HMS Buckingham (1751)
HMS Buckingham was a 70-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built at Deptford Dockyard to the draught specified by the 1745 Establishment, and in active service during the Seven Years' War with France.
On 3 November 1758, Buckingham under the command of Richard Tyrell joined with to engage three French warships off the coast of Montserrat, the 74-gun Florissant and two frigates, carrying 38 and 28 guns. The battle lasted for four hours with both Buckingham and Florissant taking considerable damage. Florissant was able to disentangle from Buckingham and sail off before the British could board her.
In 1771 Buckingham was converted to a storeship at Chatham Dockyard, and was renamed Grampus. Her armament was reduced to 30 guns and her crew to 320 men. Commissioned in this role under Captain George Byron, she sailed for Jamaica on 26 December 1778 to resupply the Royal Navy garrison. In April 1779 her command was transferred to Commander Thomas Bennett, who sailed her to Newfoundland to collect supplies of timber. She was leaking badly on her return voyage to England, and foundered on 11 November 1779 while crossing the North Atlantic Ocean.
