Israel Pownoll (c.1710–1779) was an English shipbuilder for the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...

History

The 'Defence' at the Battle of the First of June, 1794

George III reviewing the Fleet at Spithead 22 June 1773

In 1741, he was Foreman and Master Mastmaker of

Deptford Dockyard Deptford Dockyard was an important naval dockyard and base at Deptford on the River Thames, operated by the Royal Navy from the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries. It built and maintained warships for 350 years, and many significant events a ...

. In March 1743 he was appointed Master

Caulk Caulk or, less frequently, caulking is a material used to seal joints or seams against leakage in various structures and piping. The oldest form of caulk consisted of fibrous materials driven into the wedge-shaped seams between boards on w ...

er. In 1752 he moved to

Portsmouth Dockyard His Majesty's Naval Base, Portsmouth (HMNB Portsmouth) is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy (the others being HMNB Clyde and HMNB Devonport). Portsmouth Naval Base is part of the city of Portsmouth; it is l ...

as Assistant Shipwright but was only briefly there before moving to the same role at

Chatham Dockyard Chatham Dockyard was a Royal Navy Dockyard located on the River Medway in Kent. Established in Chatham in the mid-16th century, the dockyard subsequently expanded into neighbouring Gillingham (at its most extensive, in the early 20th century, ...

. In May 1755 he became Master Shipwright at

Sheerness Sheerness () is a town and civil parish beside the mouth of the River Medway on the north-west corner of the Isle of Sheppey in north Kent, England. With a population of 11,938, it is the second largest town on the island after the nearby town ...

and in December 1755 moved to

Woolwich Dockyard Woolwich Dockyard (formally H.M. Dockyard, Woolwich, also known as The King's Yard, Woolwich) was an English Royal Navy Dockyard, naval dockyard along the river Thames at Woolwich in north-west Kent, where many ships were built from the early 1 ...

and from then the Navy lists his works. In May 1772 he took over

Plymouth Dockyard His Majesty's Naval Base, Devonport (HMNB Devonport) is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy (the others being HMNB Clyde and HMNB Portsmouth) and is the sole nuclear repair and refuelling facility for the Roy ...

and in February 1775 became Master of the Navy's main yard at

. He died at Chatham in April 1779. His will was read on 8 May and is now held at the National Archive at Kew.

Ships built

*HMS Plymouth (1755) 8-gun yacht launched at

HMS Coventry (1757) HMS ''Coventry'' was a 28-gun sixth-rate frigate of the Royal Navy, launched in 1757 and in active service as a privateer hunter during the Seven Years' War, and as part of the British fleet in India during the Anglo-French War. After sevent ...

launched at Chatham * HMS Princess Amelia (1757) 80-gun

ship of the line A ship of the line was a type of naval warship constructed during the Age of Sail from the 17th century to the mid-19th century. The ship of the line was designed for the naval tactic known as the line of battle, which depended on the two colu ...

launched at Woolwich *

HMS Boreas (1757) HMS ''Boreas'' was a 28-gun sixth-rate frigate of the Royal Navy. Built by Israel Pownoll at Woolwich Dockyard and launched in 1757, she was one of five frigates of the class built of fir rather than oak. ''Boreas'' saw service during the Seve ...

28-gun

frigate A frigate () is a type of warship. In different eras, the roles and capabilities of ships classified as frigates have varied somewhat. The name frigate in the 17th to early 18th centuries was given to any full-rigged ship built for speed and ...

launched at Woolwich *

HMS Rippon (1758) HMS ''Rippon'' was a 60-gun fourth rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, designed by Sir Joseph Allin and built by Israel Pownoll at Woolwich Dockyard to the draught specified by the 1745 Establishment as amended in 1752, and launched on ...

60-gun ship of the line launched at Woolwich *

HMS Blenheim (1761) HMS ''Blenheim'' was a 90-gun second-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built by Israel Pownoll and launched on 5 July 1761 at Woolwich. In 1797 she participated in the Battle of Cape St Vincent. In 1801 ''Blenheim'' was razeed to a th ...

90-gun ship of the line launched at Woolwich *

HMS Defence (1763) HMS ''Defence'' was a 74-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built by Israel Pownoll and launched on 31 March 1763 at Plymouth Dockyard. She was one of the most famous ships of the period, taking part in several of the most im ...

74-gun ship of the line launched at

* HMS Boyne (1766) 70-gun Burford-class ship of the line, initially built by master shipwright Thomas Bucknall at Plymouth. Bucknall died in 1762 and was succeeded by Pownoll. * HMS Swan (1767) 14-gun sloop launched at Plymouth with a figurehead *

HMS Royal Oak (1769) HMS ''Royal Oak'' was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built by Israel Pownoll and launched on 13 November 1769 at Plymouth. She was commissioned for the Falklands Crisis of 1770. She was not fully commissioned until N ...

74-gun ship of the line launched at Plymouth * HMS Monmouth (1772) 64-gun ship of the line launched at Plymouth *

HMS Conqueror (1773) HMS ''Conqueror'' was a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built by Israel Pownoll and launched on 10 October 1773 at Plymouth. May, 1778 under command of Capt. Thomas Graves. She was commanded by Captain George Balfou ...

74-gun ship of the line launched at Plymouth * HMS Nonsuch (1774) 64-gun ship of the line launched at Plymouth * HMS Camilla (1775) 20-gun ship launched at Chatham *

HMS Stirling Castle (1775) HMS ''Stirling Castle'' was a 64-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built by Israel Pownoll and launched on 28 June 1775 at Chatham Dockyard, Chatham. She was wrecked on 5 October 1780 on the Silver Keys, off Cap François, of ...

launched at Chatham *

HMS Nymph (1778) HMS ''Nymph'' was a 14-gun ''Swan''-class sloop of the Royal Navy, built by Israel Pownoll and launched at Chatham Dockyard on 27 May 1778. She was accidentally burnt and sank in the British Virgin Islands in 1783. Construction and commis ...

14-gun sloop launched at Chatham

Family

He was married to Mary Pownoll around 1732. He was father of Captain

Philemon Pownoll Philemon Pownoll (c. 1734 – 15 June 1780) of Sharpham in the parish of Ashprington in Devon, England, was an officer of the Royal Navy who saw service during the War of the Austrian Succession, the Seven Years' War and the American War of Inde ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pownoll, Israel 1779 deaths English shipbuilders Year of birth uncertain