Ann was launched at Chester in 1792 as a West Indiaman. From 1796 she made nine complete voyages as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. She participated in several single ship actions. On her first voyage she repelled an attack by a French privateer. On her second a privateer captured her but she was recaptured. On her ninth voyage a French privateer again captured her, but this time her captor plundered and then released her. She sank on 24 May 1810 in the Old Dock at Liverpool, but was salvaged.
In 1795 Ann commenced the first of nine voyages transporting captives.
1st voyage transporting enslaved people (1795–1796): Captain Ruben (or Reuben) Wright acquired a letter of marque on 14 September 1795.[1] He sailed from Liverpool on 30 September.[3] In 1795, 79 vessels sailed from English ports, bound for the trade in enslaved people; 59 of these vessels sailed from Liverpool.[4]
Ann acquired captives at Bonny and arrived at St Croix on 9 April 1796.[3] Before landing her captives at St Croix, Ann, Wright, master, stopped at Barbados; on the way she had repelled an attack by a 16-gun privateer.[5]
The attack took place on 20 March, windward of Barbados. The French privateer was a long schooner of 16 guns, plus swivel guns. She had a large complement. The engagement lasted two and a half hours before the privateer made off, badly damaged. Ann was too damaged to follow. Two men of crew of 25 had been slightly wounded.[6]
Ann left St Croix on 30 May and arrived back at Liverpool on 6 July. She had left Liverpool with 28 crew members and suffered no crew deaths on her voyage.[3]
At the time Saint Croix was a Danish colony. In 1792, the Danish government passed a law that would outlaw Danish participation in the trans-Atlantic enslaving trade, from early 1803 on. This led the government in the Danish West Indies to encourage the importation of captives prior to the ban taking effect. One measure that it took was to open the trade to foreign vessels. Records for the period 1796 to 1799 show that 24 British enslaving ships, most of them from Liverpool, arrived at St Croix and imported 6,781 captives.[7]
Year
Master
Owner
Trade
Source
1796
R.Wright R.Cateral
E.Grayson T.Clark
Liverpool–Africa
LR
2nd voyage transporting enslaved people (1796): Captain Robert Cattaral acquired a letter of marque on 11 October 1796.[1] He sailed from Liverpool on 19 October 1796.[8] In 1796, 103 vessels sailed from English ports, bound for the trade in enslaved people; 74 of these vessels sailed from Liverpool.[4]
Near Cap Finisterre, a French privateer captured Ann, Catteral, master, as Ann was on her way to Africa.[9]
On 1 November 1796, Ann was at 42°30′N16°00′W / 42.500°N 16.000°W / 42.500; -16.000 (near Cape Finisterre), when a privateer approached, but then sheered off. The next day the privateer returned. She was armed with twelve 9-pounder guns, six 6-pounder guns, and two swivel guns. She also had a crew of 90 men. An engagement of one hour ensued. Ann sustained extensive damage, though no casualties before her crew abandoned here defense and took refuge below decks. Captain Catteral and his officers, unable to defend her any longer, struck. The newspaper account describing the action, described the crew as consisting largely of Americans and foreigners.[10]
Ann, Lee, master, made a voyage to the West Indies in 1798.
3rd voyage transporting enslaved people (1798–1799): Captain Thomas Lee sailed from Liverpool on 6 October 1798.[11] In 1798, 160 vessels sailed from English ports, bound for the trade in enslaved people; 149 of these vessels sailed from Liverpool.[4]
Ann gathered captives at Bonny and arrived at Kingston on 5 May 1799 with 359 captives. She arrived back at Liverpool on 17 September.[11]
In the first half of 1800, Ann, Porteus, master, made a voyage between Liverpool and the West Indies.
4th voyage transporting enslaved people (1800–1801): Captain Robert Riddle acquired a letter of marque on 13 October 1800.[1] He sailed from Liverpool on 6 November 1800.[12] In 1800, 133 vessels sailed from English ports, bound for the trade in enslaved people; 120 of these vessels sailed from Liverpool.[4]
On 17 December Ann was "all well" and in company with another Timperon-owned ship, Columbus, Cromarty, master, at 7°30′N16°10′W / 7.500°N 16.167°W / 7.500; -16.167 as they were on their way to Africa.[13] He first acquired captives at Cape Coast Castle, and then at Wiamba.[12]Ann was reported "all well" at Winnabeck on 9 January 1801, together with another Timperon-owned ship, Egyptian, Pince, master.[14]Ann arrived at Kingston, Jamaica on 3 June 1801 with 231 captives. She sailed from Kingston on 30 August and arrived back at Liverpool on 2 October. She had left Liverpool with 34 crew members and had arrived at Kingston with 25. In all, she had suffered three crew deaths on her voyage.[12]
5th voyage transporting enslaved people (1802): Captain James Frodsham sailed from Liverpool on 1 April 1802.[15] In 1802, 155 vessels sailed from English ports, bound for the trade in enslaved people; 122 of these vessels sailed from Liverpool.[4]
Ann arrived at Demerara on 19 August with 243 captives. She arrived back at Liverpool on 20 October. She had left Liverpool with 28 crew members and had suffered no crew deaths on her voyage.[15]
6th voyage transporting enslaved people (1802–1804): Captain James Frodsham sailed from Liverpool on 23 December 1802.[16] In 1804, 147 vessels sailed from English ports, bound for the trade in enslaved people; 126 of these vessels sailed from Liverpool.[4]
Captain Frodsham acquired captives at Accra, but primarily elsewhere in the Bight of Benin.[16] Captain Frodsham died on 4 January 1804.[17]Ann (late Frodsham), Joseph Porteus, master, arrived at Kingston on 11 February from Africa and Barbados. She sailed from Kingston on 15 April and arrived back at Liverpool on 1 June. She had left Liverpool with 31 crew members and had suffered two crew deaths on her voyage.[16]
7th voyage transporting enslaved people (1804–1805): Captain Joseph Porteus sailed from Liverpool on 23 July 1804.[18] Porteus started acquiring captives at Accra on 4 September. Ann arrived at Kingston on 31 December with 233 captives. She sailed from Kingston on 25 March 1805 and arrived at Liverpool on 10 June. She had left Liverpool with 32 crew members and had suffered no crew deaths on her voyage.[18] She brought with her as cargo rum, coffee, logwood, and fustic.
8th voyage transporting enslaved people (1805–1806): Captain Porteus sailed from Liverpool on 27 July 1805, and arrived at Kingston on 18 February 1806 with 230 captives. She sailed from Kingston on 28 March.[19]Lloyd's List reported in July that Ann, Porteus, master, had put into Norfolk, Virginia, leaky.[20]Ann arrived at Liverpool on 1 November. She had left Liverpool with 26 crew members and had suffered one crew death on her voyage.[19]
9th voyage transporting enslaved people (1807–1808): Captain Porteus sailed from Liverpool on 2 March 1807.[21] However, on 10 March the French privateer Rivermont captured Ann at 37°N17°W / 37°N 17°W / 37; -17. Rivermont was armed with six 12-pounder guns and twelve 42-pounder carronades, and had a crew of 175 men. The Frenchmen plundered Ann of all her small stores, part of her cables, sails, and cargo. They also threw all her guns overboard. They then released Ann to her crew. She arrived back at Liverpool on 5 April.[22]
Porteus and Ann resumed her original voyage. He acquired captives at Accra and Ann arrived at Kingston on 27 January 1808 with 244 captives. She sailed from Kingston on 26 April and arrived at Liverpool on 4 July. She had left Liverpool with 37 crew members and had suffered three crew deaths on her voyage.[21]
The Slave Trade Act 1807 ended British participation in the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Thereafter Ann returned to merchant trade.
Year
Master
Owner
Trade
Source & notes
1808
Porteus Woodhall
Litt & Co.
Liverpool–Africa
LR; large repair 1802, new deck, new wales, and thorough repairs 1807.
1810
Woodhall
Stitt & Co.
London–Rio de Janeiro
LR; new top sides and thorough repair 1809
In 1809, Ann, Woodall, master, sailed to the West Indies and back. She then sailed to Rio de Janeiro. Ann, Woodall, master, had sailed from Rio de Janeiro on 18 February and spent five weeks in the channel. She had come into Liverpool on 19 May and was reported to have sunk on 24 May in the Old Dock at Liverpool.[23] On 19 May 1810 Ann was back at Liverpool from Rio de Janeiro. She had nine feet of water in her hold. Her anchor had gone through her bow as she was going into dock.[24]
On 2 September 1810, Ann, Woodall, master, arrived at Jamaica from Whitehaven. On 11 December she had arrived at Gravesend, Kent.
Allison was launched in France in 1776, almost certainly under another name. The British captured her in 1795. Between 1796 and 1799 she made two whaling voyages to the British southern whale fishery. Then between 1799 and 1807 she made three voyages as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. Between the first and the second a French privateer captured her, but British letters of marque recaptured her. The British slave trade was abolished in 1807 and thereafter Allison traded primarily as a coaster. After about 1840 she began to trade to America and Africa. She was lost c.1846.
Sarah was launched at Liverpool in 1797. She then made six voyages as a Liverpool-based slave ship in the triangular trade carrying enslaved people from West Africa to the West Indies. A French privateer captured Sarah in 1804 in a single-ship action on her seventh voyage after Sarah had gathered her slaves but before she could deliver them to the West Indies.
Byam was a snow launched at Oban, or possibly Padstow, in 1800. She made four voyages as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. The French captured and burnt her in late 1807 or early 1808 as she was about to deliver the captives from her fifth voyage.
Hannah was built in Liverpool in 1795. She made four voyages as a slave ship in the triangular trade of enslaved people. She was lost in 1801 as she was returning home after having delivered her captives on her fourth voyage.
Aurora was launched at Chester in 1793 as a West Indiaman. During her career first the French (twice) and then the United States' privateer captured her, but she returned to British hands. Between 1801 and 1808 she made four voyages from Liverpool as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. Afterwards, she continued to trade widely until 1831.
Dispatch was built in Bermuda in 1784 and came to England possibly as early as 1786. In 1792 she made a voyage as a slave ship carrying slaves from Africa to the West Indies in the triangular trade in enslaved people. She was then briefly a privateer before returning to the slave trade. The French captured her in 1795 while she was on her third slave trading voyage.
Duke of Buccleugh, was launched at Yarmouth in 1783. In 1789 she became a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. She made five complete enslaving voyages. On her fifth she had to repel an attack by a French privateer in a single ship action. A French privateer captured her in September 1797 after she had delivered her captives on her sixth voyage.
Alexander was launched in France or Spain in 1797, probably under another name, and taken in prize circa 1799, when she was lengthened and raised. She was registered at Liverpool in 1801 and proceeded to make six voyages as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. She then sailed to Brazil and the West Indies and was last listed in 1809.
Westmoreland was launched in Yarmouth in 1783. Between 1800 and 1804 she made two voyages as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. A French privateer captured her during her second voyage but the Royal Navy recaptured her and she completed her voyage. The registers continued to carry her for a few years but with stale data.. She actually made a voyage in 1805 to Demerara. On her way a privateer captured her.
Agreeable was launched in 1786 in Liverpool, possibly under another name. Between 1798 and 1802 she made three voyages as a slave ship. A French privateer captured her in 1803 as she was sailing from Africa to the West Indies on her fourth slave trading voyage.
Backhouse was launched in 1798 at Dartmouth. In all, she made four voyages as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. Between the second and the third, and after the fourth, she was a West Indiaman. A French privateer captured her early in 1810 as she was returning to Britain from Brazil.
Backhouse was launched in 1785 at Chester. She initially sailed as a West Indiaman. In 1792–1793 she made one voyage as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. Once in 1796 and twice in 1797 she repelled attacks by French privateers in three single-ship actions. Backhouse made four more voyages transporting enslaved people and then returned to the West Indies trade. After about 1809 she became a London coaster and was last listed in 1813.
Nimble was built in Folkestone in 1781, possibly under another name. In 1786 Nimble was almost rebuilt and lengthened. Between 1786 and 1798 she made nine voyages as a whaler in the British Southern Whale Fishery. Between 1799 and 1804 she made four voyages from Liverpool as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. On her first voyage as to gather captives she detained a neutral vessel, an action that resulted in a court case. On her second voyage to gather captives, a French privateer captured her, but the Royal Navy recaptured her. She was wrecked in 1804 or so after she had delivered her captives to St Thomas.
Betsey was launched in 1790 at Liverpool as a slave ship. She made six complete voyages in the triangular trade in enslaved people. On her second such voyage she, together with five other slave ships, bombarded Calabar for more than three hours to force the local native traders to lower the prices they were charging for captives. A French privateer captured her in 1799 after she had delivered her captives on her seventh voyage.
Beaver was launched in 1796 at Liverpool. She made seven complete voyages as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved persons. She was captured and retaken once, in 1804, and captured a second time in 1807, during her eighth voyage.
Ranger was launched in Liverpool in 1789. She made four complete voyages as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. A French privateer captured her in 1796 in a single ship action during her fifth voyage transporting enslaved people. She was recaptured, but thereafter disappears from online records.
Molly was launched at Liverpool in 1778 as a slave ship. Between 1778 and 1807 she made 18 complete voyages in the triangular trade in enslaved persons. During this period she also suffered one major maritime incident and captured two ships. After the end of Britain's involvement in the trans-Atlantic slave trade, Molly became a merchantman trading with the West Indies, Africa, Brazil, Nova Scotia, and Africa again. She was last listed in 1832, giving her a 54-year career.
True Briton was launched at Liverpool in 1775. She made two voyages as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. During the second of these voyages there was an unsuccessful insurrection by the captives she was carrying. Then in 1777–1778 she made another enslaving voyage, this time under the name John. On her return to Liverpool, she became the privateer Bellona, and succeeded in taking several prizes. Bellona then made three enslaving voyages. In 1786 her ownership changed, and so did her name. She became Lord Stanley, and under that name proceeded to make 11 more enslaving voyages. In 1794, at Havana, a deadly fever spread through the vessel, apparently after she had landed her captives. On her last voyage the captain acted with such brutality towards a black crew member that the man, who providentially survived, sued the captain when the vessel arrived at Liverpool and won substantial damages.
Aeolus was built in Liverpool. Between 1787 and 1806 she made 13 voyages as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. On one voyage she repelled an attack by a French privateer in a single ship action. She was last listed in 1808.
Bud was launched at Liverpool in 1783. Between 1783 and 1800 she made 12 complete voyages as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. In 1796 she repelled an attack by a faster, better armed, and more heavily crewed French privateer in a single ship action. Then in 1798, a French privateer captured her in another single ship action after Bud's short but sanguinary resistance. The Royal Navy quickly captured her, and her captor. On her 13th enslaving voyage she was condemned at Kingston, Jamaica after she had arrived with her captives.
Gøbel, Erik (2016). The Danish Slave Trade and Its Abolition. BRILL.
Williams, Gomer (1897). History of the Liverpool Privateers and Letters of Marque: With an Account of the Liverpool Slave Trade. W. Heinemann.
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