| History | |
|---|---|
 Great Britain | |
| Name | Westmoreland |
| Builder | Thames |
| Launched | 1791 |
| Fate | Last listed in 1814 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tons burthen | 173, [1] or 180, [2] or 186 [2] (bm) |
| Complement | |
| Armament |
|
Westmoreland was launched on the Thames in 1791. She made two voyages as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. Between these voyages she cruized as a privateer for some months. She then traded between Britain and the Mediterranean. She was last listed in 1814.
Although she was launched in 1791, Westmoreland first appeared in Lloyd's Register (LR) only in 1801. [3]
| Year | Master | Owner | Trade | Source & notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1801 | J.Bridson | Every & Co. | Greenock–Jamaica | LR |
| 1802 | J.Bridson P.Cormack | Every & Co. Walter & Co. | Greenock–Jamaica Liverpool–Africa | LR |
1st voyage transporting enslaved people (1802–1804):Westmoreland sailed from Liverpool on 14 October 1802. [4] In 1802, 155 vessels sailed from English ports, bound on voyages to acquire and transport enslaved people; 122 of these vessels sailed from Liverpool. [5]
Westmoreland acquired captives in the Gold Coast region and arrived with 149 slaves at Trinidad on 22 November 1803. [4] War with France had resumed while she was on her voyage and Captain Peter Cormack received a letter of marque on 25 July 1803. [2] She left Trinidad on 9 April 1804 and arrived back at Liverpool on 25 May. She had left Liverpool with 24 crew members and she suffered three crew deaths on the voyage. [4]
On her return Westmoreland became a privateer, before reverting to the slave trade.
| Year | Master | Owner | Trade | Source & notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1805 | P.Cormack Goodall | Walton & Co. Taylor & Co. | Liverpool–Africa Liverpool – a cruise | LR |
| 1806 | T.Goodall H.Fryer | Walton & Co. Taylor & Co. | Liverpool – a cruise Liverpool–Africa | LR |
Privateer: Captain Thomas Goodall acquired a letter of marque on 11 January 1805. [2] Westmoreland, Goodall, master, captured the polacre Conception at 36°50′N19°40′W / 36.833°N 19.667°W . Conception had been sailing from Vera Cruz to Spain with a cargo of 130 tons of sugar, a quantity of dye wood, and 68,000 dollars. Conception arrived at Liverpool on 28 February. [6] As Conception sailed for Liverpool she left Westmoreland in chase of another Spanish vessel. [7] [8]
In late March of early April Lloyd's List reported that a French privateer captured Westmoreland, Goodall, master, after a long engagement. [9] A week and a half later Lloyd's List reported that the French privateer Bon had captured a different Westmoreland. [10]
In June, Westmoreland, Goodall, master, recaptured Eliza and sent her to Liverpool. Eliza had been sailing from Waterford to Newfoundland when a Spanish privateer had captured her off Cape Clear. [11]
2nd voyage transporting enslaved people (1806–1807): Captain Henry Tryer sailed from Liverpool on 6 March 1806. Westmoreland acquired captives at Lagos Onim. She arrived at Berbice on 8 August with 218 captives. She sailed from Berbice on 3 February 1807 and arrived back at Liverpool on 16 April. She had left Liverpool with 33 crew members and she suffered nine crew deaths on the voyage. [12]
| Year | Master | Owner | Trade | Source & notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1808 | J.Mason Robinson | James & Co. | Liverpool–Africa Liverpool–Messina | LR; large repair 1808 |
| 1814 | Robinson | James & Co. | Liverpool–Malta | LR; large repair 1808 |
Westmoreland was last listed in 1814.
Sarah was launched in Spain in 1791, presumably under another name. The British captured her c.1798. She made five voyages as a Liverpool-based slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people before a Spanish privateer captured her in 1805 on her sixth voyage. On her fifth voyage Sarah had captured two French slave ships at Loango.
Byam was a snow launched at Oban, or possibly Padstow, in 1800. She made four voyages as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. The French captured and burnt her in late 1807 or early 1808 as she was about to deliver the captives from her fifth voyage.
Ariadne was built in 1795 at Newbury, Massachusetts, probably under another name. She in 1801 became a Liverpool-based slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. She made two voyages transporting enslaved people before a French, and later a Dutch privateer, captured her in 1804 while she was acquiring captives on her third voyage. However, a Liverpool-based vessel recaptured her. Then in 1806, a French privateer captured her and took her into Guadeloupe while Ariadne was on her fourth voyage transporting captives.
Roe was launched in France in 1792, almost certainly under another name. The British captured her and between 1801 and 1808 she became a Liverpool based slave ship, making four voyages in the triangular trade in enslaved people. After the end of the British slave trade Roe traded with Brazil. The Americans captured her in 1812 but she was quickly recaptured. She was wrecked in November 1814.
Nile was launched at Nantes in 1795 and was captured or purchased from the French in 1802. She then made four voyages from Liverpool as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. Between her first and second voyages transporting enslaved people she cruised for less than year as a privateer. With the abolition in 1807 of the slave trade, Nile became a regular merchantman, but now trading with Africa. She was sold in Barbados in 1811.
Bellona was built in Spain in 1797 and was taken in prize circa late 1804. She made one voyage as a privateer, sailing from Liverpool to the River Plate area. On her return she made a voyage as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. She was wrecked as she was coming back into Liverpool after having delivered her captives to Charleston.
Tartar was launched in France in 1802, or Spain in 1805, almost certainly under another name. In 1806 she sailed under the flag of the United Kingdom on a voyage as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. On her return she started trading between Liverpool and Brazil and Africa. A French frigate captured her in 1813, but then released her. She was wrecked early in 1815.
William Heathcote was launched in Liverpool in 1800. She made one voyage as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. Next, a French privateer captured her in a single-ship action, and the British Royal Navy recaptured her. She became a West Indiaman before she made an enslaving voyage, one of the last such legal voyages. zAfter British partiipation in the trans-Atlantic slave trade ended, she became a West Indiaman again; she sailed to Brazil and as a transport. She was wrecked in July 1816.
Westmoreland was launched in Yarmouth in 1783. Between 1800 and 1804 she made two voyages as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. A French privateer captured her during her second voyage but the Royal Navy recaptured her and she completed her voyage. The registers continued to carry her for a few years but with stale data.. She actually made a voyage in 1805 to Demerara. On her way a privateer captured her.
Harriot was launched in Spain in 1794, almost surely under another name, and taken in prize in 1797. She made two voyages as a London-based slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. Under new ownership, she then made three voyages as a whaler in the British southern whale fishery. A privateer captured her as she was returning from her third whale-hunting voyage but the British Royal Navy recaptured her. After her recapture she became a merchantman. The Spanish seized her in the Pacific; she was condemned at Lima, Peru in March-April 1809, as a smuggler.
Harriot was launched in Liverpool in 1786. For many years she was a West Indiaman, sailing between Liverpool and Barbados. In 1796 a French frigate captured her, but the British Royal Navy quickly recaptured her. She became a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. At the beginning of her of her first slave trading voyage a French privateer captured her, and again the Royal Navy quickly recaptured her. She made five slave trading voyages in all. Thereafter she traded with South America. She was last listed in 1814 with stale data.
Agreeable was launched at Bermuda in 1786, probably under a different name. French owners acquired her at some point and sailed her as Agréable. In 1793 the British captured her. Subsequently, between 1793 and 1808, she made six voyages as a slave ship, alternating between the triangular trade in enslaved people, and sailing as a regular West Indiaman. French privateers captured her between the second and third voyages, and the third and fourth voyages, but each time the British Royal Navy recaptured her. In the case of the second capture she was in French hands long enough for them to send her out as a privateer. She herself captured an American vessel in 1808 as she was returning to Liverpool from her last enslaving voyage. After the end of British participation in trans-Atlantic enslaving trade, Agreeable traded more widely, particularly to South America. She was condemned at Buenos Aires in 1814 after running aground in the River Plate. She was repaired and continue to sail to Brazil until she returned to Liverpool in June 1819.
Backhouse was launched in 1798 at Dartmouth. In all, she made four voyages as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. Between the second and the third, and after the fourth, she was a West Indiaman. A French privateer captured her early in 1810 as she was returning to Britain from Brazil.
Backhouse was launched in 1785 at Chester. She initially sailed as a West Indiaman. In 1792–1793 she made one voyage as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. Once in 1796 and twice in 1797 she repelled attacks by French privateers in three single-ship actions. Backhouse made four more enslaving voyages and then returned to the West Indies trade. After about 1809 she became a London coaster and was last listed in 1813.
Ellis was a French prize, captured in 1797, possibly built that year also. Liverpool merchants purchased her. She made five complete voyages as a slave ship in the triangular trade carrying enslaved people from West Africa to the British West Indies. She was lost at sea on 23 April 1806 on her sixth voyage before she could take on any captives.
Princess Amelia was launched in 1798 at Liverpool. She made eight complete voyages as a Liverpool-based slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. After the end of British participation in the Trans-Atlantic slave trade, she became a merchantman. She was probably the Princess Amelia, from Liverpool, that was lost in 1810.
Elizabeth was launched at Liverpool 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 voyage after she had embarked enslave people and took her into Montevideo.
Nelly was launched at Liverpool in 1798. She initially sailed as a West Indiaman. From 1803 she made two complete voyages as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. Spanish privateers captured her in 1805 while she was on her third 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. A report of her fourth voyage provides insight into the decision making over the planning of the voyage. Spanish privateers captured her in 1805 on her fifth slave voyage.
Laurel's origins are ambiguous. She first appeared in online British sources in 1802. She made three voyages from Liverpool to Africa. On the first she apparently was on a trading voyage. The second was a complete voyage as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. During this voyage she was involved in two sanguinary engagements with French vessels, the second of which resulted in the death of her master. She set out in 1805 on a second voyage to transport enslaved people, but a French squadron captured her before she had embarked any captives.
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