Backhouse (1799 ship)
| History | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Name: | Backhouse |
| Owner: |
|
| Builder: | Hull[1] |
| Launched: | 1799 |
| Commissioned: | 13 December 1815 |
| Fate: | Scuttled September 1806 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tons burthen: | 286[1][2] (bm) |
| Propulsion: | Sails |
| Sail plan: | Fully rigged ship |
| Complement: | 20[2] |
| Armament: | 18 × 9-pounder guns[1][2] |
| Notes: | Two decks |
Backhouse was launched at Hull in 1799 as a West Indiaman. Mather & Co. purchased her in 1800 and then employed her on two whaling voyages to the Southern Whale Fishery. They sold her in 1805 and her new owner sailed her to the West Indies. In September 1806, as she was homeward-bound, her crew burned her as she was too leaky to continue.
Career
Backhouse enters Lloyd's Register in 1800 with Backhouse, owner, and T. Roberts, master, changing to J. Redman. her trade was Hull-Jamaica.[1] Captain Thomas Roberts received a letter of marque for Backhouse on 18 December 1800.[2] She then made two whaling voyages for Mather & Co. In 1801 her master is T. Roberts and her trade Liverpool-Jamaica.[3]
Although ownership of Backhouse apparently changed to Mather & Co. in 1801, this did not appear in Lloyd's Register until 1803.
Whaling voyage #1: Backhhouse sailed in 1801 with Hugh Wyer (or Weyer), master. At some point Captain Tristram Bunker replaced Wyer. She returned to Britain on 4 January 1803. Her owner was Mather & Co.[4]
Whaling voyage #2: Backhouse, Tristram Bunker, master, left Britain on 1 February 1803, bound for the Galapagos Islands. She reached at Cape Verde on 7 March.[4] She and Coldsteam were well off the coast of "Chilli" in July and August.[5] She, Coldstream, and Wilding were next reported "all well" at the "Gallipagos" by 4 October.[6] In May 1804 she was off the coast of Peru. On 5 August she was reported around Cape Horn. She returned to Britain on 11 July 1805.[4]
Lloyd's Register for 1805 shows Backhouse changing hands again, and undergoing repairs. Her owner became Captain & Co., her master was Kelly, and her trade was now London-West Indies instead of London-Chilli.[7]
Loss
In September 1806 news arrived in Britain that Backhouse, Kelly, master, and another vessel of the homeward-bound merchant fleet, had foundered as Backhouse was sailing to London from Demerara.[8] A report a few days later corrected this news. On 3 September 1806 her crew had burnt Backhouse as she was too leaky to continue sailing; the crew were all rescued.[9]
Citations and references
Citations
- 1 2 3 4 Lloyd's List (1800), Seq. №B9.
- 1 2 3 4 Letter of Marque, p.51 - accessed 25 July 2017.
- ↑ Lloyd's Register (1801), Seq. №B11.
- 1 2 3 British Southern Whale Fishery Database – voyages: Backhouse.
- ↑ Lloyd's List №4453.
- ↑ Lloyd's List №4470.
- ↑ Lloyd's Register (1805), Seq. №B12.
- ↑ Lloyd's List №4085.
- ↑ Lloyd's List №4086.
References
- Clayton, Jane M. (2014) Ships employed in the South Sea Whale Fishery from Britain: 1775-1815: An alphabetical list of ships. (Berforts Group). ISBN 978-1908616524