Whim (1799 schooner)

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History
British East India Company
NameWhim
OwnerBritish East India Company (EIC)
BuilderFrancis Barnard, Son & Roberts, Deptford[1]
Launched23 January 1799[1]
FateSold 1802
United Kingdom
NameWhim
Owner
  • 1802:T. Smith & Partners
  • 1806: Various
FateNo longer listed in Lloyd's Register after 1822
General characteristics [2]
Tons burthen90,[3] 100,[2] 109,[4] 10990⁄94[1] (bm)
Sail planSchooner
Complement
Armament
  • 1799: 10 × 4-pounder guns[5]
  • 1800: 10 × 14-pounder guns[5]
  • 1806: 4 guns[6]
  • 1807: 10 × 6-pounder guns (NC; of the new construction)[7]
  • 1816: No longer armed

The British East India Company (EIC) had Whim built for use as a fast dispatch vessel. She was sold in 1802 and became a whaler that a French privateer captured and released, and then a merchant vessel. She is no longer listed after 1822.

Career[edit]

Whim was launched by Francis Barnard, Son & Roberts at Deptford on 23 January 1799,[1] "under the particular inspection of the late Robert Charnock Esq. for his private use, copper fastened and coppered, the beams iron kneed."[8] Captain John Ramsden received a letter of marque for Whim on 9 May 1799.[5] He then sailed her to India.

On 15 November 1800 Captain Andrew Barclay received a letter of marque.[5] On 23 November she sailed for Madras, leaving Spithead on 7 December. She arrived at Madras on 16 April 1801. She left Madras for Britain on 6 August and under the command of Captain John H. Fellers, and arrived at The Downs on 25 November.[2] The EIC advertised the sale on 8 January 1802 of rice brought by its ships, including Whim.[9]

In 1802 the EIC sold Whim to Captain T. Smith & Partners as the EIC no longer required her.[1] Lloyd's Register for 1802 showed her master changing from "Tellfer" to J. Smith, and her trade becoming London-Cape of Good Hope.[4]

Whim sailed on 24 October 1802. Lloyd's Register for 1803 now gave her trade as London-South Georgia,[10] consistent with her leaving on a whaling voyage. In December, Whim stopped at Rio de Janeiro for water and provisions.[11]

On 16 April 1804 the French privateer Nicholas Surcouf, in Caroline, was on his way to Île de France when he captured Whim.[a] Five days later, Surcouf captured Unicorn off St Helena as Unicorn was returning from the South Seas.[b] Surcouf plundered both vessels of their cargoes, transferred Unicorn's crew to Whim, and then released Whim,[15] against a ransom of 4000 piastres.[16] Whim's lost cargo consisted of 6000 seal skins and eight barrels of elephant seal oil.[16] Whim sailed to St Helena where she was reported in May,[11] and she returned to Britain on 15 July.[c]

By April 1805 Whim was lying moored off Horsleydown in the Pool of London and for sale by auction on 10 April at Lloyd's Coffee House in Cornhill.[8] She failed to sell at auction and continued to be offered for sale until at least October that year.[17]

Although Lloyd's Register carries Whim as whaling at South Georgia into 1806, there is no evidence of her making any other whaling voyages.[d] Lloyd's Register for 1806 shows a change of master and ownership, but both are illegible.[6] Whim, Forbes, master, was reported to have arrived at Dover in September 1806, having sailed with a fleet from Gibraltar on 24 August after having departed Algiers. She separated from the fleet on 12 September.[19]

Lloyd's Register for 1807 shows the new master as Forbes, A. Dalziel as owner, and a trade of London-Algiers.[7] In subsequent years masters change, with Dalziel being master in 1811. In 1812 ownership changes to Bold & Co., with J. Portis, master, and trade Liverpool-Africa.[20]

Whim was reported to have been at "Princes" around the end of 1818. She had been plundered and lost a boat and four hands at Benin Bar.[21]

Masters changed, but from 1819 on, Lloyd's Register shows Whim at Plymouth with Bold & Co. as owners, and S. Grillan as master.[22] Whim is last listed in 1822.

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Surcouf gave the name of Whim's master as Fraser Smith. Caroline was armed with sixteen 32-pounder carronades and two 36-pounder obusiers de vaisseau.[12]
  2. ^ Surcouf gave the name of Unicorn's master as James Porter. There is no vessel named Unicorn in either Lloyd's Register or the Register of Shipping with a master named James Porter. However, a Unicorn, Captain James Porter, had visited Tahiti between 4 and 11 April, and was taken by a French privateer on her way home. Some accounts give the name of Unicorn's master as Newton, but Mr. Newton was her supercargo.[13] The most likely vessel in Lloyd's Register (1804) is Unicorn, of 149 tons, launched at Liverpool in 1798, H. Barber, master, R. Wigram, owner, and trade, London-Africa.[14]
  3. ^ The mention in the University of Hull's database inverts the story, crediting Whim with capturing Surcouf and recapturing Unicorn, and then releasing Surcouf.[3]
  4. ^ One source has her ownership changing to Hurry & Co. for the slave trade.[1] However, the most comprehensive database of Trans Atlantic slave trade voyages does not show any voyages by a Whim post-1796.[18]

Citations[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f Hackman (2001), p. 246.
  2. ^ a b c British Library: Whim.
  3. ^ a b British Southern Whale Fishery Database – voyages: Whim.
  4. ^ a b Lloyd's Register (1802), Seq. №W109.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Letter of Marque,[1] - accessed 14 May 2011.
  6. ^ a b Lloyd's Register (1806), Seq. №W115.
  7. ^ a b Lloyd's Register (1807), Seq. №W113.
  8. ^ a b "Sales by the Candle". Public Ledger and Commercial and Daily Advertiser. No. 13791. London. 4 April 1805. p. 4. Retrieved 22 August 2018.
  9. ^ "No. 15436". The London Gazette. 15 December 1801. p. 1489.
  10. ^ Lloyd's Register (1803), Seq. №W106.
  11. ^ a b Clayton (2014), p. 243.
  12. ^ Roman (2007), p. 158.
  13. ^ Davies & Newbury (1961), pp. 60–1.
  14. ^ Lloyd's Register (1804), Seq. №U19.
  15. ^ Lloyd's List №4469. Accessed 7 December 2016.
  16. ^ a b Roman (2007), p. 163.
  17. ^ "On Sale". Gore's Liverpool General Advertiser. No. 2076. 17 October 1805. p. 2. Retrieved 22 August 2018.
  18. ^ Trans Atlantic Slave Trade Database Voyages: Whim.
  19. ^ Lloyd's List №4083. Accessed 7 December 2016.
  20. ^ Lloyd's Register Seq. №W125.
  21. ^ Lloyd's List №5275.
  22. ^ Lloyd's Register (1819), Seq. №W113.

References[edit]

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