History
United Kingdom
Name	Majestic
Owner	1811:Lane (or J.Laing) 1812:William Mellish
Builder	Sunderland
Launched	1811
Fate	Wrecked 16 July 1819
General characteristics
Tons burthen	393[1] (bm)
Armament	10 guns[1]

Majestic was launched at Sunderland in 1811. In 1812 she became a whaler in the British northern whale fishery, whaling at Davis Strait. She was lost there on 16 July 1819.

Career

Majestic entered Lloyd's Register (LR) in 1812 with Lawrence, master, Lane, owner, changing to Mellish, and trade London, changing to London–Davis Strait.^[1]

On 5 April 1816 Lloyd's List (LL) reported that Majestic, Lawson, master, had sprung a leak and had had to put back to Stromness. She was on her way to Davis Strait and was going to have to discharge to effect repairs.^[2] Majestic had arrived at Stromness on 22 March and resumed her voyage on 31 March.^[3]

The following data is from Coltish:^[4]

On 3 March 1818, at Lerwick during a heavy gale, Majestic, Lawson, master, drove on board Flora, Swaneson, master. Majestic carried away Flora's rigging and stove in her side.^[5]

Fate

On 8 March 1819, Majestic, Lawson, master, sailed from Gravesend, bound for Davis Strait.^[6]

On 16 July 1819, Majestic was crushed by ice and sunk in the Davis Strait. Her crew were rescued.^[7] Lloyd's List reported on 24 August 1819 that Ocean, Samuels, Equestria of Hull, Majestic of London, Royal Bounty and Thomas & Ann, both of Leith, and Tey of Dundee, had been lost in Davis Strait. Their crews were saved.^[8]

Post script

In 1824 a harpoon from Majestic in 1819 was recovered from a whale. The harpoon had gotten embedded in the near left fin.^[9]

Citations

References

• Coltish, William (c. 1842). An account of the success of the ships at the Greenland and Davis Straits fisheries 1772-1842 inclusive.
• Dewhurst, Henry William (1834). The Natural History of the Order Cetacea: And the Oceanic Inhabitants of the Arctic Regions.