Hannibal (slave ship)

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The Hannibal was a slave ship, (or Guineaman) hired by the Royal African Company of England. The ship participated in two slave trading voyages, in the Triangular Trade. The wooden sailing ship was 450 tons and mounted with thirty-six guns. The ship is most remembered for her disastrous voyage of 1693–95. Captain Thomas Phillips commanded the Hannibal. He was a Welsh sea captain from Brecon, Wales who was employed by the Sir Jeffrey Jeffreys, and others. who owned the Hannibal and were governors and Assistants in the Royal African Company. [1]

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At the age of 28–29, Phillips undertook his first slave-trading expedition, commanding a vessel. Tragically, approximately 328 (47 percent) of the 700 enslaved African women, men, and children aboard, as well as 36 crew members, lost their lives under his direct responsibility. The deaths occurred in harrowing circumstances, marking a significant loss of life.

Seven hundred enslaved Africans were forced into her hold to sail to the slave-market in Barbados. Many slavers rigged shelves in the middle called a "slave deck" so that individuals could not sit upright during the most of the voyage. Letters survive of Phillips writing on 8 September 1693, requesting that ‘the mast-makers of Deptford and Woolwich’ to be ordered to work faster in fitting new platforms and that the blacksmiths to have the same orders for ironwork. [2] The owners of the ship, of which Phillips has a share, were paid a freight fee of £10.50p for every enslaved African they landed at Barbados alive. As a result, the enslaved African captives were fed regularly twice a day consisting mainly of corn, beans and pepper which was believed to prevent the white flux (dysentery). Phillips wrote that he purchased 1,000 oranges and other fruits on the island of São Tomé (St Thomas) for the slaves. The captives received a litre of water per day, and were forced to exercise up on deck for an hour every evening to keep them fit, also known as forced dancing. Despite these efforts, 47 per cent of the enslaved Africans died from dysentery, smallpox, physical injuries, starvation, dehydration and suicide on the Hannibal's voyage of 1693–1695.

The voyage of 1693–1695

The voyage began from London on 5 September 1693. The ship arrived in Whydah (Ouidah), an African port located in modern-day Benin. Here 700 enslaved Africans were bartered for with goods carried from England purchased.

Before boarding the ship the enslaved men were put in irons in pairs by their wrists and legs, and branded with a capital "H" on the breast to claim them for the Hannibal. The captives were rowed out the waiting ship a mile and a half off-shore. Only 5–6 persons could be rowed in the local canoes at one time. This meant that boarding 700 people took over a month. [3]

The ship reached Barbados on 25 February 1694 with only 372 traumatised enslaved Africans remaining alive. [4] The enslaved Africans who died while on the voyage were dumped overboard during the voyage with no funeral rites. Some died of small pox but the largest killer was an outbreak of dysentery. Others jumped overboard out of fear. Twelve committed suicide by jumping off the canoes as they were being rowed out to the waiting ship. [5] Phillips writes in his journal that 12 slaves 'willfully drowned themselves' during the voyage, several others persistently refused food starving themselves to death, 'for it is their Belief that when they die they return to their own Country and Friends again.' [6]

Phillips only made one voyage as a slave trader and retired back to Brecon due to illness, probably Lassa Fever. There he lived in a town house known as Harvard House which he had inherited from his father, William Phillips. Phillips died in late 1712 or early 1713 and was buried at St Johns the Evangelist, now Brecon Cathedral.

During 2010 in the town of Brecon, Wales a controversial plaque was erected, by the then town council, at the expense of local tax payers without their consent. The plaque was commissioned to memorialise the life of Captain Thomas Phillips, slave trader and not to remember the 328 enslaved Africans who perished on his ship. During the Black Lives Matter worldwide riots following the murder of George Floyd, the plaque in memory to Captain Phillips was removed by an unknown person and thrown into the nearby river. The Town Council has promised and passed a resolution to display the plaque in context in Brecon Museum.

The voyage of 1696–1697

The Hannibal's next slave-trading voyage (and her last) was undertaken in 1696 under the command of Captain William Hill. This slaving voyage ended in a crew mutiny off the coast of Africa. Before Captain Hill was able to commence trading upon the coast and purchase 700 enslaved Africans at Whydah a crew mutiny occurred onboard the ship, on 1 and 2 January 1697. [7]

Controversial plaque to Captain Phillips a slave trader. Located in Brecon, Wales. Plaque to a Slave Trader.jpg
Controversial plaque to Captain Phillips a slave trader.  Located in Brecon, Wales.

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Quaker was launched at Tynemouth in 1793 as a West Indiaman. The French captured her in 1795 but in a process that is currently obscure she returned to British ownership. In 1797 she became a slave ship, sailing out of Liverpool in the triangular trade in enslaved people. On her first voyage transporting enslaved people, the French captured after she had gathered her captives, but the British Royal Navy recaptured her. She resumed her voyage but before she could deliver her captives the French captured her again. She returned to British ownership in 1805, but wrecked in December 1806.

Prince was launched at Bristol in 1785 as Alexander and then made two complete voyages as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. Her owners changed her name to Prince in 1787. As Prince, she made six more complete voyages as an enslaving ship. She sailed on enslaving voyages for owners in Bristol, Liverpool, and London. She foundered in 1800 as she was returning to England from her ninth, having delivered captives to Jamaica.

Queen Charlotte was built in Ireland in 1770, but did not appear in British online records until 1786. She made two voyages as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. She was sold in Barbados in 1793 after delivering the captives from her second voyage.

Harriot was launched in Liverpool in 1786. For many years she was a West Indiaman, sailing between Liverpool and Barbados. In 1796 a French frigate captured her, but the British Royal Navy quickly recaptured her. She became a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. At the beginning of her of her first slave trading voyage a French privateer captured her, and again the Royal Navy quickly recaptured her. She made five slave trading voyages in all. Thereafter she traded with South America. She was last listed in 1814 with stale data.

Agreeable was launched at Bermuda in 1786, probably under a different name. French owners acquired her at some point and sailed her as Agréable. In 1793 the British captured her. Subsequently, between 1793 and 1808, she made six voyages as a slave ship, alternating between the triangular trade in enslaved people, and sailing as a regular West Indiaman. French privateers captured her between the second and third voyages, and the third and fourth voyages, but each time the British Royal Navy recaptured her. In the case of the second capture she was in French hands long enough for them to send her out as a privateer. She herself captured an American vessel in 1808 as she was returning to Liverpool from her last enslaving voyage. After the end of British participation in trans-Atlantic enslaving trade, Agreeable traded more widely, particularly to South America. She was condemned at Buenos Aires in 1814 after running aground in the River Plate. She was repaired and continue to sail to Brazil until she returned to Liverpool in June 1819.

Thames was launched at Southampton in 1790. Until 1798 she sailed across the Atlantic, trading primarily with The Bahamas. She then became a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. She made seven voyages transporting enslaved people. After the abolition of the British slave trade in 1807, Thames returned to trading with the West Indies. A French privateer captured Thames on 17 July 1811 and burnt her.

Recovery was launched in 1781, possibly under another name. She first appeared in British sources in 1781. She made two voyages as a Bristol-based slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. The first such voyage gave rise to a landmark court case. During the 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 slaves. She then became a West Indiaman until the French Navy captured her in 1797.

Thomas was the ship Sally that James Jones acquired in 1785. Thomas made seven voyages from Bristol as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved persons. On her fourth such voyage,Thomas and five other enslaving ships, bombarded Calabar for more than three hours to force the local native traders to lower the prices they were charging for captives. The French captured her in 1794 as she was on her way for her eighth voyage.

Lovely Lass was launched in France in 1780, almost surely under another name. She first appeared in British records in 1788. She made three voyages as a Bristol-based slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. She then briefly became a West Indiaman before she became a Liverpool-based enslaving ship. She was lost in 1798 on her first voyage from Liverpool to gather captives.

Black Joke was a ship built in 1720 or 1743. She appeared in Lloyd's Register (LR) in the issue for 1764. Between 1764 and 1767 she made three complete voyages from Liverpool as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people.

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.

Princess Amelia's origins are obscure. Between 1803 and 1804 she made one voyage from London as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. She apparently was broken up in the West Indies after having delivered the captives that she had brought from West Africa.

Bacchus was launched in 1775 at Bristol, almost surely under another name. She first appeared in online records as Bacchus in 1786, sailing as a West Indiaman. From 1799 to 1807 she was a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. She was condemned in 1807 at Trinidad after she had delivered the slaves she had gathered on her fifth slave voyage.

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.

References

  1. ↑ TNA T70 section. The National Archives in Kew, London.
  2. ↑ The National Archives. Ref. ADM 106/437/239
  3. ↑ Journal of Captain Phillips
  4. ↑ Caldicott, Rosemary L (1 March 2024). Voyage of Despair. The Hannibal, its captain and all who sailed in her, 1693-1695 (1st ed.). Bristol: Bristol Radical History Group. p. 250. ISBN   9781911522638 . Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  5. ↑ Phillips, Thomas (1732). A Journal of a Voyage Made in the Hannibal of London, Ann. 1693, 1694, From England, to Cape's Monseradoe, in Africa, And thence along the Coast of Guiney to Whidaw, the Island of St. Thomas, An so forward to Barbadoes: With a Cursory Account of the County, the People, their Manners, Forts, Trade, &c. Walthoe.
  6. ↑ Journal of Captain Thomas Phillips
  7. ↑ Law, Robin (2006). The Local Correspondence of the Royal African Company of England. 1681–1699. Vol.3. The English in West Africa 1691–1699. England: Oxford University Press.

Further reading

Nautical Women. Women sailors and the women of Sailortowns. A forgotten diaspora c.1693–1902. By Rosemary L Caldicott. Bristol. Radical Pamphleteer #43. Published by Bristol Radical History Group, 2019. ISBN   978-1-911522-46-1

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