Retreat (1801 ship)

Last updated

History
Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svgUnited Kingdom
NameRetreat
OwnerSir Robert Wigram
BuilderObadiah Ayles, Topsham, Devon [1]
Launched18 September 1801 [1]
FateSold for breaking up in 1814
General characteristics
TypeShip
Tons burthen450, [2] or 505, [3] or 513, [4] or 548, [5] or 54874⁄94, [1] or 549 (bm)
Length116 ft 2+1⁄2 in (35.4 m) (overall); 91 ft 5 in (27.9 m) (keel) [3]
Beam32 ft 3 in (9.8 m) [3]
Depth of hold14 ft 0+1⁄2 in (4.3 m) [3]
PropulsionSail
Complement
Armament
NotesThree decks

Retreat was launched in 1801 and briefly sailed as a West Indiaman between London and Jamaica. She then made five voyages for the British East India Company (EIC) as an "extra ship", that is, under charter. She was broken up in 1814.

Contents

Career

West Indiaman (1801–1805)

Retreat appeared in Lloyd's Register for 1801 with J. Alidish, master, Wigram, owner, and trade: London transport. [2] On 7 February 1802 Retreat, Shaw, master, ran into the barge Hope on the River Thames, sinking the barge. Retreat was on her way to Jamaica. Seven days later, Retreat had to put into Plymouth as she was leaking. [6]

Lloyd's Register for 1805 shows her master as J. Shaw, and her trade as London—Jamaica. [4]

On 9 January 1804 the EIC engaged Retreat for one voyage at £29 15s per ton. [7] Prior to engaging Retreat, the EIC had Perry measure and examine her.

EIC voyage #1 (1805–1806)

Commander William Hay, by William Armfield Hobday, 1815, National Maritime Museum, Greenwich Captain William Hay, 1815.jpg
Commander William Hay, by William Armfield Hobday, 1815, National Maritime Museum, Greenwich

Captain William Hay acquired a letter of marque on 9 April 1805. [5] He sailed from Portsmouth on 25 April, bound for Bombay. Retreat arrived at Bombay on 11 August. Homeward bound, she stopped at Goa on 8 November, reached St Helena on 28 January 1806, and Cork on 6 April. She arrived at her moorings on 8 May. [3]

On 12 November 1806, the EIC chartered Retreat for four voyages at £15 per ton. [8]

EIC voyage #2 (1806–1808)

Captain Hay was Retreat's master for her second voyage for the EIC as well. He sailed from the Downs on 31 December 1806, bound for China. Retreat reached Penang on 26 May 1806, and arrived at Whampoa Anchorage on 5 July. Homeward bound, she crossed the Second Bar on 4 January 1808 and was at Malacca on 23 January. She reached St Helena on 14 April, and arrived at the Downs on 30 June. [3]

EIC voyage #3 (1809–1810)

Captain Thomas Herbert Harris acquired a letter of marque on 31 March 1809. [5] He sailed from Portsmouth on 28 April, bound for Madras and Bengal. Retreat was at Madeira on 8 May and Madras by 15 September. She arrived at Calcutta on 26 October.Homeward bound she was at Culpee on 18 December, Madras on 13 January 1810, and Pointe de Galle on 17 February. She reached St Helena on 3 May and arrived at the Downs on 7 July. [3] Captain Harris's next command was Prince Regent.

EIC voyage #4 (1811–1812)

Captain Thomas Watson Leech sailed from Torbay on 30 May 1811, bound for Bengal. Retreat reached Madeira on 21 June and Saugor on 17 November. She reached Calcutta on 24 November. Homeward bound, she was at Saugor on 23 February 1812, and reached St Helena on 14 June and Falmouth on 4 September. She arrived at the Downs on 14 September. [3]

EIC voyage #5 (1813–1814)

Captain Leech sailed from Portsmouth on 20 April 1813, bound for Bengal and Bencoolen. Retreat was at Madeira on 13 May and São Tiago on 29 May. She reached Saugor on 12 September and arrived at Calcutta on 23 September. Continuing her voyage, she was at Saugor on 16 November and arrived at Bencoolen on 3 January 1814. Homeward bound, she reached St Helena on 7 April and arrived at the Downs on 6 August. [3] Four days later, Retreat went onshore at Foulness. [9] Before she could be refloated part of her cargo had to be removed. She was got off and arrived at Blackwall. [10]

Fate

Wigram sold Retreat later in 1814 for breaking up. [1]

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 Hackman (2001), p. 183.
  2. 1 2 Lloyd's Register (1801), Supple. Seq.№66.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 British Library: Retreat.
  4. 1 2 Lloyd's Register (1805), Seq.№197.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Letter of Marque, p.84 - accessed 25 July 2017.
  6. ↑ Lloyd's List №4243.
  7. ↑ Hardy (1820), p. 28.
  8. ↑ Hardy (1820), p. 30.
  9. ↑ Lloyd's List 9 August 1814.
  10. ↑ Lloyd's List 12 August 1814.

Related Research Articles

Tottenham was launched in 1802 and made six voyages for the British East India Company (EIC). Her owners then sold her and she became a transport. She made one voyage transporting convicts to Botany Bay. She was sold in 1820 for breaking up.

Northumberland was launched in 1805. She made six voyages as an extra ship of the British East India Company (EIC), between 1805 and 1818. In 1810 and 1811 she served as a transport in the British invasions of Mauritius and Java. She was sold for breaking up in 1819.

Airly Castle, was built by William Barnard at Deptford and launched in 1787. She made eight voyages as an East Indiaman for the British East India Company (EIC) between 1788 and 1808. In 1795 she participated in the capture of seven Dutch East Indiamen near St Helena. After her eight voyages she may have served briefly as a general transport before she was sold for breaking up in 1810. She was not broken up but instead served as a transport for several years.

Ann was launched at Rotherhithe in the River Thames in 1801. She made eight voyages for the British East India Company (EIC) as an "extra ship", i.e., under charter, between 1801 and 1817. After 1817 she traded with India for some time and she was last listed in 1826.

Lord Keith was launched in 1804 by and for Peter Everitt Mestaer. He chartered her to the East India Company (EIC) for six voyages, and she then went on to make another two voyages for the EIC. On her second voyage, and unusually for an East Indiaman, she participated in the proceeds for the recapture of a former British Royal Navy brig and possibly in a skirmish with a French ship. On her third voyage she participated in a notable action. She was broken up c.1820.

Huddart was launched in 1803 as an East Indiaman. She made eight voyages for the British East India Company (EIC), between 1803 and 1818. In 1810-1811 she participated as a transport in two British military campaigns. In 1818 new owners deployed her in sailing to Canada. She was wrecked there in 1821.

Preston was launched in 1798 as an East Indiaman. She made six voyages for the British East India Company (EIC), between 1805 and 1819. In 1810 and 1811 she participated as a transport in two British military campaigns. She was sold for breaking up in 1812 but instead became a transport and a West Indiaman. She disappeared after a gale in August 1815.

William Pitt was launched in 1805 as an East Indiaman. She made seven voyages for the British East India Company (EIC), between 1805 and 1819. In 1810 and 1811 she participated as a transport in two British military campaigns. She was sold for breaking up in 1820.

Union was an East Indiaman that made eight voyages for the British East India Company (EIC) between her launching in 1803 and her sale for breaking up in 1819.

Sir Stephen Lushington was launched in 1796 as an East Indiaman. She made seven voyages for the British East India Company (EIC). During this period she took part as a transport in two military campaigns, the cancelled attack on Manila in 1797, and the capture of Mauritius in 1810. In 1812 she became a West Indiaman, thought around 1816 she made another voyage to India. Thereafter her ownership and trade becomes ambiguous: she either traded with Spain until 1822, or with South America until 1825.

Calcutta was launched in 1798 as an East Indiaman. She made four voyages for the British East India Company (EIC), and disappeared while homeward bound from Bengal on her fifth voyage.

General Stuart was launched in 1801 as an East Indiaman. She made seven voyages as an "extra ship" for the British East India Company (EIC) between 1801 and 1814. She then sailed between England and India under a license from the EIC. In 1819 she transported convicts from England to New South Wales. She continued to trade with Australia and was last listed in 1825.

<i>Lady Castlereagh</i> (1803 EIC ship) Ship launched in 1803

Lady Castlereagh was launched in 1803. She made six apparently uneventful voyages to India and one to China for the British East India Company (EIC). She left the EIC's service and made one voyage transporting convicts to Australia. She was returning from having delivered her convicts to Port Jackson and Van Diemen's Land when she was damaged in October 1818 a gale at Madras. She was surveyed there, condemned, and sold for breaking up.

Lady Carrington was launched at Bristol in 1809. In an apparently short and uneventful career, she made five voyages for the British East India Company (EIC) before she was broken up in 1823.

Harriet was a two-decker East Indiaman launched in 1802. She made five complete voyages for the British East India Company (EIC), as an "extra ship" i.e., under charter, and accidentally burnt as she was preparing to return to England from her sixth voyage.

Sovereign was launched at Rotherhithe in 1800 as a West Indiaman. The British East India Company (EIC) then took her up as an "extra" ship on several contracts; in all she made seven voyages as an East Indiaman for the EIC. After she left the EIC's service in 1817 she continued to trade with India, but under a license from the EIC. She was broken up in 1822.

Tigris was launched in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1802. She made six voyages between 1803 and 1815 as an "extra ship" for the British East India Company (EIC). After her stint as an East Indiaman, Tigris became a West Indiaman. She was wrecked in December 1823.

Devaynes was launched in 1802 and made six voyages as an East Indiaman for the British East India Company (EIC). She then made one more round-trip to India, sailing under a license from the EIC. She was condemned at Bengal in 1817 on a second licensed voyage to Bengal.

Carmarthen was launched in 1802 as an East Indiaman. She made eight round voyages as an "extra" ship for the British East India Company (EIC). On her first voyage she participated in an experiment in bringing variolation to India and other British possessions to combat smallpox. After leaving the EIC's employment, she took one more voyage to India, sailing under a licence from the EIC. She was last listed in 1820.

Lord Duncan was launched on the River Thames in 1798 as an East Indiaman. She made seven voyages for the British East India Company (EIC) before she was sold in 1813 for breaking up.

References

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.