Lovely Lass (1788 ship)

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History
Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svgGreat Britain
NameLovely Lass
Owner
Launched1780, France
Acquired1788
FateFoundered 1798
General characteristics
Tons burthen
  • 1789:280, [3] or 282 (bm)
  • 1785:306 (bm)
Armament18 × 6-pounder guns

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.

Contents

Career

Lovely Lass first appeared in Lloyd's Register (LR) in the 1789 issue, [3] the 1788 issue being unavailable online.

YearMasterOwnerTradeSource & notes
1789B____
Jenkins		Jones & Co.Bristol–AfricaLR; new deck and raised 1788

1st enslaving voyage (1788–1789): Captain John Kennedy was listed as master on the sailing pass and at entry outbound; however, Captain William Jenkins appeared on the muster roll. [4] Lovely Lass sailed from Bristol on 27 May 1788, bound for the Gold Coast. Lovely Lass acquired captives on the Gold Coast and at Anomabu. She arrived at Jamaica on 15 May 1789. She had embarked 408 captives and arrived with 398, [5] or 394. Lovely Lass was reported to have taken on captives at St Vincent for Polly, Spellen, master, which had stopped there in distress as Polly was on her way to Barbados from Africa; Lovely Lass delivered Polly's captives to Barbados. [4] Lovely Lass had left Bristol 48 crew members and engaged six more she arrived at Jamaica. She arrived at Jamaica with 30. There she discharged 15 crew members but engaged five more, making her crew 20 for the voyage home. [4] Lovely Lass sailed from Jamaica on 25 June and arrived back at Bristol on 25 August. [5]

The voyage took place under the provisions of Dolben's Act, the first British measure to regulate the enslaving trade. It placed restrictions, based on a vessel's burthen, on the number of captives the vessel was allowed to carry without penalty. In 1788–1789, James Jones, Lovely Lass's owner, had nine enslaving vessels at sea or on the coast of Africa. He estimated that the Act reduced the number of captives his vessels were allowed to carry by a number equivalent to 23% of the pre-Act total. For Lovely Lass, the estimate was a reduction of 134 captives, from 550 to 416, or 24%. [6]

2nd enslaving voyage (1789–1791): The pass named Captain Richard Rogers as master, and he was still master while she was loading before leaving Bristol. However, the muster roll gave the name of the master as Thomas Grimes. [4] Lovely Lass sailed from Bristol on 21 November 1789, bound for the Gold Coast. Lovely Lass started acquiring captives on 25 January 1790 at Tantumquerry and then at Anomabu. She sailed from Africa on 15 February 1791 and arrived at Jamaica on 6 April. [7] Various accounts put the number of captives embarked as 350, 377, [7] or 380 captives, [4] and arrived with 368. She had left Bristol with 42 crew members and engaged six more in Africa. She arrived at Jamaica with 34 and discharged nine there and at St Vincent; she arrived back at Bristol with 25 crew members. [4] Lovely Lass arrived back at Bristol on 19 May. [7]

3rd enslaving voyage (1792–1794): Captain John Wade Robinson sailed from Bristol on 3 January 1792, bound for West Africa. Lovely Lass started acquiring captives on 7 April at Cape Lahou. She then acquired some more at Anomabu. Her principal place for acquiring captives was Cape Coast Castle. She sailed from Africa on 22 November 1793. She arrived at Kingston, Jamaica on 9 January 1794. She had embarked 416 captives and she arrived at Kingston with 413. [8] However, other sources report that she had acquired 738 slaves between Cape Lahou and Cape Coast Castle. One died on the coast and 310 were transshipped before she left with 316. Yet another report has Lively Lass taking on 416 captives at Apollonia and losing five on her voyage from Africa to Jamaica. [9] Lively Lass left Bristol with 39 crew members and she engaged 14 more on the African coast; she had 26 when she arrived at Kingston. There she discharged 18. She apparently stopped at San Domingo before returning to Bristol; she engaged 26 crew members at Jamaica and possibly San Domingo. [9] Lovely Lass sailed from Kingston on 10 May and arrived at London on 29 July. [8]

YearMasterOwnerTradeSource & notes
1795J.R.Wade
Rydell		Jones & Co.Bristol–Africa
Liverpool–Barbados		LR; almost rebuilt 1795
1797R.Rydell
W. Lace		J.Dawson & Co.Liverpool–Barbados
Liverpool–Africa		LR; almost rebuilt 1795
1798W.LaceT.Parr & Co.Liverpool–AfricaLR; almost rebuilt 1795, & damages repaired 1797

4th enslaving voyage (1797–loss): Captain William Lace sailed from Liverpool on 21 December 1797, bound for West Africa. [2] On 30 December Lovely Lass was in company with Agreeable, Hird, master, when two privateers, one of 22 guns and one of 18 guns, engaged them for four hours before giving up. [10] Agreeable and Lovely Lass were reported "all well" on 14 January 1798 at 44°50′N9°15′W / 44.833°N 9.250°W / 44.833; -9.250 . [11]

Loss

Lovely Lass was reported to have foundered off Cape Lopez, Africa. [12] She had not embarked any captives. [2] [13]

In 1798, 25 British enslaving vessels were lost. [14] In 1798, 160 vessels sailed from British ports on enslaving voyages, [15] [16] giving a loss rate for that year of about 16%. Twelve vessels were lost on the coast of Africa. [14] During the period 1793 to 1807, war, rather than maritime hazards or resistance by the captives, was the greatest cause of vessel losses among British slave vessels. [17]

It is highly possible that the French had captured Lovely Lass, or that her crew was rescued. A biography of notable people from the Isle of Man reports the engagement of 30 December 1797, and then goes on to report that William Lace captured many prizes before a French fleet captured him. He was taken to France, from where he escaped, and had other adventures before he died in 1850. [18]

Notes

  1. ↑ In the period 1789–1791, Bristol's enslaving trade was highly concentrated in the hands of a small number of firms. It was much more concentrated than the smaller trade in London, or the larger trade in Liverpool. James Jones dominated the trade out of Bristol, with about 26% of the tonnage employed. His brother Thomas accounted for about 14%. The top four firms accounted for 93.2%. [1]

Citations

  1. ↑ Inikori (1981), p. 752.
  2. 1 2 3 Trans Atlantic Slave Trade Database – Lovely Lass voyage #82402.
  3. 1 2 LR (1789), Seq.No.L253.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Richardson (1996), p. 142.
  5. 1 2 Trans Atlantic Slave Trade Database – Lovely Lass voyage #18025.
  6. ↑ Minchinton (1957), p. 173.
  7. 1 2 3 Trans Atlantic Slave Trade Database – Lovely Lass voyage #18046.
  8. 1 2 Trans Atlantic Slave Trade Database – Lovely Lass voyage #18149.
  9. 1 2 Richardson (1996), p. 217.
  10. ↑ Williams (1897), p. 362.
  11. ↑ "The Marine List". Lloyd's List. No. 2986. 13 March 1798. hdl:2027/uc1.c3049069.
  12. ↑ "The Marine List". Lloyd's List (3014). 26 June 1798.
  13. ↑ Inikori (1996), p. 73.
  14. 1 2 Inikori (1996), p. 62.
  15. ↑ Behrendt (2001), p. 174, fn.6.
  16. ↑ Williams (1897), p. 680.
  17. ↑ Inikori (1996), p. 58.
  18. ↑ Moore (1901), pp. 165–166.

Related Research Articles

<i>Will</i> (1797 ship) British enslaving ship 1797–1806

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 in the triangular trade in enslaved people, 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.

Banastre, was built at Ringsend, Dublin, in 1759, though under what name is unclear. By 1787 she was in the hands of the Tarletons and Daniel Backhouse of Liverpool. She made five complete voyages as a Liverpool-based slave ship in the triangular trade, transporting enslaved people from West Africa to the Caribbean. On her first voyage an incident in which one enslaver fired on her led to a landmark court case. A French warship captured her in 1793 as she was on her way from West Africa to Jamaica on her sixth voyage transporting captives.

Experiment was launched on the River Thames in 1789. She made seven voyages for Calvert & Co. as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people, carrying captives from the Gold Coast to Jamaica. A French squadron captured her in 1795.

Iris was launched at Liverpool as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. In all she made eight voyages (1783-1800) transporting captives from West Africa to the Caribbean. She also made one voyage for the British East India Company (EIC) to Bengal and back (1795-1796). She was condemned in Jamaica in December 1800 as unseaworthy.

Eliza was launched in America in 1780 and taken in prize in 1782. She entered the Liverpool registry in 1783, 1786, and again in 1792. She made nine voyages as a Liverpool-based slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. She was lost in an explosion on her tenth voyage after she had already embarked her captives. All the captives died, as did her captain and most of her crew. The explosion occurred during a single ship action on 17 December 1797, with a French privateer.

Lord Nelson was launched in 1798 at Liverpool and subsequently made five voyages carrying enslaved people from West Africa to the West Indies in the triangular trade in enslaved people. On her first voyage she helped suppress a revolt on another vessel by that vessel's captives. This gave rise to an interesting case in salvage money. A French naval squadron captured Lord Nelson off Sierra Leone on her sixth voyage, before she had embarked any captives.

Albion was launched at Liverpool in 1783. She made two voyages as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people before she was sold to a Bristol merchant. She then made two more enslaving voyages. In 1793 as she was on the homeward-bound leg of her fourth voyage a vessel ran into her and Albion's crew abandoned her. She then drifted to Salem, Massachusetts, where she was recovered. She was sold in Boston.

Hercules was launched at the Province of Georgia in 1777. She appeared in Lloyd's Register in 1782 as a West Indiaman. From 1786 she made three voyages from London as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. She was lost in 1792 as she was returning to England after having delivered captives at Jamaica.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Bell was launched in 1788 in Liverpool. Between 1788 and 1795 she made five voyages as a Liverpool-based slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. The French captured her in 1798 on her sixth voyage transporting enslaved people after she had embarked her captives. In 1798, the Royal Navy destroyed her.

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.

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.

Doe was built in 1780, in the Thirteen Colonies, possibly under another name. She was taken in prize. Between 1783 and 1786 Doe made three complete voyages as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. New owners in 1787 renamed Doe to Ellen. Ellen was registered in Liverpool in 1787. Between 1789 and 1792, she made two complete enslaving voyages. A French privateer captured her in 1793 as she was on her way to the West Indies having embarked captives in Africa on her sixth slaving voyage.

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.

Brothers was launched in the Thirteen Colonies in 1772, probably under another name. From 1785 she became a Bristol-based slave ship. She made six complete voyages in the triangular trade, in all embarking 1880 enslaved people. The French captured her in December 1794 as she was on the first leg of her seventh such voyage and before she had embarked any captives. The main source for this article provided detail on crew turnover and death rates for her first three voyages. The first voyage had a particularly heavy mortality rate among the crew. The main source also provided data for her fourth, fifth, and sixth voyages for mortality rates on the Middle Passage among the enslaved people that she was carrying.

References

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