Israel Pownoll

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

History

HMS Defence at battle

HMS Royal Oak in the Navalk Review at Spithead

In 1741, he was Foreman and Master Mastmaker of Deptford Dockyard. In March 1743 he was appointed Master Caulker.^[1]

In 1752 he moved to Portsmouth Dockyard as Assistant Shipwright but was only briefly there before moving to the same role at Chatham Dockyard. In May 1755 he became Master Shipwright at Sheerness and in December 1755 moved to Woolwich Dockyard and from then the Navy lists his works. In May 1772 he took over Plymouth Dockyard and in February 1775 became Master of the Navy's main yard at Chatham Dockyard.^[1]

He died at Chatham in April 1779. His will was read on 8 May and is now held at the National Archive at Kew.^[2]

Ships built

• HMS Plymouth (1755) 8-gun yacht launched at Plymouth Dockyard
• HMS Coventry (1757) launched at Chatham^[3]
• HMS Princess Amelia (1757) 80-gun ship of the line launched at Woolwich
• HMS Boreas (1757) 28-gun frigate launched at Woolwich
• HMS Rippon (1758) 60-gun ship of the line launched at Woolwich
• HMS Blenheim (1761) 90-gun ship of the line launched at Woolwich
• HMS Defence (1763) 74-gun ship of the line launched at Plymouth Dockyard
• 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.^[4]
• HMS Swan (1767) 14-gun sloop launched at Plymouth with a figurehead^[5]
• HMS Royal Oak (1769) 74-gun ship of the line launched at Plymouth
• HMS Monmouth (1772) 64-gun ship of the line launched at Plymouth
• HMS Conqueror (1773) 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) launched at Chatham^[6]
• HMS Nymph (1778) 14-gun sloop launched at Chatham

Family

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

References

1. "Israel Pownoll (D.1779)". Retrieved 6 October 2022.
2. "Will of Israel Pownoll, Master Shipwright of His Majesty's Dockyard of Chatham , Kent". 8 May 1779. Retrieved 6 October 2022 – via The National Archives (UK).
3. "Decks plan for Coventry (1757)". Royal Museums Greenwich prints. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
4. Winfield, Rif (2007). British Warships in the Age of Sail 1714–1792: Design, Construction, Careers and Fates. Barnsley: Seaforth Publishing. p. 57. ISBN 978-1-84415-700-6.
5. "Israel Pownoll, Master Shipwright, Plymouth. Asks what figure should be cut for the new..." 5 September 1766. Retrieved 6 October 2022 – via The National Archives (UK).
6. "'Stirling Castle' (1775) [alternative spelling: Sterling Castle] | Royal Museums Greenwich". www.rmg.co.uk. Retrieved 6 October 2022.