Hercules (1777 ship)

Hercules was launched at the Province of Georgia in 1777. She appeared in Lloyd's Register in 1782 as a West Indiaman. From 1786 she made three voyages as a slave ship. She was lost as she was returning to England after having delivered her slaves at Jamaica.

History
Province of Georgia
Builder: Georgia
Launched: 1777[1]
Fate: Transfer to British registry c.1782
Great Britain
Name: Hercules
Namesake: Hercules
Owner:
  • 1782:Lang[2]
  • 1783:Crawford
  • 1786:Miles Barber[3]
  • 1789:James Baillie, William Taylor, and William Clay[3]
  • 1791:John Dawson[3]
Acquired: c.1782
Captured: Wrecked 1792
General characteristics
Tons burthen: 300,[2] or 305,[1] or 326 (bm)
Armament: 20 × 6-pounder guns[2]
Notes: Built of live oak and pine

Career

Hercules appeared in Lloyd's Register in 1782 with Jn Lang, master and owner, and trade Tortola–London.[2] In 1783 her master was J. Lang, her owner Crawford, and her trade London–Antigua.

In 1786 Lloyd's Register showed Hercules with Ar[thur] Bold, master, Barber & Co., owner, and trade London–Africa. she had undergone repairs in 1783.[1]

Slave voyage #1 (1786–1788): Captain Arthur Bold sailed from London on 26 April 1786. Hercules started gathering her slaves on 13 July 1786, first at Anomabu, then at Cape Coast Castle, and finally at Dixcove. She arrived at Dominica on 26 May 1788. There she landed 370 slaves, having embarked 400, for a death rate of 7%. She left Dominica on 28 June, and arrived back at London on 20 August.[3]

Slave voyage #2 (1789–1791): Hercules underwent repairs in 1789. Captain John Knox sailed from London on 23 July 1789 and gathered her slaves at Iles de Los. She arrived at Dominica 25 February 1791, where she landed 445 slaves. She sailed from Dominica on 28 April and arrived at Liverpool on 5 June.[3]

Slave voyage #3 (1791–Loss): Hercules underwent repairs in 1791.[4] Captain William Forbes sailed from Liverpool on 17 December 1791.[3] She stopped at Glasgow, and then gathered her slaves at Bonny and arrived at Jamaica on 18 September 1792. There she landed 276 slaves. At some point Captain John Brelsford replace Forbes. She left London with 38 crew members and suffered 12 crew deaths on her voyage.[3]

Lloyd's List reported on 5 February 1793 that Hercules was lost on the island of Cuba as she was sailing from Jamaica.[5]

Citations
  1. Lloyd's Register (1786), Seq.№H392.
  2. Lloyd's Register (1782), Seq.№H328.
  3. Trans Atlantic Slave Trade database – Voyage:Hercules.
  4. Lloyd's Register (1793), Seq.№H179.
  5. Lloyd's List №2477.
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