Royal Sovereign, 1786
Type: 1st rate ; Armament 100
Launched : Plymouth in 1786 ; Disposal date or year : 1841
BM: 2175 tons
Complement: 866
Notes:

14 Jul 1793 departed with the Channel fleet from St. Helen's. On the 18th to the west of the Scilly Isles and subsequent manoeuvres.

31 Jul 1793 briefly sighted, but was unable to close the French fleet ; returned to Torbay on 10 Aug.

23 Aug 1793 the Channel Fleet departed to escort the Newfoundland trade, West Indian convoys in home waters.

27 Oct 1793 departed in search of the French fleet and squadrons. 18 Nov brief skirmish with a French squadron : by mid-December the fleet had returned to Spithead.

2 May - 1 Jun 1794 Departure of the Channel Fleet from St. Helen's, and the lead up to actions and manoeuvres with the French fleet. 29 May - 1 Jun., what was to be known as the Battle of the Glorious 1st June commences, resulting in the capture of six sail of the line and one sunk. Review of the part performed by each British ship engaged. 13 Jun, the fleet arrived back in home ports.

14 Feb 1795 the Channel fleet departed from Torbay for a brief cruise and to see various convoys safe out of the Channel.

30 May 1795 a squadron under Vice-adm. Hon. Wm. Cornwallis departed from Spithead on a cruise off Ushant. Brief meeting, on 8 Jun off Belle-Isle, of Vice-adm Cornwallis' squadron with French Squadron under Rear-admiral Vence, with a convoy, during which 8 merchant vessels were taken when the French squadron escaped into harbour.

16 Jun 1795 on returning off Belle-Isle Vice-adm. Cornwallis' squadron of 5 ships of the line, including the Royal-Sovereign, Vice-adm. (b.) Hon. Wm. Cornwallis, Captain John Whitby, sighted a French Squadron of 12 ships of the line under the command of M. Villaret : on this occasion it was the turn of the British squadron to attempt to escape the advancing French fleet.

15 Apr - 15 May 1797 Mutiny at Spithead for improved pay and victuals etc. See p. 523-> www.naval-review.org/issues/1927-3.pdf.

16 Jan 1799 arrived Spithead.

19 Mar 1799 at Portsmouth, in dock.

13 Apr 1799 Portsmouth, went out to Spithead.

5 May 1799 arrived in Cawsand Bay from Spithead.

7 May 1799 remains in Cawsand Bay.

10 May 1799 Plymouth, departed last night with the Atlas, for the 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.

Circa late Jun 1799 arrived in the Tagus from the Channel Squadron to take a convoy and prizes to the England.

13 Jul 1799 Plymouth, arrived this morning from off the Rock of Lisbon, the Royal Sovereign, Caesar, Russell, with five of Lord Nelson's prizes, viz. La Tonant 84, Canopus 84, Spartiate 74, Aboukir 74, and Conquerant 74.

14 Jul 1799 Portsmouth, arrived at Spithead, the Magnificent, 74, with a convoy from Lisbon. She departed on the 17 Jun in company with the Royal Sovereign, Caesar, Russell, Aimable, a sloop, and five of Lord Nelson's prizes ; L'Aimable and the sloop escorted the trade to Liverpool, &c

2 Aug 1799 Plymouth, V.-Adm. Gardner struck his flag on board the Royal Sovereign, 110, in Cawsand Bay, and went to Bath for the recovery of his health.

23 Mar 1800 Plymouth, came in from off Brest.

20 Apr 1800 Plymouth, departed for Torbay.

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.

1 Aug 1800 Plymouth, arrived from the fleet.

22 Aug 1800 Adm Sir A. Gardner, struck his flag on board the Royal Sovereign, 110, at Plymouth, and set off this morning to pay his respect to their Majesties at Weymouth. He is to succeed Admiral Kingsmill on the Irish station.

30 Aug 1800 Plymouth, V.-Adm. Sir H. Harvey, Bart., hoisted his flag in Cawsand Bay.

5 Sep 1800 departed from Cawsand Bay.

Circa 1 Nov 1800 Lieutenant E. Kindall, late First of the Royal Sovereign, is made Master and Commander.

12 Mar 1801 arrived Cawsand Bay from the Channel Fleet.

24 Mar 1801 departed Cawsand Bay to join the Channel Fleet at 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.

12 Aug 1801 arrived Plymouth Sound, to refit.

20 Aug 1801 was paid 6 months wages.

22 Aug 1801 departed Plymouth Sound the Royal Sovereign with the San Josef, and Indefatigable, having embarked bullocks and vegetables for the Channel fleet.

19 Nov 1801 remained in Torbay the Ville de Paris, Royal Sovereign, Prince of Wales, Neptune, Prince, Royal George, San Joseph, London, Magnificent, Bellerophon, Hercule, Donegal, Robust, Edgar, Belleisle, Courageux, Fisgard, Amelia, Indefatigable, Childers, Atlanta, Nimrod. The Nile cutter departing for Plymouth to be paid off.

28 Dec 1801 the Channel Fleet remained in Torbay with the Ville de Paris.

15 Jan 1802 arrived Cawsand Bay the Royal Sovereign, 110, Vice-Admiral Sir E. Harvey, Bart. and the Excellent, 74, Hon. Captain Stopford, from Torbay, to be paid wages and prize money.

22 Jan 1802 was paid in Plymouth Sound and sailed for Torbay, the Royal Sovereign, 110, Vice-Admiral Sir E. Harvey, Bart., and Capt Raggett.

23 Jan 1802 arrived Torbay from Plymouth.

5 Apr 1802 letters received at Plymouth from Torbay state, that V.-Adm. Harvey, had struck his flag on board the Royal Sovereign, and set off for town directly.

9 Apr 1802 came up to St Helen's, from Torbay.

17 Apr 1802 the Royal Sovereign, Prince George and Prince of Wales got under weigh to come into Portsmouth harbour, but the wind shifting to the westward were obliged to bring to again.

18 Apr 1802 came into Portsmouth harbour to be paid off.

20 Mar 1803 the Prince of Wales, Britannia, Royal Sovereign, and Windsor Castle, at Portsmouth, are to be fitted for commission. Their ballast has been stowed, as has their ground tier of water, as a result of which it is said that once commissioned they can be sent out to Spithead.

11 Apr 1803 was commissioned at Portsmouth.

23 May 1803 due to go out of Portsmouth harbour to Spithead.

14 Jun 1803 due to scant wind has been prevented from going out of the harbour. The Cerberus arrived Spithead from the Downs, with 64 seamen, volunteers for the.

16 Jun 1803 went out of Portsmouth harbour to Spithead.

27 Jun 1803 Adm Montague shifted his flag to the Defiance prior to the departure of the Royal Sovereign from Spithead for the Channel Fleet.

Circa 27 Jun 1803 Lieutenants Lambrick, Burch, and Brown, apptd to the Royal Sovereign.

28 Jun 1803 departed Spithead, the Royal Sovereign, Capt Curry, to join the Channel Fleet.

5 Jul 1803 came into Cawsand Bay for men.

28 Jul 1803 fitting in Cawsand Bay when order were received from Adm Cornwallis, off Brest, for the Royal Sovereign to join the Fleet without delay ; departed at daybreak with a fine ESEly.

7 Nov 1803 arrived Cawsand Bay, but the weather being foul had to wait until the next day and for the weather to moderate before sending a boat ashore with the ship's mail. She will be victualled and refitted at her moorings.

21 Nov 1803 the Royal Sovereign, Northumberland, and Defiance have departed Cawsand Bay for off Brest.

Circa 24 Dec 1803 per letters received at Portsmouth, it is confirmed that despite the recent stormy weather Adm Cornwallis was able to maintain his station off Ushant.

Circa 14 Jan 1804 Capt P Malcolm apptd to the Royal Sovereign, vice Curry.

Circa 21 Jan 1804 is ordered at Plymouth for the Mediterranean.

Circa 28 Jan 1804 Mr John Allen, late of the Princess Royal, apptd to be surgeon of the Royal Sovereign.

Circa 28 Jan 1804 the Royal Sovereign is fitting at Plymouth for the flag of Sir Richard Bickerton. She is taking 12 young Russian officers out to the fleet in the Mediterranean.

15 Mar 1804 joined the Mediterranean fleet. 3 Apr departed from Sardinia to cruise with the fleet on the French coast until returning briefly to the Magdalena islands from 11 to 19 May.

Circa 19 Mar 1804 arrived at Gibraltar and departed 3 days later for Cadiz to watch that port, particularly for L'Aigle, 80, which is reported to be ready for sea.

Circa 23 Jun 1804 Capt Stuart apptd to the Royal Sovereign, Sir R Bickerton's flag ship.

19 Jul 1804 following the receipt of supplies from England the fleet departed for the gulf of Palma to store ship ; returned 26 Aug.

19 Jan 1805 whilst watering at Agincourt sound the Mediterranean fleet was informed that the Toulon fleet was at sea, and departed in search. It was discovered on 14 Feb that the French fleet had returned to Toulon.

28 Mar 1805 victualled at Palma and on the 3 Apr departed to water at Pulla bay, but on the 4th received the signal from the Phoebe that the Toulon fleet was at sea again : the search began again. 4 May, having heard that the Toulon fleet had passed through the Straits on 8 Apl, the fleet anchored at Mazari bay to water. Following a change in the wind the fleet departed on 5 May, the Superb leaving her cargo of cattle and vegetables etc. on the beach. 7 May 1805, at Gibraltar : on Nelson's departure Rear-admiral Sir R Bickerton was left in charge of the Mediterranean, and shifted his flag from the Royal-Sovereign to the Amfitrite.

12 May 1805 detached to a troop convoy to add additional protection whilst proceeding though the Straits whilst Nelson and his fleet departed for Madeira and the West Indies.

9-13 Oct 1805 joined the fleet off Cadiz.

10 Oct 1805 off Cadiz - the tactical preparations etc. for the forthcoming battle. 20 Oct combined fleet departed Cadiz, fleet manoeuvres.

21 Oct 1805 England expects�.. &c. signalled, the first shots of the Battle of Trafalgar are fired. Nelson shot. Resum� of what had taken place. Royal-Sovereign ; ship actions and losses. The post-mortem commences ; Summary of British casualties ; Death of Nelson ;

22-30 Oct 1805 losses amongst the prizes due to bad weather etc: Redoutable, Rayo, Monarca (sank) ; Fougueux, Bucentaure, Indomptable, San-Francisco-de-Asis, Aigle, Berwick (wrecked) ; Alg�siras (taken into Cadiz) ; Santa-Ana, Neptuno (recaptured) ; Santisima-Trinidad (scuttled) ; Achille, Intr�pide, San-Augustin (burnt) ; the washup ; burial of Nelson ;

22 Oct 1805 Euryalus transferred the tow of the Royal-Sovereign to the Neptune.

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.

24 June 1811 Reported to be off Toulon.

18 Jul 1811 off Toulon.

Plymouth 2 Dec 1811 arrived from off Toulon and now under quarantine.

Plymouth 6 Dec 1811 Released from quarantine and is to be docked.

Plymouth 8 Dec 1811 To sail to Portsmouth this morning.

Plymouth 1 Apr 1812 Came down the harbour and anchored in Cawsand Bay after having been docked and refitted.

Plymouth 26 Jun 1813 arrived from a cruise.

Plymouth 24 Jul 1813 Came in from off Brest.

Plymouth 26 Jul 1813 arrived Saturday last, from the Channel fleet, drifted on the Black Rocks a few days since, and sustained considerable damage, which obliged her to return to this port.

Portsmouth 26 Jan 1814 arrived from Plymouth.

Portsmouth 2 Mar 1814 Is ordered to sail with the Mediterranean convoy.

Portsmouth 5 Mar 1814 departed with a convoy for the Mediterranean.

Plymouth 2 Sep 1814 Is reported to have been paid off.

1825 Royal Sovereign renamed Captain.