Built as a wooden ship-of-the-line at Havana for the Spanish Navy.
Launched under the name REAL FENIX (also known as SAN ALEJANDRO)
Tonnage: 1,750 tons. Displacement: 3,000 ton. Dim. 53.00 x 14.50m.
Armament - Lower deck: 32 – 24 pdr. Upper Deck: 30 – 18 pdr. Forecastle and stern: 18 – 8pdr. Guns
Completed 1749.
She was built to a design made by Jorge Juan, along with her sister the RAYO.
Constructed of excellent tropical woods, her hull was strongly built, which explains her longevity.
On 16th January 1780 a British fleet comprising 18 ships of the line and 9 frigates under the command of Admiral Sir George Rodney, rounded Cape St Vincent, Portugal. They sighted a Spanish squadron of 11 ships of the line and 2 frigates.
At 04:00 p.m. the battle commenced during stormy weather, one Spanish ship was destroyed early in the battle with the loss of most of its crew of 600.
The battle continued into the night and 6 Spanish ships were captured under which the REAL FENIX, the flagship of Langara.
She was taken up by the Royal Navy and renamed HMS GIBRALTAR and reclassified as a Second Rate Ship of the Line.
Tonnage under English flag is given as 2,184 tons (BM), dim. 178 ft 10in x 53 ft 3in x 22ft 4in, length of deck 144ft 5in.
Armament - Lower deck: 30 – 24pdr. Upper deck: 32 – 24 pdr. Quarterdeck: 4 – 12pdr. and 8 – 32pdr. carronades. Forecastle: 4 – 12pdr. and 2 – 32pdr. carronades.
1793: Under command of Capt. T. Mackenzie at the beginning of the war between Britain and France.
August 1794: Command taken over by Captain John Packenham.
1795: The GIBRALTAR was part of Admiral Hotham’s Fleet off the Hyeres Islands in the Mediterranean. In the early morning of 13th July 1795, the French fleet was discovered about 10 miles ahead, steering to the northwest.
For some inexplicable reason Admiral Hotham then ordered his ships to stand away from the enemy instead of bearing up,they continued under easy sail for an hour, while the French headed towards a friendly port. When at last he made the signal to chase the French was a long way in front.
VICTORY, CUMBERLAND, CULLODEN, AGAMEMNON and DEFENCE, by cramming on all sails, managed to catch up with the enemy by noon, and forced the French ALCIDE to strike. Two hours later, as BLENHEIM, GIBRALTAR, CAPTAIN and some others, were closing with the rear ships of the enemy and about to open fire, Admiral HOTHAM made the recall signal and they were forced to watch the enemy sail unmolested into Frejus Bay. The ALCIDE blew up accidentally and was destroyed.
July 1979: Under command of Captain W. Hancock Kelly, in the English Channel Fleet.
1799: Stationed at Lisbon.
February 1800: She grounded in Finisterre Bay. As a result, she lost her rudder but swung off without much damage when the tide turned.
7th June 1800: Sailed from Plymouth to join the Channel Fleet.
1801: The GIBRALTAR was one ship of Sir John Warren’s squadron in the Mediterranean.
Some ships under the command of the French Admiral Gantheaume avoided the Royal Navy squadron blockading Brest reaching Toulon on 19th February.
Sir John Warren lost no time in proceeding into the Mediterranean with the intention of following them should they make a push for Egypt.
He sailed from Minorca on 24th February after refitting his ships there, but had to put back the following day after his squadron was badly damaged in a gale.
He sailed again from Port Mahon on 4th March and made, first for Palermo and then the Bay of Naples.
While his squadron was sailing to Toulon on 25th March, HMS SALAMINE informed him that the French had sailed six days ago. The following morning the squadron fell in with the enemy between Sardinia and Maritimo but, although they gave chase, foggy weather allowed the French to escape to the north. Sir John Warren then set course, with his squadron, for Alexandria and joined up with Lord Keith on 20th April.
August 1802: GIBRALTAR, TRIUMPH and DRAGON were laying at Gibraltar waiting to return home but received orders brought by a frigate to continue active service in the Mediterranean.
6th October 1802: GIBRALTAR, DRAGON, TRIUMPH, SUPERB and RENOWN received the orders to sail from Gibraltar to Malta to join Admiral Bickerton in HMS KENT.
The crew of GIBRALTAR expressing a desire to sail to the westward and mutinied, the crew took possession of the ship and ran her under the sterns of the others, cheering them in the hope that the other crews would join them. When they were disappointed in this, the mutineers became panic stricken and the officers and the marines of the ship under command Captain Johnston easily subdued them.
The two ringleaders were taken on board DRAGON, tried and then executed on the GIBRALTAR.
Shortly afterwards Captain Kelly of the GIBRALTAR was dismissed for having confined and then liberated, without a court martial, four seamen who had been guilty of mutiny. Captain Briggs of the HMS MADRAS replaced him.
HMS HOUND brought home the news of the mutiny on board the GIBRALTAR when he arrived at Portsmouth on 5th January 1803.
May 1803: A squadron consisting of KENT, DONNEGAL, SUPERB, TRIUMP, MONMOUTH, GIBRALTAR, AGINCOURT, BELLEISLE, RENOW and the frigates MEDUSA and AMPHION cruised off Toulon. Every day they were within two miles off the French fleet consisting of eight sail-of-the-line and five frigates.
1804: Under command of Captain Ryves. In June-July of that year GIBRALTAR returned home with a convoy from the Mediterranean escorting them as far as the Downs.
5th August 1804: Paid off at Portsmouth, and her men drafted to AJAX and GLOOY. Because she was drawing so much water she went into dock for a much-needed refit.
1805: Under repair at Portsmouth.
1807: Under command of Captain P.Puget in the English Channel Fleet. Captain John Halliday took command over later that year.
1808: Under command of Capt. H.L.Ball in the Channel Fleet.
April 1809: She was in the fleet under the command of Lord Gambier taking part in the attack on the French fleet in the Basque road. Her first lieutenant, John Cooksley, commanded one of the fire ships on 11th April.
Captain George Wells of AIGLE stated at Lord Gambier’s court martial that he saw Lieutenant Cooksley run on board a two-decker (the VILLE DE VARSOVIE) before firing his vessel, although the French officers said later that they had cut (loose) and run aground to avoid the fire ships.
John Conyers, master’s mate, who was GIBRALTAR’s only casualty, was badly scorched in the face and hands.
1811: Under command of Captain Robert Plampin, off Brest.
1813: Under command of Captain George Scott for a few weeks. In December 1813 she became a powder hulk.
1815: Out of commission at Plymouth.
September 1824: Used as a lazarette.
November 1836: Broken up at Pembroke.
Source: The Sail and Steam Navy List by Lyon and Winfield, but mostly copied from http://www.cronab.demon.co.uk/G.HTM . Info received from Mr. Mario F.Rosner.