Westmoreland (1791 ship)

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History
Great Britain
NameWestmoreland
BuilderThames
Launched1791
FateLast listed in 1814
General characteristics
Tons burthen173,[1] or 180,[2] or 186[2] (bm)
Complement
Armament
  • 1803: 12 × 6&9-pounder guns[2]
  • 1805:16 × 9-pounder guns + 24-pounder carronades[2]
  • 1806:10 × 6-pouner guns + 2 × 12-pounder carronades

Westmoreland was launched on the Thames in 1791. She made two voyages as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. Between these voyages she cruized as a privateer for some months. She then traded between Britain and the Mediterranean. She was last listed in 1814.

Career[edit]

Although she was launched in 1791, Westmoreland first appeared in Lloyd's Register (LR) only in 1801.[3]

Year Master Owner Trade Source & notes
1801 J.Bridson Every & Co. Greenock–Jamaica LR
1802 J.Bridson
P.Cormack
Every & Co.
Walter & Co.
Greenock–Jamaica
Liverpool–Africa
LR

1st voyage transporting enslaved people (1802–1804): Westmoreland sailed from Liverpool on 14 October 1802.[4] In 1802, 155 vessels sailed from English ports, bound on voyages to acquire and transport enslaved people; 122 of these vessels sailed from Liverpool.[5]

Westmoreland acquired captives in the Gold Coast region and arrived with 149 slaves at Trinidad on 22 November 1803.[4] War with France had resumed while she was on her voyage and Captain Peter Cormack received a letter of marque on 25 July 1803.[2] She left Trinidad on 9 April 1804 and arrived back at Liverpool on 25 May. She had left Liverpool with 24 crew members and she suffered three crew deaths on the voyage.[4]

On her return Westmoreland became a privateer, before reverting to the slave trade.

Year Master Owner Trade Source & notes
1805 P.Cormack
Goodall
Walton & Co.
Taylor & Co.
Liverpool–Africa
Liverpool – a cruise
LR
1806 T.Goodall
H.Fryer
Walton & Co.
Taylor & Co.
Liverpool – a cruise
Liverpool–Africa
LR

Privateer: Captain Thomas Goodall acquired a letter of marque on 11 January 1805.[2] Westmoreland, Goodall, master, captured the polacre Conception at 36°50′N 19°40′W / 36.833°N 19.667°W / 36.833; -19.667. Conception had been sailing from Vera Cruz to Spain with a cargo of 130 tons of sugar, a quantity of dye wood, and 68,000 dollars. Conception arrived at Liverpool on 28 February.[6] As Conception sailed for Liverpool she left Westmoreland in chase of another Spanish vessel.[7][8]

In late March of early April Lloyd's List reported that a French privateer captured Westmoreland, Goodall, master, after a long engagement.[9] A week and a half later Lloyd's List reported that the French privateer Bon had captured a different Westmoreland.[10]

In June, Westmoreland, Goodall, master, recaptured Eliza and sent her to Liverpool. Eliza had been sailing from Waterford to Newfoundland when a Spanish privateer had captured her off Cape Clear.[11]

2nd voyage transporting enslaved people (1806–1807): Captain Henry Tryer sailed from Liverpool on 6 March 1806. Westmoreland acquired captives at Lagos Onim. She arrived at Berbice on 8 August with 218 captives. She sailed from Berbice on 3 February 1807 and arrived back at Liverpool on 16 April. She had left Liverpool with 33 crew members and she suffered nine crew deaths on the voyage.[12]

Year Master Owner Trade Source & notes
1808 J.Mason
Robinson
James & Co. Liverpool–Africa
Liverpool–Messina
LR; large repair 1808
1814 Robinson James & Co. Liverpool–Malta LR; large repair 1808

Fate[edit]

Westmoreland was last listed in 1814.

Citations[edit]

  1. ^ House of Commons (1814), p. 341.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h "Letter of Marque, p.92 - accessed 25 July 2017" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 October 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
  3. ^ LR (1801), Supple. pages "W", Seq.No.W6.
  4. ^ a b c Trans Atlantic Slave Trade Database – Westmoreland voyage #84007.
  5. ^ Williams (1897), p. 680.
  6. ^ "The Marine List". Lloyd's List. No. 4196. 5 March 1805. hdl:2027/uc1.c2735022.
  7. ^ The Times (London, England), 4 March 1805; pg. 2; Issue 6271.
  8. ^ "LONDON, March 5". Jackson's Oxford Journal (Oxford, England), 9 March 9, 1805; Issue 2706.
  9. ^ "The Marine List". Lloyd's List. No. 4208. 16 April 1805. hdl:2027/uc1.c2735022.
  10. ^ "The Marine List". Lloyd's List. No. 4211. 26 April 1805. hdl:2027/uc1.c2735022.
  11. ^ "The Marine List". Lloyd's List. No. 4224. 11 June 1805. hdl:2027/uc1.c2735022.
  12. ^ Trans Atlantic Slave Trade Database – Westmoreland voyage #84008.

References[edit]

  • House of Commons, Parliament, Great Britain (1814). Minutes of the Evidence Taken Before the Select Committee on Petitions Relating to East-India-Built Shipping. H.M. Stationery Office.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  • Williams, Gomer (1897). History of the Liverpool Privateers and Letters of Marque: With an Account of the Liverpool Slave Trade. W. Heinemann.