HMS Unicorn (1748)

HMS "Unicorn" was a 28-gun, Sixth Rate frigate of the Royal Navy. Originally ordered as a 24 gun ship to the draft of the French privateer "Tyger". The third vessel of the Royal Navy to bear the name, the "Unicorn", as well as the "Lyme" which was a near-sister, were the first true frigates built for the Royal Navy. They were actually completed with 28 guns including the four smaller weapons on the quarterdeck, but the latter were not included in the ship's official establishment until 22 September 1756. The two ships differed in detail, the "Unicorn" having a beakhead bow, a unicorn figurehead , two-light quarter galleries and only five pairs of quarterdeck gunports, while the "Lyme" had a round bow, a lion figurehead, three-light quarter galleries and six pairs of quarterdeck gunports.

The "Unicorn" was first commissioned in March 1749 under Captain Molyneaux Shuldham, under whose command she spent her first commission in the Mediterranean until returning home to pay off at Deptford in June 1752. After repairs, she was recommissioned in January 1753 under Captain Matthew Buckle, and sailed for the Mediterranean again in April 1753. In February 1756 command passed to Captain James Galbraith, then in that September to Captain John Rawling. After active and continuous service during the Seven Years War, she finally paid off in late 1763, and was broken up in 1771.

This is the frigate that is represented in the Corel Kit "HMS Unicorn". [See end-note to [http://home.att.net/~shipmodelfaq/ResearchNotes/smf-RN-Unicorn.html Corel Kit HMS Unicorn: History] , home.att.net, Ship Model FAQ. Article retrieved 2007-04-29.]

References

* David Lyon, "The Sailing Navy List", Brasseys Publications, London 1993.
* Rif Winfield, "British Warships in the Age of Sail, 1714 to 1792", Seaforth Publishing, London 2007.