Formidable, 1777
Type: 2nd rate ; Armament 98
Launched : 1777 ; Disposal date or year : 1813
Notes:

1782 Rodney's victory over French under Comte de Grasse

1796 the Channel fleet was divided into three squadrons : the first, under Rear-admiral Sir Roger Curtis, in the Formidable 98, to cruise to the westward ; the second, under Rear-admiral Thompson, in the London 98, stationed off Brest, and the third, under Admiral Lord Bridport, in the Royal George 100, remained at Spithead, to be despatched wherever the intelligence received by government might lead.

25 Dec 1796 Lord Bridport delayed in his departure from Spithead to meet the French fleet, during which a number of accidents involving ships of the line took place, including the Formidable.

4 Jun 1797, evening, departed Spithead with the Prince, Ganges, Caesar, Bedford and Formidable, under R.-Adm Sir R. Curtis to join Adm. Duncan off the Texel.

7 Jun 1797, passed by the back of the Goodwin Sands with R.-Adm Sir R. Curtis' squadron, and has been joined by the Glatton.

25 Jan 1798 with a detachment from the Channel fleet cruised in the Bay of Biscay.

Formidable 1 Feb 1799 In the gale of last night in Hamoaze, the Formidable, 98 guns, broke from her moorings, ran foul of the Amelia, 44, and tailed on the west mud ; but the tide flowing she was got off without any other damage except carrying away her bumpkin.

10 Feb 1799 Plymouth, went down into Cawsand Bay.

27 Feb 1799 departed Cawsand Bay for Torbay with the Canada, Dragon, Superb, and Lancaster.

19 Apr 1799 arrived Cawsand Bay, from a cruise.

7 May 1799 remains in Cawsand Bay.

9 May 1799 Plymouth, orders came down to victual for six months for foreign service.

11 May 1799 departed Cawsand Bay last night the Atlas, Formidable, Canada, Triumph, Spitfire, and the Lady Duncan lugger, to join Lord Bridport's fleet.

8 Jun 1799 Plymouth, reports received here advise that 16 ships of the line and 4 frigates were detached by Lord Bridport for the Straits.

7 Jul 1799 joined the Mediterranean fleet off Minorca.

1 Nov 1799 arrived Cawsand Bay from Lord Bridport's fleet the Formidable, Impetueux, Defiance, and Canada. The remainder of the fleet, 31 sail of the line, passed up for Torbay. The fleet experienced very heavy gales of wind in their late cruise.

23 Mar 1800 arrived Cawsand Bay from off Brest, which they left the 19th inst., Adm. Gardner's squadron, viz. Royal Sovereign, Triumph, Formidable, St George, Caesar, Bellona, Magnificent, and Unicorn 36. They left Admiral Lord Bridport all well off Brest, with 31 sail of the line.

1 Apr 1800 departed Cawsand Bay to join Lord Bndport's fleet, with the St George, and Bellona.

15 Apr 1800 departed Cawsand Bay for Portsmouth.

Circa Jun 1800 George Grant, Esq. Secretary to Admiral Sir Alan Gardner, and Purser of the Royal Sovereign, has resigned those situations ; he is succeeded by John Scott, Esq. Purser of the Formidable, 98, to which ship D. A. Hemsworth, Esq. is appointed his successor.

19 Jun 1800 departed Spithead to join the Channel fleet.

Circa 1 Aug 1800 Lieutenant Conn, of the Formidable, is promoted to the rank of Master and Commander, and appointed to the Discovery bomb.

8 Aug 1800 arrived Cawsand Bay from the Channel fleet.

22 Aug 1800 departed Cawsand Bay with the Barfleur, 98, and Unicorn, 32 to join the fleet.

10 Dec 1800 Torbay, a Court-Martial was held, on Lieutenant Delyel, of the Formidable, on the charge of speaking very disrespectfully of his Captain. The charge being fully proved, he was sentenced to be dismissed from the service, rendered incapable of serving again, and to be imprisoned two years in solitary confinement.

12 Mar 1801 arrived Cawsand Bay from the Channel Fleet.

12 Mar 1801 arrived Cawsand Bay from the Channel Fleet.

28 Mar 1801 the Barfleur, R.-Adm. Collingwood, departed Cawsand Bay this morning, with the Formidable, Capt Grindall, for Torbay.

30 Mar 1801 the Channel Fleet, now made up as follows : the Ville de Paris, Adm. Cornwallis ; Royal Sovereign, V.-Adm. Harvey ; Windsor Castle, V.-Adm. Mitchell ; Prince George, R.-Adm. Cotton ; Princess Royal, R.-Adm. Gower, Temeraire, R.-Adm. Whitshed ; Barfleur, R.-Adm. Collingwood ; San Josef, Capt Wolsley ; Atlas, Capt Murray ; Formidable, Capt Grindale ; Glory, Capt Draper ; Prince, Capt Northesk ; and frigate Fisgard, Capt Martin, departed Torbay for the Channel.

23 May 1801 arrived Cawsand Bay from the Channel fleet.

26 May 1801 remains in Cawsand Bay and has been embarking, bullocks, and large quantities of vegetables from Mill Bay on board the Formidable, Mars, and 5 victuallers, departing shortly for the Channel Fleet.

28 May 1801 paid wages and prize-money in Plymouth Sound.

30 May 1801 departed Plymouth Sound with bullocks and vegetables for the Channel Fleet.

2 Jun 1801 the Thunderer arrived Spithead last night, leaky, from Sir Robert Calder's Squadron ; spoke with the Formidable in the Channel, which gave orders from the Admiralty to Sir Robert to join the Channel Fleet, which he has done with the remainder of his squadron.

26 Sep 1801 came into Cawsand Bay from the Channel Fleet to refit.

29 Sep 1801 remain in Cawsand Bay the Formidable, Glory, Donnegal, Hercule, Terrible, Mars, and Magnificent.

6 Oct 1801 departed Cawsand Bay to join the Channel Fleet.

28 Oct 1801 the Namur is reported to have led the Atlas, Princess Royal, Formidable, Windsor Castle and Orion into Bearhaven harbour. It has subsequently blown hard and the Orion carried away her main and mizen masts and has been detached to Plymouth. The Glory, Malta and Resolution had parted in a fog and were expected shortly.

11 Nov 1801 the following ships were detached to cruise off Bantry Bay : the Windsor Castle, Glory, Namur, Atlas, Princess Royal, and Formidable.

17 Nov 1801 Admiral Sir A. Mitchell made the signal for unbending sails, which was followed by the fleet, therefore it is supposed the squadron which consists of the following ships will winter near Beerhaven, in Bantry Bay, viz. Windsor Castle, Temeraire, Barfleur, Princess Royal, Formidable, Atlas, Namur, Majestic, Resolution, Vengeance, Malta, of 84 guns, Centaur.
The Glory, had put into Cork, and the Juste, had not joined. Provisions were plenty : a fat sheep nine shillings, Geese one shilling each, eggs two-pence per dozen, and fish and game to be had in great abundance.

29 Dec 1801 this evening anchored at St Helen's, IoW, on arrival from Bantry Bay, with the squadron under the command of V.-Adm. Sir A. Mitchell, with a view to trying the mutineers from the Squadron.

Doubled and sheathed &c.from top of the side down to eight strakes under the wale and strengthened with diagonal braces

5 Jan 1802 the Temeraire, out at Spithead with the Formidable, Majestic, Theseus, Orion, Resolution, Vengeance and Resistance, are ordered to refit and victual for the West Indies, with all possible haste.

15 Jan 1802 the yellow flags, the usual signals for punishment, were hoisted on board the Temeraire, Formidable, and Majestic, and the following prisoners, convicted by the above Court-Martial, and sentenced to die, were brought out to suffer : Chesterman, Collins, Hillier, and Fitzgerald, on board the Temeraire ; Ward on board the Majestic, and Mayfield on board the Formidable.

15-16 Jan 1802 the following ships, under the command of R.-Adm. Campbell, dropped down to St. Helen's. They will sail, with sealed orders, the first fair wind, supposed for Jamaica : Temeraire, 98, R.-Adm. G. Campbell, Formidable, Majestic, Orion, Theseus, Desiree, and Morgiana, 18.

18 Jan 1802 the yellow flag was hoisted again this morning on board the Temeraire, and at 10.00 Messrs Allen, Taylor, Riley, and Simmonds appeared on the quarter-deck, and were hung at 10.30 a.m., at about the same time as Dixon was executed on board the Formidable.

7 Feb 1802 departed St. Helen's the Temeraire, 98, R.-Adm Campbell, Capt Eyles ; Formidable, 98, Capt Grindall ; Majestic, 74, Capt Gould ; Orion, 74, Capt Cuthbert ; Vengeance, 74, Capt Duff ; Resolution, 74, Capt Gardner ; Theseus, 74, Capt Bligh ; Desiree, 44, Capt Dacres ; and the Morgiana, store ship, 16, Capt Otter ; with sealed orders, supposed for Jamaica.

9 Feb 1802 owing to the contrary winds, rain and bad weather, put into Torbay : the Temeraire, Formidable, Theseus, Majestic, Orion, Vengeance, Resolution, Desiree, and Morgiana, and departed later for their destination.

25 Apr 1802 a Marine of the Formidable, by the name of MacEvoy, just paid off, having robbed his comrade of his wages, was sentenced by a Court Martial to receive 500 lashes on the Hoe ; he was drummed out as a thief and a disgrace to the Marine Corps.

Circa 14 May 1802 the Stork, just arrived Jamaica from England, in a letter to Portsmouth, reports the arrival of the Temeraire, Formidable, and Elephant at Jamaica for water, so dates more than a little approximate.

17 May 1802 the Morgiana sloop of war, Captain Otter, arrived Spithead from Martinique, after a passage of 45 days, and reports that the Temeraire, Vengeance, Formidable, Resolution, Majestic, Theseus, and Desiree, under the command of R.-Adm. Campbell, departed Martinique, for Jamaica, a few days prior to her departure for England.

21 Sep 1802 last night, after a passage of seven weeks, arrived Cawsand Bay from Jamaica, the Temeraire, 98. Rear-Admiral Campbell ; Formidable, 98, Majestic, 74, and Audacious, 74.

21 Sep 1802 the Formidable, 98, and the Temeraire, 98, worked into the Sound from Cawsand Bay, and mean to lay to for the young flood to go up the harbour to be stripped, paid off, and laid up in ordinary.

30 Sep 1802 the Formidable, Captain Grindall, was paid off at Plymouth, and laid up in ordinary.

1805 Plymouth, to repair in Ordinary

1 Jan 1807 departed Plymouth Sound for the Mediterranean.

21 Feb 1808 joined in Palermo bay by R.-adm. Strachan's squadron.

2 Mar 1808 joined Lord Collingwood's squadron off the island of Maritimo. 6 Mar received news that the French fleet had been at sea for a month and departed in search, which continued for a week or two after the French fleet had returned to Toulon on 10 Apr. Leaving Vice-admiral Thornborough with a sufficient force to blockade Toulon, Lord Collingwood departed for Gibraltar and Cadiz, to contribute his aid to the cause of the Spanish patriots.

2 Jan 1810 went up into Plymouth harbour to be repaired.

28 Jan 1811 at St. Helen's and remains.

30 Jan 1811 departed Spithead.

26 Mar 1811 is reported to have departed Spithead for Plymouth.

29 Mar 1811 ordered to Portsmouth to refit.

15 Apr 1811 arrived Deal yesterday and has departed to the eastward.