1650 Programme Group Explained

The 1650 Programme of six 510 ton Fourth Rate vessels was initiated by the Council of State on 16 November 1649. On 2 January 1650 the Admiralty Committee confirmed that six 'frigrates' had been ordered at a cost of 6.10.0d per ton. The ships would be built under contract with the exception of one ship built in Dockyard. The ships were all named by 16 August 1650 and launched by the end of the year. Each ship was to carry initially 34 guns and 150 men. This would increase over time^[1]

Design and specifications

The construction one vessels was assigned to Deptford dockyard with the remainder contracted to private builders. The contract dimensional data was keel of 100feet breadth 31feet and a builder's measure tonnage of tons at a contract price of 6.10.0d^[2] per ton. The ships were to have 34 guns and a manning level of 150, however, this was increased to 40 and 44 guns with 180 personnel. The guns would be culverins^{[3] [4]} on the lower deck (LD), demi-culverines^{[5] [6]} on the upper deck and sakers^{[7] [8]} on the quarterdeck (QD).^[9]

Ships of the 1650 Programme Group

Name	Builder	Launch date	Remarks
	Deptford Dockyard	1650	Wrecked 4 July 1698
	Henry Johnson, Deptford	1650	Rebuilt Deptford 1687 Rebuilt Deptford Dockyard 1699 Rebuilt Limehouse 1712 Rebuilt Woolwich Dockyard 1720–25 Sunk as breakwater December 1745
	Peter Pett II, Woodbridge	1650	Rebuilt at Deptford 1700–01 Foundered November 1703
	Peter Pett II, Woodbridge	1650	Rebuilt at Woolwich 1700–01 Taken by French privateers 1711
	John Taylor, Wapping	1650	Accidentally burnt at Portsmouth 13 February 1656
	Peter Pett I, Ratcliffe	1650	Wrecked 25 December 1689

References

• British Warships in the Age of Sail (1603 – 1714), by Rif Winfield, published by Seaforth Publishing, England © Rif Winfield 2009, EPUB, Chapter 4, The Fourth Rates - 'Small Ships', Vessels acquired from 24 March 1603, 1650 Programme
• 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, © the estate of J.J. Colledge, Ben Warlow and Steve Bush 2020, EPUB
• The Arming and Fitting of English Ships of War 1600 - 1815, by Brian Lavery, published by US Naval Institute Press © Brian Lavery 1989,, Part V Guns, Type of Guns

Notes and References

1. Winfield
2. The cost accounting for inflation of approximately £ in reference to today
3. Lavery, page 100
4. The culverin was a gun of 4,500 pounds with a 5.5 inch bore firing a 17.5 pound shot with an twelve pound powder charge
5. Lavery, page 101
6. The demi-culverin was a gun of 3,400 pounds with a four inch bore firing a 9.5 pound shot with an eight pound powder charge
7. Lavery, page 102
8. The sacar or saker was a gun of 1,400 pounds with a 3.5 inch bore firing a 4 pound shot with an 4 pound powder charge
9. Winfield