Mary Ann (1807 ship)

Mary Ann was launched in 1807 at Liverpool. She made one voyage as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. She then became a West Indiaman. From 1811 she became a Falmouth packet. In 1813 a United States privateer captured her.

For other ships with the same name, see Mary Ann (ship).

History
United Kingdom
NameMary Ann
Launched1807, Liverpool[1]
CapturedApril 1813
General characteristics
Tons burthen160,[1] or 170,[2] or 172,[3] or 180[4] (bm)
Complement25[3]
Armament
  • 1807: 14 × 9-pounder guns[3]
  • 1809: 14 × 9-pounder guns[2]
  • 1813: 10 × 6-pounder guns[4]

Career

Mary Ann first appeared in Lloyd's Register (LR) in 1807.[1]

Year Master Owner Trade Source
1807 Answorth Fisher & Co. Liverpool–Africa LR

Captain John Ainsworth acquired a letter of marque on 5 May 1807.[3] He sailed from Liverpool on 29 May 1807. Mary Ann acquired slaves at the Congo River.[5]

As Mary Ann was on her way to the West Indies she encountered the sloop HMS Rattler. Rattler detained Mary Ann and sent her into Barbados, where she was later released.[6] Mary Ann had sailed after 1 May, the day that the Slave Trade Act 1807, which banned British vessels from engaging in the slave trade, took effect. However, evidently she had cleared outbound prior to 1 May and so her voyage was among the last legal British slave trading voyages.

Mary Ann arrived at Barbados on 13 February 1808 with 207 slaves. She landed 32 there and sailed on to Demerara. She arrived back at Liverpool on 21 June 1808.[5]

Lloyd's Register continued to carry Mary Ann until 1814, but with data unchanged since 1807. However, although the Register of Shipping (RS) is not available in online form between 1807 and 1808, she did appear in the volume for 1809 as a West Indiaman.[2]

Year Master Owner Trade Source
1809 Magreth (or M'Grath) Campbell & Co. London–Hayti RS
1810 Birkett (or Birket) Campbell & Co. London–Hayti RS
1812 Caddy Geddies London–Hayti RS
1814 Caddy Geddies Falmouth packet RS

In 1811 Mary Ann became a Post Office packet, sailing out of Falmouth.

Year Master Owner Trade Source
1813 Caddy Angove & Co. Falmouth packet[4] LR

Fate

The United States privateer General Tonkin captured Mary Ann in early April 1813 as Mary Ann was 50 leagues west of Cape St Vincent while on her way from Malta to Gibraltar (and Falmouth).[7] Governor Tompkins had a crew of 99 men and was armed with ten 9-pounder guns and one long 24-pounder on a traverse. By the time Captain Caddy struck, Mary Ann had been reduced to a mere wreck.[8] Mary Ann arrived at Boston on 21 May.[9] Mary Ann had one man killed and several wounded; General Tompkins was carrying $60,000 in gold and bullion. she had thrown her mails overboard before she was captured, but they were inadequately weighted and were retrieved.[10]

On 20 May 1813 Governor Tompkins encountered HMS Surinam off the coast of Surinam. After an engagement lasting three-quarters of an hour Governor Tompkins was able to escape. She made her way back to the United States. Governor Tompkins may have been captured on her next cruise.

Citations
  1. LR (1807), Supple. pages "M", Seq.No.M564.
  2. RS (1809), Seq.No.M585.
  3. "Letter of Marque, p.1 – Retrieved 25 July 2017" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 October 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
  4. LR (1813), Falmouth Packets, Sea.No.22.
  5. Trans Atlantic Slave Trade Database – Mary Ann voyage #82638.
  6. "The Marine List". Lloyd's List. No. 4243. 8 April 1808. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  7. "The Marine List". Lloyd's List. No. 4768. 7 May 1813. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  8. Norway (1895), p. 243.
  9. "The Marine List". Lloyd's List. No. 4768. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  10. "From our correspondents". 27 May 1813, National Intelligencer (Washington, DC, United States) Volume: 1 , Issue: 126.

References
  • Norway, Arthur H. (1895). History of the Post-Office Packet Service between the Years 1793-1815. London: Macmillan & Co.
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