Career
John and James first appeared in Lloyd's Register in 1796 with W. Radden, master, Margetson & Co., owners, and trade London–Jamaica. [1]
Her first role appears to have been to carry some officers and passengers to Jamaica, among them Colonel John Moore who was going out to join Admiral Hugh Cloberry Christian and Lieutenant-General Sir Ralph Abercromby's expedition to the West Indies. John and James left on 27 February and arrived at Barbados on 13 April.
EIC voyage (1798–1800): On 17 February 1798 John and James, Captain Stafford Palmer, sailed to Bombay. She returned on 3 February 1800.
On her return from India, John and James became a slave ship sailing from Liverpool. Lloyd's Register for 1801 shows her with S. Irwin, master, changing to Blackey, Forbes & Co., owner, and trade Liverpool−Africa. [8]
First slave voyage (1800−1801): However, it was Captain James Barr who would actually sail her on her first slave voyage. He acquired a letter of marque on 23 July 1800. [5] John and James sailed from Liverpool on 8 August 1800. She gathered her slaves at Bonny and arrived with them at Kingston, Jamaica, on 1 March 1801. There she disembarked 389 slaves. she left Kingston on 14 May and arrived back at Liverpool 23 July. She had left Liverpool with 49 crew and she had five crew deaths during her voyage. [2] She underwent repairs in 1802.
Second slave voyage (1802−1803): The Peace of Amiens had ended the war with France. Captain John Livingston sailed from Liverpool on 20 July 1802. John and James gathered her slaves at Bonny and arrived at Tortola in January 1803. She landed some 289 slaves. At some point A. Lawson replaced Livingston as master. John and James arrived back at Liverpool 22 March 1803. [2]
Third slave voyage (1803−1805): War with France had resumed and Captain James Barr acquired a letter of marque on 30 May 1803. [5] John and James underwent some repairs and left Liverpool on 3 July 1803. She gathered her slaves at Bonny and arrived at Kingston on 3 December. There she landed 395 slaves. She left Kingston on 12 June 1804 and arrived back at Liverpool on 14 August. [2]
Whaler (1805–1806): Captain Andrew Lawson acquired a letter of marque on 21 January 1805, but Captain Henry Folger replaced him before John and James sailed. Folger acquired a letter of marque on 15 February, [5] and sailed from Liverpool, on 28 February, bound for the Pacific Ocean. [9]
On 28 March John and James was "all well" at 36°40′N15°30′W / 36.667°N 15.500°W / 36.667; -15.500 . She was at Rio de Janeiro on 30 May, having sustained some damage. [9] She also required supplies and calefacton.
Port au Prince was built in France in 1790. The British Royal Navy captured her in 1793 off Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Her original name is currently unknown, but her new owners named her for her place of capture. She became a letter of marque, slave ship, and privateer cum whaler. In 1806 she anchored at a Tongan island where the local inhabitants massacred half her crew and then scuttled her.
Alexander, was built in France in 1791, possibly under a different name. She was taken as a prize and her new owners renamed her Alexander. She made one voyage for the British East India Company (EIC), and then became a slave ship, making four voyages between 1798 and 1807. After 1807 she sailed between Liverpool and Demerara. She is last listed in 1811.
Will was a ship launched at Liverpool in 1797 for Aspinal & Co., who were one of Liverpool's leading slave-trading companies. She made numerous voyages between West Africa and the Caribbean carrying slaves, during which she several times successfully repelled attacks by French privateers. Will apparently foundered in a squall in July 1806, shortly before the passage of the Slave Trade Act 1807 abolished the slave trade for British subjects.
Plover was launched at Liverpool in 1788. Her whereabouts between 1798 and 1802 are currently obscure. She became a Liverpool-based slaver in 1802 and made three voyages delivering slaves from West Africa to the West indies before the French Navy captured her in 1806 as she was starting her fourth slaving voyage. The French Navy may have commissioned her as a corvette, but if so her service was brief.
Elliott was launched at Liverpool in 1783. She made ten voyages as a slave ship, carrying slaves from West Africa to the West Indies. Next, she made one voyage as a whaler. She then became a merchantman, sailing between England and South America. In November 1807 French privateers captured her.
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. She returned to the West India trade after leaving the slave trade, and then traded more generally. She was condemned as unseaworthy and broken up in Bengal in 1815.
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 Southern Whale Fishery. Then between 1799 and 1807 she made three voyages as a slave ship. 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.
Otter was launched at Liverpool in 1797, initially as a West Indiaman. She made seven voyages as a slave ship and was lost in 1807 on her way back to Britain from her seventh slave voyage.
Sarah was launched at Liverpool in 1797. She then made six voyages carrying slaves 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.
Sarah was launched in Spain in 1791, presumably under another name. The British captured her c.1798. She made five voyages as a slave ship before a Spanish privateer captured her in 1805. On her fourth voyage Sarah had captured a French ship.
Enterprize was launched in France in 1797. The British captured her in 1803 and new owners sailed on four voyages as a slave ship. Circa 1808 she left the slave trade and new owners sailed her to South America, where she was wrecked in 1810.
Ceres was launched in France in 1784. The British captured her circa 1800 and sold her as a prize. Once under British ownership she sailed to the Mediterranean, but in 1801 she started sailing in the slave trade. She made four voyages as a slave ship, gathering slaves in West Africa and delivering them to the West Indies. After the abolition of the British slave trade in 1807 she became a West Indiaman, and then an East Indiaman. She was last listed in 1822.
Windsor Castle was launched at Whitby. Initially she was primarily a West Indiaman. Then from 1797 she made five voyages as a slave ship and foundered off Bermuda in 1803 after having disembarked her slaves.
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. She was last listed in 1816.
Horatio was launched in 1800 at Liverpool. She made four voyages as a slave ship, during two of which 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 captured her, but she returned to British hands. Between 1801 and 1808 she made four voyages as a slave ship. She continued to trade widely until 1831.
Aurora was launched at Philadelphia in 1779. She did not appear in British registers until 1800. She then made four voyages as a slave ship. Next, she became a West Indiaman and was last listed in 1813.
Vanguard was launched in Liverpool in 1799. She made four voyages as a slave ship. After the outlawing of the British slave trade she became a West Indiaman. A French privateer captured her in March 1809.
Fame was launched in India in 1786. She was sold to Portuguese owners. A French privateer captured but the Royal Navy recaptured her in 1794. She then became a West Indiaman, sailing from Liverpool. Between 1796 and 1804 she made three voyages as a slave ship. She then returned to the West Indies trade. From 1818 on she was a whaler in the Greenland whale fishery, sailing from Whitby and then Hull. She burnt in 1823 while outward bound on a whaling 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. She then sailed to Brazil and the West Indies and was last listed in 1809.
