captured the French privateer brig Determinée of Guadeloupe, one hundred leagues east of Barbados after a chase of 16 hours. Determinée had a crew of 108 men and was pierced for 20 guns but carried only 14.[7][Note 1] The British took her into service as Netley.
Venus was paid-off and put into Ordinary in July 1807 at Woolwich. On 14 July 1807 she was renamed Heroine after the capture of the Danish vessel Venus.[9]
Between March and May 1809 she was fitted for Baltic service. Captain Hood Hanway Christian recommissioned Heroine in March and commanded her until November 1809.[10]Heroine participated in the reduction of Flushing in 1809 during the Walcheren Campaign.[11] In this engagement Heroine was part of a squadron of ten frigates under the command of Captain Lord William Stuart. On 11 August 1809 this squadron sailed up the western Scheldt under a light wind, suffering minor damage from the shore batteries of Flushing and Cadzand. Two men were wounded on Heroine.[12]
Fateedit
Heroine was paid off and laid up at Sheerness between November 1809 and December 1823. Between 1817 and 1820 she served as a receiving ship. Then between December 1823 and June 1824 she underwent fitting at Woolwich to serve as a temporary convict ship.[9] The Principal Officers and Commissioners of His Majesty's Navy offered "Heroine, of 32 guns and 722 tons", lying at Deptford, for sale on 22 September 1828.[13] She was sold on that date to John Small Sedger for £1,170.[9]
Notesedit
^Prize money was paid in May 1815. A first-class share was worth £157 18s 9d; a fifth-class share, that of a seaman, was worth 18s 5½d.[8]
Citationsedit
^ ab "Extract of a letter from Captain Lockhart". The London Chronicle. 29 May 1759.
^"NAVAL DOCUMENTS OF The American Revolution" (PDF). history.navy.mil. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
Colledge, J. J. (1969). Ships of the Royal Navy: Major ships (excluding trawlers, drifters, tugs, etc.). David & Charles. ISBN9780715343531. Retrieved 13 December 2012.
Gardiner, Robert The First Frigates, Conway Maritime Press, London 1992. ISBN0-85177-601-9.
"Hood Hanway Christian". Three Decks. Retrieved 13 December 2012.
James, William (1826). The naval history of Great Britain, from ... 1793, to ... 1820, with an account of the origin and increase of the British navy. Retrieved 13 December 2012.
Lyon, David The Sailing Navy List, Conway Maritime Press, London 1993. ISBN0-85177-617-5.
Marshall, John (1827). Royal Naval Biography Supplement: Or, Memoirs of the Services of All the Flag-Officers, Superannuated Rear-Admirals, Retired-Captains, Post-Captains, and Commanders. Cambridge University Press. ISBN978-1-108-02272-9. Retrieved 13 December 2012.
Winfield, Rif (2008). British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793–1817: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Seaforth. ISBN978-1-86176-246-7.
December 12, 2023
venus, 1758, other, ships, with, same, name, venus, heroine, venus, renamed, heroine, 1809, name, ship, venus, class, fifth, rate, frigates, royal, navy, launched, 1758, served, more, than, half, century, until, 1809, reduced, from, guns, 1792, sold, 1822, act. For other ships with the same name see HMS Venus and HMS Heroine HMS Venus renamed HMS Heroine in 1809 was the name ship of the 36 gun Venus class fifth rate frigates of the Royal Navy She was launched in 1758 and served for more than half a century until 1809 She was reduced from 36 to 32 guns in 1792 She was sold in 1822 Action between HMS Venus left and French frigate La Semillante 27 May 1793 HistoryGreat BritainNameHMS VenusOrdered13 July 1756BuilderJohn Okill LiverpoolLaid down16 August 1756Launched11 March 1758Completed30 June 1758CommissionedMarch 1758RenamedHMS Heroine 1807 FateSold to break up at Deptford 22 September 1828General characteristicsClass and typeVenus class fifth rate frigateTons burthen72229 94 bm Length128 ft 4 1 2 in 39 1 m gundeck 106 ft 3 in 32 4 m keel Beam35 ft 9 in 10 9 m Depth of hold12 ft 4 in 3 8 m Sail planFull rigged shipComplement240 officers and men 215 from 1792 ArmamentAs built Upperdeck 26 12 pounder guns QD 8 6 pounder guns Fc 2 6 pounder guns From 1792 Upperdeck 24 12 pounder guns QD 6 6 pounder guns Fc 2 6 pounder guns Contents 1 Career 2 American Revolution 3 French Revolutionary Wars 4 Napoleonic Wars 5 Fate 6 Notes 7 Citations 8 ReferencesCareer editOn 18 May 1759 Venus HMS Thames and HMS Chatham were in company when Venus intercepted the French frigate Arethuse near Audierne Bay Baie d Audierne in French 1 After a two hour chase Arethuse lost her top masts and was overtaken Thames and Venus engaged her with heavy fire causing 60 casualties before she surrendered 1 Arethuse subsequently had a lengthy career as HMS Arethusa HMS Hero and Venus captured the French East Indiaman Bertin on 3 April 1761 and sent her into Plymouth There the Royal Navy purchased her and commissioned as the third rate Belleisle American Revolution editMount Hope Bay raids She participated in the Raids 2 French Revolutionary Wars editOn 27 May 1793 Venus Captain Jonathon Faulkner encountered the French frigate La Semillante south west of Cape Finisterre which resulted in close action 3 The sails rigging and spars of the British frigate had taken the brunt of the enemy fire and were extremely cut up so that a further engagement was inadvisable Indeed she was lucky to escape an encounter with a fresh opponent 4 On 17 July 1801 Tromp Circe and Venus left Portsmouth with a convoy to the West Indies 5 Napoleonic Wars editOn the morning of 10 July 1805 Venus encountered the French privateer brig Hirondelle After a chase of 65 miles during which Hirondelle threw two of her 6 pounder guns overboard Venus succeeded in capturing her quarry Hirondelle of Dunkirk was armed with four 6 pounder guns and twelve 3 pounder guns and had a crew of 90 men She left Gigeon Spain on 27 June but had not captured anything However on prior cruise she had captured several vessels most notably the Falmouth packet Queen Charlotte which had resisted for some two hours before striking her colours 6 On 18 January 1807 Venus captured the French privateer brig Determinee of Guadeloupe one hundred leagues east of Barbados after a chase of 16 hours Determinee had a crew of 108 men and was pierced for 20 guns but carried only 14 7 Note 1 The British took her into service as Netley Venus was paid off and put into Ordinary in July 1807 at Woolwich On 14 July 1807 she was renamed Heroine after the capture of the Danish vessel Venus 9 Between March and May 1809 she was fitted for Baltic service Captain Hood Hanway Christian recommissioned Heroine in March and commanded her until November 1809 10 Heroine participated in the reduction of Flushing in 1809 during the Walcheren Campaign 11 In this engagement Heroine was part of a squadron of ten frigates under the command of Captain Lord William Stuart On 11 August 1809 this squadron sailed up the western Scheldt under a light wind suffering minor damage from the shore batteries of Flushing and Cadzand Two men were wounded on Heroine 12 Fate editHeroine was paid off and laid up at Sheerness between November 1809 and December 1823 Between 1817 and 1820 she served as a receiving ship Then between December 1823 and June 1824 she underwent fitting at Woolwich to serve as a temporary convict ship 9 The Principal Officers and Commissioners of His Majesty s Navy offered Heroine of 32 guns and 722 tons lying at Deptford for sale on 22 September 1828 13 She was sold on that date to John Small Sedger for 1 170 9 Notes edit Prize money was paid in May 1815 A first class share was worth 157 18s 9d a fifth class share that of a seaman was worth 18s 5 d 8 Citations edit a b Extract of a letter from Captain Lockhart The London Chronicle 29 May 1759 NAVAL DOCUMENTS OF The American Revolution PDF history navy mil Retrieved 28 October 2021 Winfield 2008 p 305 Action between HMS Venus and the Semillante 27 May 1793 Collections Royal Museums Greenwich Retrieved 3 October 2017 Naval Chronicle Vol IV London Burney amp Gold 1801 p 164 No 15827 The London Gazette 23 July 1805 p 955 No 16014 The London Gazette 23 March 1807 p 394 No 17020 The London Gazette 6 June 1815 pp 1080 1081 a b c Winfield 2008 p 190 Hood Hanway Christian Three Decks Marshall 1827 p 119 James 1826 p 197 199 No 18502 The London Gazette 5 September 1828 p 1670 References editColledge J J 1969 Ships of the Royal Navy Major ships excluding trawlers drifters tugs etc David amp Charles ISBN 9780715343531 Retrieved 13 December 2012 Gardiner Robert The First Frigates Conway Maritime Press London 1992 ISBN 0 85177 601 9 Hood Hanway Christian Three Decks Retrieved 13 December 2012 James William 1826 The naval history of Great Britain from 1793 to 1820 with an account of the origin and increase of the British navy Retrieved 13 December 2012 Lyon David The Sailing Navy List Conway Maritime Press London 1993 ISBN 0 85177 617 5 Marshall John 1827 Royal Naval Biography Supplement Or Memoirs of the Services of All the Flag Officers Superannuated Rear Admirals Retired Captains Post Captains and Commanders Cambridge University Press ISBN 978 1 108 02272 9 Retrieved 13 December 2012 Winfield Rif 2007 British Warships in the Age of Sail 1714 to 1792 London Seaforth Publishing ISBN 978 1 84415 700 6 Winfield Rif 2008 British Warships in the Age of Sail 1793 1817 Design Construction Careers and Fates Seaforth ISBN 978 1 86176 246 7 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title HMS Venus 1758 amp oldid 1167222669, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
