| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | Swallow |
| Owner |
|
| Acquired | 1805 by purchase of a prize |
| Captured | 1807 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tons burthen | 105, [1] (bm) |
| Sail plan | Brig |
Swallow was launched in Spain in 1790, almost certainly under another name. She was taken in prize in 1805 and became a slaver ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. She made two voyages carrying slaves, on both of which privateers captured her.
Swallow first appeared in Lloyd's Register (LR) in the volume for 1805. [1]
| Year | Master | Owner | Trade | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1805 | W.A.Dale | M'Graham | Liverpool–Africa | LR |
1st slave voyage (1805): Captain William Aldcroft Dale sailed from Liverpool on 19 January 1805. Swallow acquired her slaves at Grand Mesurado and then sailed for the West Indies. On her way she was captured and her captors landed 150 slaves at Martinique. [2]
In a process that currently remains obscure, Swallow remained or returned to British ownership.
2nd slave voyage (1806): Captain Joseph Vardy sailed from Liverpool on 6 September 1806. Swallow acquired slaves at Gabon. At some point her master changed to Kirkpatrick. On her way to the West Indies a French privateer captured Swallow and took her into Basse-Terre, Guadeloupe. [3] Lloyd's List (LL) reported that a privateer had taken Swallow as she was sailing from Africa to the West Indies and had taken her into Gaudaloupe. [4]
Lancaster was built in France in 1787. She entered British ownership c.1803. In 1805 made one voyage as a slave ship during which a French privateer captured her in a single-ship action, but the Royal Navy recaptured her. She also recaptured a British ship. Thereafter she traded widely until she was last listed in 1825.
Ariadne was built in 1795 at Newbury, Massachusetts, probably under another name. She became a Liverpool-based slave ship in 1801. A French or Dutch privateer captured her in 1804, but a Liverpool-based vessel recaptured her. Then in 1806 a French privateer captured her and took her into Guadeloupe.
Horatio was launched in 1800 at Liverpool. She made four voyages as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. During two of these voyages 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.
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.
Swallow's origins are obscure in terms of her launch year and place. She first appeared in 1798 as a slave ship. She first appeared in Lloyd's Register (LR) in 1798 with R.White as master, R.Abram as owner, and trade Liverpool–Africa.
Rosamond was launched at New York in 1771, probably as Rose. She was renamed Rosamond in 1776. Between 1795 and 1800 she made four voyages as a Liverpool-based slave ship, carrying enslaved people from West Africa to the West Indies. She then became a West Indiaman until in 1804 a French privateer captured her.
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.
Resource was launched at Bermuda in 1792, possibly under another name, and sailed from Liverpool from 1798 on. She made four voyages as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. The French Navy captured her in 1805 at the very beginning of her fifth voyage.
Harriot was launched in America in 1803, possibly under another name. In 1806 she made a voyage as a slave ship. In 1807 she started a second such voyage, one of the last legal such voyages, but a French privateer captured her before she could deliver to the British West Indies the slaves she had acquired.
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, making seven slave trading voyages. 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.
Thetis was launched in 1801 at Lancaster as a West Indiaman. Between 1806 and 1808 she made two complete voyages as a slave ship. With the end of the slave trade, thetis returned to trading, first with the West Indies and then with Bahia. She was wrecked in December 1815 near Sunderland.
Bedford arrived in 1803 at London. She then made three complete voyages as a slave ship until the Slave Trade Act 1807 ended British participation in the trans-Atlantic slave trade. During the first of these she repelled an attack by a privateer in a single ship action. From 1808 on she may have traded with Africa; she was last listed in 1814.
Beaver was launched in 1796 at Liverpool. She made seven complete voyages as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved persons. She was captured and retaken once, in 1804, and captured a second time in 1807, during her eighth voyage.
Ranger was launched in 1791 in New Providence and immediately came to Britain. She generally traded between Liverpool and New Providence. She underwent grounding in 1795 and in 1796 her owners had her repaired, lengthened, and converted from a brig to a ship. A French privateer captured her in August 1797 after a single-ship action. In a process that is currently obscure, Ranger returned to British ownership circa 1799. She then became a West Indiaman. From 1803 on she became a Liverpool-based slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. She made one complete slave trading voyage. Then French privateers captured her after she had embarked slaves in West Africa but before she could deliver them to the West Indies. A United States citizen purchased her at Guadeloupe and renamed her Delaware. In 1805 the Royal Navy recaptured her. She was returned to her British owners who sailed her between Ireland and Newfoundland. She was last listed in 1814.
Ann was launched at Chester in 1792 as a West Indiaman. From 1796 she made eight complete voyages as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. She also began one that was aborted after she was captured and recaptured. On her ninth voyage a French privateer again captured her, but this time her captor plundered and then released her. She returned to merchant trade until she sank on 24 May 1810 in the Old Dock at Liverpool.
Woolton was a French vessel launched in the East Indies in 1788 under another name and taken in prize in 1803. In 1804 Woolton became a Liverpool-based slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. She made one complete slave voyage and was wrecked as she was almost home from her second slave voyage.
Elizabeth was launched at Lancaster in 1798. She made five complete voyages as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. Spanish privateers captured her in 1805 while she was on her sixth slave voyage after she had embarked slaves.
William was launched in Spain in 1788, almost certainly under another name. She was taken in prize in 1797. William sailed as a West Indiaman until 1800 when new owners started to sail her as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. She made four complete voyages as a slave ship. Spanish privateers captured her in 1805 on her fifth slave voyage.
Juverna was a schooner launched at Portaferry in 1804. She immediately became a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. She made one complete slave voyage. A French squadron captured her in late 1805 or early 1806 before she could embark any slaves on her second slave voyage.
Lucy was a Spanish vessel built in 1789, probably under another name. She came into British ownership in 1799. As Lucy, she proceeded to make three complete voyages as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. On the second of these she rather unusually assisted the British commander at Gorée in an operation to destroy a Spanish vessel at Senegal before the French could arm it as a privateer. However, a few days later a slave revolt resulted in the death of Lucy's captain. The French captured Lucy in 1806 on her fourth slave voyage as she was approaching the West Indies after she had embarked her captives. The capture involved a single ship action that left most of Lucy's crew dead or wounded. Her captors took Lucy into Guadeloupe, together with the slaves she was carrying.