This ship has not appeared on a stamp and this information is listed to avoid confusion with HMS Boreas 1774.
In April 1757 the Admiralty sought tenders for ten vessels to be built of fir instead of oak, to an appropriately modified design (notably including a square tuck stern). They were unable to find tenders (although Thomas Stanton offered to tender at £9 per ton, a price which the Admiralty declined to pay), and accordingly commissioned three such vessels from their own Dockyards, with another pair seventeen days later.
(The five vessels were Boreas, Hussar, Shannon, Trent and Actaeon.
Boreas Woolwich Dyd. [M/Shipwright Israel Pownoll]
As built: 118ft 5.5in, 97ft 5in x 33ft 8in x 10ft 6in. 5873 bm.
Ord: 18 April 1757. K: 21 April 1757. (named 6 July 1757) L: 29 July 1757. C: 6 Sept 1757. First cost: £6,314.9.10d to build (£9,193.18.3d including fitting). Commissioned August 1757 under Capt. Robert Boyle (-1759);
Sailed for America 21 June 1758; in Louisbourg operation 1858; took 36-gun La Diane April 1758; with Rodney's squadron in the Channel 1759; at bombardment of Le Havre 3 July 1759. In Feb 1780 under Capt. Samuel Uredale; sailed for Jamaica 26 March 1760; chased ashore and burnt privateer Le St Michel 30 August 1760 (near Cape St Nicholas Mole); in action (with Hampshire and Lively) against five French frigates in the Windward Passage 18 Oct 1760, taking 32-gun La Sirene; repaired at Jamaica 1761; her boats (with Trent's) cut out 10-gun privateer Le Vainqueur in Cumberland Harbour; took privateer La Belle Madeleine 18 Dec 1761; in Havana operations 6 June — 13 August 1762. Surveyed 16 Oct 1762; Small Repair and fitted at Woolwich (for £5,287) Oct 1762 — May 1763. Recommissioned April 1763 under Capt. Richard Hughes (-1766), off North Foreland. In 1767 under Capt. Constantine Phipps, then 1768 Capt. Digby Dent, both in the Channel. Surveyed 23 May 1770, and sold (for £280) 29 June 1770.
British Warships in the Age of Sail 1714-1792 Rif Winfield