| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | Sarah |
| Owner | T. Weeding & Co. [1] |
| Builder | James Warwick, Rotherhithe [1] |
| Launched | 15 September 1819 [1] |
| Fate | Condemned c.1843 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tons burthen | 488, or 48839⁄94 [1] (bm) |
| Propulsion | Sail |
Sarah was launched at Rotherhithe in 1819. She made three trips to China and went to Australia four times. In 1829 she transported convicts to New South Wales and in 1837 she delivered convicts to Van Diemen's Land. She was condemned c.1843.
The British East India Company (EIC), in 1814 lost its monopoly on trade between Britain and India in 1814. In 1817 William Jardine left the EIC's service and with Thomas Weeding and Framjee Cowasjee formed a partnership that lasted until 1841. [2] [lower-alpha 1] They purchased Sarah in 1819. Sarah appeared in Lloyd's Register 1819 with Thacker, master, Weeding, owner, and trade London–India. [3] Captain J. Thacker sailed from England for Bombay on 19 January 1819 under a license from the EIC. [4]
She then plied between Bombay and China, particularly in the opium trade. [2]
On 12 November 1826 Sarah, Tucker, master, was sailing to Bombay but was still in the Atlantic. Tucker placed the boatswain in irons for insolent and abusive language, and determined to flog him. The crew threatened a rescue, at which a number of passengers came on deck to support Tucker and his officers. Tucker drew a line on the deck with his sword and ordered the crew not to cross it. The crew became increasingly mutinous, crossed the line, and began to assault the passengers. The passengers fired pistols with the result that one seaman was killed and three wounded. [5] Tucker then put into Rio de Janeiro on 28 November. [6] There the British naval commander an admiral, placed a guard of marines from his ship aboard Sarah to travel with her to Bombay. [5] She sailed on 6 December. [6]
On 29 August 1829 Captain Henry C. Columbine sailed Sarah from London, bound for Port Jackson. She stopped at Tristan da Cunha and St Paul Island before she arrived at Port Jackson on 7 December. [7] She had embarked 200 male convicts and she landed 199, one man having died on the voyage. [8]
On 16 January 1832 as Sarah was sailing from Bombay to London, she encountered at 33°42′N23°49′W / 33.700°N 23.817°W a brigantine of about 150 tons (bm), with damaged rigging and partially dismasted. There seemed to be no one aboard. Captain Columbine took a boat over too her, together with Sarah's carpenter and five seamen. They boarded the vessel, which turned out to named Invincible and on a journey from Spain to America. Columbine sent his boat back to Sarah with some articles salvaged from Invincible, remaining aboard her together with the carpenter. She suddenly sank, taking Columbine and the carpenter with her. The only trace of both men that boats from Sarah found was Columbine's hat. [9]
The EIC finally lost its monopoly on the tea trade from China to Britain and completely left trading and shipping on 22 April 1834. Sarah became the first "Free Trader", to sail from Canton to Britain. She had jumped the gun a little as she had sailed from China on 23 March 1834. She reached the Cape of Good Hope on 9 June and arrived in England on 29 July. [10] Although it was the trade in tea that had been completely freed, she carried a cargo of raw silk, which sold for £400,000. [11]
In 1836 Sarah, Captain J.T. Whiteside, left London on 22 December, and arrived at Hobart 97 days later on 29 March 1837. [12] This established a record that stood until British Sovereign arrived on 16 December 1840 in 91 days. [13] Sarah had embarked 254 male convicts and she landed 245, nine men having died on the voyage. [14]
In 1841 Sarah's master was Dawson, changing to Heidrich. The next year her trade changed from London–India to London–Port Phillip (Melbourne). [15]
Sarah was last listed in 1843 with the annotation "Condemned" by her name. [16] The Spectator reported that Sarah, Heidrich, master, from Port Philip to China, has been condemned at Hong Kong. She had encountered severe weather on her way that had started her planks, making her leaky. [17]
| Year | Master | Owner | Trade | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1820 | Thacker | Weeding | London–India | |
| 1825 | Bowen | Weeding & Co. | London–Bombay | |
| 1830 | Tucker Columbine | Weeding | London−New South Wales | |
| 1835 | Whiteside | Weeding | London−Sydney | |
| 1840 | Dawson | Weeding | London | Damages repaired 1836 and small repairs 1840 |
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Tyne was launched in 1807 in Rotherhithe. She spent the first part of her career as a West Indiaman. However, in 1810–1811 she made a voyage to India for the British East India Company (EIC) as an "extra" ship, i.e., under charter. Then in 1818 she made a voyage to Port Jackson, New South Wales transporting convicts. Thereafter, with a change of owners, she traded with the Far East under a license issued by the EIC. A fire destroyed her in 1828.
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Barkworth was launched in 1811 and began her career as a West Indiaman. She then made one voyage for the British East India Company (EIC). Thereafter she traded with India. She disappeared without a trace in 1824 on her way to Bombay.
Maitland was launched at Calcutta in 1811. She made four voyages for the British East India Company (EIC) between 1812 and 1830. She also made three voyages transporting convicts to Australia between 1840 and 1846. Thereafter she traded widely before she was wrecked c.1869.
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Boyne was launched at Calcutta in 1807. In 1809 she sailed to England. She was sold to the Danes, but by 1811 was under English ownership under the name Moffat. She then made seven voyages as a "regular ship" for the British East India Company (EIC). After the EIC exited its maritime activities in 1833–34, Moffat made four voyages transporting convicts to Australia: one voyage to Port Jackson and three to Van Diemen's Land. She also made at least one voyage carrying immigrants to South Australia, and later regularly traded between Liverpool and Bombay. She was last listed in 1856.
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Lord Wellington was launched in 1810 at Rochester, or equally, Chatham, as a West Indiaman. She made at least one voyage to India under a license from the British East India Company (EIC). She then made a voyage to New South Wales transporting female convicts from England and Ireland. She was lost in December 1822 off Denmark while sailing from Saint Petersburg to London.
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Prince of Orange was launched in Sunderland in 1814. She originally sailed as a West Indiaman but then became an East Indiaman, sailing to India under a license from the British East India Company (EIC). She made two voyages transporting convicts to Australia, the first in 1820–1821 to New South Wales, and the second in 1822 to Van Diemen's Land. Between 1830 and 1840 she made nine voyages as a whaler to Davis Strait. She was lengthened and rebuilt in 1846. In December 1852 she grounded and it took some months to get her off. She then need major repairs. She also suffered damages in 1854. She foundered in 1858.