| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | Caledonia |
| Namesake | Caledonia |
| Owner | George Geddes |
| Acquired | 1805 by purchase of a Spanish prize captured in 1804 [1] |
| Fate | Last mentioned 1809 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tons burthen | 327, [2] or 330 [3] (bm) |
| Complement | |
| Armament |
|
Caledonia was a Spanish vessel that the British captured in 1804 and that new owners renamed. She made two complete voyages as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. In 1809 she disappeared from online records.
Caledonia entered Lloyd's Register for 1805 with Hamilton, master, Geddies (or Geddes), owner, and trade Liverpool–Africa. [4] [lower-alpha 1]
Captain Hance Hamilton acquired a letter of marque on 20 September 1805. At the time he acquired the letter of marque his intention may have been to sail her as a privateer. A complement of 110 men is consistent with a privateer, which needs extra men to man prizes, but not with a merchantman or enslaving ship.
1st voyage transporting enslaved people (1805–1806): Captain Hamilton sailed from London on 16 October 1805, bound for West Central Africa and Saint Helena. Caledonia arrived at St Thomas, in the Danish West Indies, on 28 May 1806 with an estimated 280 captives. She arrived back at London on 26 October 1806. [5]
2nd voyage transporting enslaved people (1807–1808): Captain William Miller acquired a letter of marque on 20 May 1807. He sailed from London on 1 May 1807. [6] The Act for the abolition of the slave trade had passed Parliament in March 1807 and took effect on 1 May 1807. However, Caledonia had received clearance to sail before the deadline. Thus, when she sailed on 1 May, she did so legally. Between 1 January 1806 and 1 May 1807, 185 vessels cleared Liverpool, bound for Africa and the transport of captives to the West Indies. Thirty of these vessels departed on two voyages in that period. [7]
Caledonia started gathering captives at Bonny on 5 August 1807. She arrived at Kingston, Jamaica, on 5 January 1808, with 344 captives. She left Kingston on 22 April 1808. [6]
Caledonia, Miller, master, arrived at Portsmouth on 27 November 1808 from Lisbon, bound for Gothenburg. [8] Because the Slave Trade Act had ended British participation in the trans-Atlantic slave trade she could no longer continue in that trade.
The ending of the trade in enslaved people coincided for Liverpool with difficulties for its other trades. According to some merchants, in 1808 Liverpool had lost three-quarters of the trade that it had had in 1807. [7]
Lloyd's List for 28 March 1809 reported that Caledonia, Miller, master, had arrived at Gothenburg. [9] There is no mention of a Caledonia leaving Gothenburg in 1809–1810. That would suggest that Miller may have sold her there to owners who renamed her. Lloyd's Register and the Register of Shipping carried stale data from 1807 to 1813, though it is possible she reappeared during that time under a new name.
The shock to Liverpool's trade was short-lived. Most of the former slave ships found employment in trade between Liverpool and the West Indies, and Liverpool and South America. [10]
Royal Edward was launched in 1782 in France as Alexandre. The British captured her c.1796, and new owners changed her name. She then sailed for a few years as a West Indiaman before completing four voyages as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. She returned to the West India trade after leaving enslaving, and then traded more generally. She was condemned as unseaworthy and broken up in Bengal in 1815.
Elizabeth was launched at Bermuda in 1786 or 1790. She first appeared in Lloyd's Register (LR), in 1802. She then made four voyages as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. During the second of these voyages a French privateer captured her. After the end of British participation in the trans-Atlantic trade in enslaved people, she spent a little over a year as a hired armed tender under contract to the British Royal Navy. She returned to mercantile service trading with Madeira or Africa, until another French privateer captured her in early 1810.
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.
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.
Minerva was launched in 1795 at Lancaster as a West Indiaman. In 1801 she was captured but immediately recaptured. Between 1802 and 1808 she made five voyages as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. She was last listed in 1816.
Ariadne was built in 1795 at Newbury, Massachusetts, probably under another name. She in 1801 became a Liverpool-based slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. She made two voyages transporting enslaved people before a French, and later a Dutch privateer, captured her in 1804 while she was acquiring captives on her third voyage. However, a Liverpool-based vessel recaptured her. Then in 1806, a French privateer captured her and took her into Guadeloupe while Ariadne was on her fourth voyage transporting captives.
Horatio was launched in 1800 at Liverpool. She made four voyages as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. During two of these voyages she was captured and recaptured. Shortly before the British slave trade ended she left the slave trade and sailed between Britain and South America and as a West Indiaman. She was wrecked in 1817.
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.
Vanguard was launched in Liverpool in 1799. She made four voyages as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. After the outlawing of the British slave trade she became a West Indiaman. A French privateer captured her in March 1809.
Roe was launched in France in 1792, almost certainly under another name. The British captured her and between 1801 and 1808 she became a Liverpool based slave ship, making four voyages in the triangular trade in enslaved people. After the end of the British slave trade Roe traded with Brazil. The Americans captured her in 1812 but she was quickly recaptured. She was wrecked in November 1814.
Goodrich was a schooner launched in Liverpool in 1799. Between 1799 and 1807, she made seven voyages as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people, two of them while being owned by Americans. After the Slave Trade Act 1807 ended the British slave trade she became a merchantman sailing from Guernsey. A French privateer captured her in July 1808.
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.
Tartar was launched in France in 1802, or Spain in 1805, almost certainly under another name. In 1806 she sailed under the flag of the United Kingdom on a voyage as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. On her return she started trading between Liverpool and Brazil and Africa. A French frigate captured her in 1813, but then released her. She was wrecked early in 1815.
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.
Marquis of Huntley was built in Holland under another name. She was taken in prize circa 1803 and became a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. She made two complete voyages; with the end of the British slave trade she first traded with the Baltic and then made one voyage from Hull as a whaler in the northern whale fishery. She foundered in 1809 while returning to England from the Baltic.
Thetis was launched in 1801 at Lancaster as a West Indiaman. In 1804, in single ship action, she repelled an attack by a French privateer. Between 1806 and 1808 she made two complete voyages as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. On the second, in early 1808 as Thetis was coming to Barbados from Africa, she again drove off a French privateer in a single ship action. With the end of the slave trade, Thetis returned to trading, first with the West Indies and then with Bahia. She was wrecked in December 1815 near Sunderland.
Frances was built in India or the East Indies circa 1795, possibly under another name, and entered British records in 1803. Between 1803 and 1807 she made three voyages as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved persons. After the end of British participation in the slave trade in 1807, Frances started trading with Spain and the West Indies. She was wrecked in January 1809.
Ranger was launched in 1791 in New Providence and immediately came to Britain. She generally traded between Liverpool and New Providence. She underwent grounding in 1795 and in 1796 her owners had her repaired, lengthened, and converted from a brig to a ship. A French privateer captured her in August 1797 after a single-ship action. In a process that is currently obscure, Ranger returned to British ownership circa 1799. She then became a West Indiaman. From 1803 on she became a Liverpool-based slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. She made one complete voyage transporting enslaved people. Then French privateers captured her after she had embarked captives in West Africa but before she could deliver them to the West Indies. A United States citizen purchased her at Guadeloupe and renamed her Delaware. In 1805 the Royal Navy recaptured her. She was returned to her British owners who sailed her between Ireland and Newfoundland. She was last listed in 1814.
Union was launched at Liverpool in 1805. She made three voyages as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. She transported at least 743 captives to the West Indies and South Carolina. After the end of British participation in the trans-Atlantic slave trade she then became a West Indiaman. Union was last listed in the mid-1820s.
Ann was launched at Chester in 1792 as a West Indiaman. From 1796 she made eight 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.
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