Contract for the Fortitude (1780); Ganges (1782); Culloden (1783); Defiance (1783)
A 32 page contract for Fortitude (1780), a 74-gun Third Rate two-deckers, between the Admiralty and Randall, Grey and Brent of Rotherhithe in the county of Surrey, signed and dated 19 May 1778. (Condition of item very fragile).
The contract also has additional dimensions in red ink and green ink:
The red ink dimensions (written above the black ink) – This matches the Ganges class of 1779. If we assume the Randall builder was relevant to this amendment then the two ships they built from this class are Ganges (1780) and Culloden (1782).
The green in dimensions (written below the black ink) – This matches the revived Elizabeth class of 1760. Again, if we assume the builder is relevant to this amendment then the ship here is Defiance (1783). The old catalogue for this contract mentions Berwick of the same class, but she was built at Portsmouth.
(Box container - ADMB0773)
The contract also has additional dimensions in red ink and green ink:
The red ink dimensions (written above the black ink) – This matches the Ganges class of 1779. If we assume the Randall builder was relevant to this amendment then the two ships they built from this class are Ganges (1780) and Culloden (1782).
The green in dimensions (written below the black ink) – This matches the revived Elizabeth class of 1760. Again, if we assume the builder is relevant to this amendment then the ship here is Defiance (1783). The old catalogue for this contract mentions Berwick of the same class, but she was built at Portsmouth.
(Box container - ADMB0773)