History
France, or Spain
Launched1797
Capturedcirca 1799
Great Britain
Acquired1799 by purchase of a prize
FateLast listed in 1809
General characteristics
Tons burthen327[1][2] (bm)
Complement
Armament
  • 1799:20 × 6-pounder guns[2]
  • 1799:20 × 6-pounder guns + 2 × 18-pounder carronades
  • 1801:22 × 6&9-pounder cannons[2]
  • 1804:22 × 6&12-pounder cannons[2]

Alexander was launched in France or Spain in 1797, probably under another name, and taken in prize circa 1799, when she was lengthened and raised. She was registered at Liverpool in 1801 and proceeded to make six voyages as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people. She then sailed to Brazil and the West Indies and was last listed in 1809.

Career

Alexander first appeared in Lloyd's Register (LR) in 1800.[1]

Year Master Owner Trade Source
1800 Threlfall Tetherton Liverpool–Africa LR; lengthened 1799

Captain Joseph Threlfall acquired a letter of marque on 8 October 1799.[2]

1st voyage transporting enslaved people (1799–1800): Captain Threlfall sailed from Liverpool on 29 October 1799.[3] In 1799, 156 vessels sailed from English ports, bound for the trade in enslaved people; 134 of these vessels sailed from Liverpool.[4]

Alexander acquired captives at Bonny and arrived at Kingston, Jamaica on 8 July 1800 with 310 captives. She left Kingston on 2 or 6 September in company with Vanguard and some other vessels sailing to Liverpool, and arrived back at Liverpool on 3 November. She had left Liverpool with 51 crew members and she suffered 12 crew deaths on her voyage.[3]

Captain John Ainsworth acquired a letter of marque on 6 August 1801.[2]

2nd voyage transporting enslaved people (1801–1802): Captain Ainsworth sailed from Liverpool on 5 September 1801.[5] In 1801, 147 vessels sailed from English ports, bound for the trade in enslaved people; 122 of these vessels sailed from Liverpool.[4]

Alexander acquired captives at Bonny and arrived at Grenada on 3 April 1802 with 322 captives. She may also have delivered some at Suriname. She sailed from Grenada or Suriname via Antigua, and arrived back at Liverpool on 15 June. She had sailed from Liverpool with 48 crew members and she suffered four crew deaths on her voyage.[5]

3rd voyage transporting enslaved people (1802–1803): Captain Ainsworth sailed from Liverpool on 18 September 1802.[6] In 1802, 155 vessels sailed from English ports, bound for the trade in enslaved people; 122 of these vessels sailed from Liverpool.[4]

Alexander acquired captives on the Windward Coast, in the area between Rio Nuñez and the Assini River. She arrived at Demerara on 1 March 1803. She returned to Liverpool on 31 May. She had left Liverpool with 37 crew members and she suffered four crew deaths on the voyage.[6]

Year Master Owner Trade Source & notes
1804 Ainsworth
Ward		 Benson Liverpool–Africa LR; lengthened 1799

Captain Henry Ward acquired a letter of marque on 14 February 1804.

4th voyage transporting enslaved people (1804–1805): Captain Ward sailed from Liverpool on 7 April 1804.[7] In 1804, 147 vessels sailed from English ports, bound for the trade in enslaved people; 126 of these vessels sailed from Liverpool.[4]

Alexander started acquiring captives on the Gold Coast on 27 May. She arrived at Demerara on 23 November with 338 captives. She left Demerara on 26 January 1805, and arrived back at Liverpool on 13 April. She had left with 52 crew members, and eight had died on the voyage.[7]

5th voyage transporting enslaved people (1805–1806): Captain Ward sailed from Liverpool on 12 August 1805. Alexander acquired captives on the Gold Coast and left Africa on 8 February 1806. She arrived Kingston on 22 March 1806 with 336 captives. She left Kingston on 2 May and arrived at Liverpool on 11 June. She had left Liverpool with 52 crew embers and had suffered eight crew deaths on the voyage.[8]

6th voyage transporting enslaved people (1807–1808): Captain Ward sailed from Liverpool in February 1807. As she left, on 12 February another vessel ran afoul of her in the Mersey, causing some damage, carrying away all of her upper work on the starboard side of her quarterdeck.[9][10] Alexander acquired captives on the Gold Coast and arrived at Kingston on 30 November. On 25 November a French privateer captured Lucy, an American vessel sailing from Curacoa to Philadelphia. Alexander recaptured Lucy, which then arrived in Jamaica.[11] Alexander departed Kingston on 11 April 1808 and arrived back at Liverpool on 29 May. She had left Liverpool with 50 crew members and she suffered eight crew deaths on the voyage.[12]

The Slave Trade Act 1807 made it illegal for British vessels to engage in the slave trade. The Act took effect on 1 May 1807, so Alexander's last voyage was still legal as she had received clearance to sail outward bound in February.

Year Master Owner Trade Source & notes
1808 H.Ward Benson &. Co. Liverpool–Africa
Liverpool–Brazils		 LR; lengthened 1799
1809 H.Ward Barker & Co. Liverpool–West Indies Register of Shipping; good repair 1808

Fate

Alexander, Ward, master, was last listed in 1808 in LR, and in 1809 in the Register of Shipping.

Citations

  1. 1 2 LR (1800), Seq.No.A244.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Letter of Marque, p.49" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 October 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
  3. 1 2 Trans Atlantic Slave Trade Database – Alexander voyage #80160.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Williams (1897), p. 680.
  5. 1 2 Trans Atlantic Slave Trade Database – Alexander voyage #80161.
  6. 1 2 Trans Atlantic Slave Trade Database – Alexander voyage #80162.
  7. 1 2 Trans Atlantic Slave Trade Database – Alexander voyage #80163.
  8. ↑ Trans Atlantic Slave Trade Database – Alexander voyage #80164.
  9. ↑ "The Marine List". Lloyd's List. No. 4127. 17 February 1807. hdl:2027/uc1.c2735023.
  10. ↑ "SHIP NEWS". Lancaster Gazette and General Advertiser, for Lancashire, Westmorland, &c. (Lancaster, England), Saturday, 21 February 1807; Issue 297.
  11. ↑ "The Marine List". Lloyd's List. No. 4226. 5 February 1808. hdl:2027/uc1.c2735023.
  12. ↑ Trans Atlantic Slave Trade Database – Alexander voyage #80165.

References

  • Williams, Gomer (1897). History of the Liverpool Privateers and Letters of Marque: With an Account of the Liverpool Slave Trade. W. Heinemann.
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