South Sea Whale Fisher Ships Amelia Wilson and Castor off the Island of Buru, J.W.Huggins, 1825
History
French Navy EnsignFrance
Captured1809
United Kingdom
NameAmelia Wilson
Acquired1809 by purchase of a prize
FateWrecked 1833
General characteristics
Tons burthen332,[1] or 361,[2] or 362,[3] or 36245⁄94[4] (bm)
Length104 ft 5 in (31.8 m)
Beam28 ft 6 in (8.7 m)
Armament
  • 1810:6 × 9-pounder + 6 × 12-pounder guns
  • 1812:10 × 9-pounder + 2 × 6-pounder guns
  • 1813:8 × 18-pounder guns (of the "New Construction")

Amelia Wilson was built in France under another name and captured by the British in 1809. Her new owners renamed her and she became a West Indiaman. She later became a whaler and was wrecked in 1833 on her fifth whaling voyage.

Career

The prize court condemned the French vessel on 21 April 1809. She then first appears in Lloyd's Register in 1810. Her owner was Wilson & Co., suggesting that her name represents a relative of the owner. She underwent repairs in that year. She then traded with the West Indies. She underwent a good repair in 1813 from which she emerged with an increased burthen.

Year Master Owner Trade
1810[1] Todd Wilson & Co. London—St Vincent
1811 Todd
R. Banks		 Wilson & Co. London—St Vincent
1812 R. Banks
J. Ainsley		 Wilson London—St Vincent
1813[2] Gallaway Blackburn Plymouth—London
London transport
1814 Gallway
G. Frior (or Friar)		 Blackburn London transport
London—Havana
1815 G. Frier Frier & Co. London—Havana
1816 G. Frier Frier & Co. London—Jamaica
1818 G.Frier
A. Stirton		 Isaacs
Scallon & Co.		 London
London—Southern Fishery

Whaling voyage #1 (1818–1819): Captain Andrew Stirton sailed from Britain on 13 January 1818, bound for Timor. He returned on 13 August 1819 with 650 casks of whale oil.[3]

Whaling voyage #2 (1819–1821): Captain Michael Underwood sailed from Britain on 27 September 1819, bound for Timor. In January 1821 she was at Ambon, in company with Greenwich. Underwood returned to Britain on 30 November 1821 with 650 casks.[3]

Whaling voyage #3 (1822–1824): Amelia Wilson underwent a thorough repair in 1822. Captain Underwood then sailed from Britain on 11 March 1822, again bound for Timor. She left St Helena on 20 July 1824 and arrived in Britain on 1 October 1824 with 800 casks.[3]

Whaling voyage #4 (1824–1827): Captain Underwood sailed from Britain on 30 November 1824, bound for Timor and the seas off Japan. On 12 January 1825 Amelia Wilson was at Teneriffe, and by 2 May she was at Timor. In November she was off Guam. On 14 January 1827 she was in the Timor Sea again. At some point she landed 300 tuns of sperm oil at St Helena. On 21 September she returned to England with 650 casks.[3]

Amelia Wilson was almost rebuilt in 1829. She then made a voyage to India as a merchantman. One edition of the Register of Shipping has her sailing to India under a license from the British East India Company.[5] A different edition of the Register of Shipping (1830) has her leaving England on 21 March 1829.

Year Master Owner Trade
1829[6] Harris Blythe & Co. London—Bombay
1830 Harris Blythe & Co. London—Bombay
1831 Harris Blythe & Co. London—Bombay
1832 Wilson Clay London—South Seas Fisheries

Whaling voyage #5 (1831–loss in 1833): Captain Wilson sailed Amelia Wilson from Britain on 23 November 1831, bound for the Pacific Ocean. On 12 January 1832 she was at 19°S 28°W / 19°S 28°W / -19; -28.[3]

Fate

Amelia Wilson was wrecked on rocks about 40 miles north of Port Lloyd in the Bonin Islands in May or June 1833. The crew were saved, but some 1440 barrels of oil were lost.[3] Three boats, with 12 men, arrived at Port Lloyd.[7]

Citations

  1. 1 2 "Lloyd's register of shipping. (1810), Supple. Seq.№69". HathiTrust Digital Library. hdl:2027/mdp.39015005676393.
  2. 1 2 "Lloyd's register of shipping. (1813), Sup. Seq.№39". HathiTrust Digital Library. hdl:2027/mdp.39015005689347.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Jones, A.G. E.; Dale Chatwin; and Rhys Richards. BSWF Database – voyages: Amelia Wilson.
  4. ↑ Hackman (2001), p. 250.
  5. ↑ "The Register of shipping. 1830". Lloyd's Register: Shipowners: 35 v. 1963. hdl:2027/mdp.39015024214515.
  6. ↑ "Lloyd's register of shipping. (1829), Seq. Sup. №A35". HathiTrust Digital Library. hdl:2027/mdp.39015065537915.
  7. ↑ Foreign Office (1853), Vol. 27, Part 1, p.550.

References

  • Foreign Office, Great Britain (1853) British and Foreign State Papers, Volume 25, Part 1. (H.M. Stationery Office).
  • Hackman, Rowan (2001). Ships of the East India Company. Gravesend, Kent: World Ship Society. ISBN 0-905617-96-7.
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