Queen Charlotte was built on the Thames in 1790. She made eight voyages for the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) before it sold her in 1800. She then traded to South America and the Mediterranean. In 1803 her crew mutinied and turned her over to the French, who promptly handed her and them back to the British authorities, despite the two countries being at war. She then spent much of her career sailing between London and the Cape of Good Hope (CGH; the Cape).[a] She was sailing for the Cape in October 1813 when a collision with another vessel resulted in Queen Charlotte being wrecked shortly thereafter.
| History | |
|---|---|
 Great Britain | |
| Operator | Hudson's Bay Company (1790–1800) |
| Launched | 1790, The Thames |
| Fate | Finally wrecked 10 December 1813 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tons burthen | 152, or 157 (bm) |
| Armament | 2 × 3-pounder guns |
Career
editQueen Charlotte spent the first decade of her career sailing for the HBC.[2] during this time she made eight voyages between London and Hudson Bay, primarily to York Factory.[3] Turner then took command of King George, another HBC ship.[4]
| Year | Master | Owner | Trade | Source & notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1801 | J.Turner Andrews |
HBC Capt. & Co. |
Hudson Bay | LR |
| 1803 | A.Andrews | Capt & Co. | Liverpool–Leghorn | Register of Shipping (RS) |
In early 1804 Queen Charlotte, Andrews, master, was returning from Smyrna on her way to London when she put in at Gibraltar. There her crew took control of her and sailed to Cadiz where they turned themselves over to the French Navy. However, at Cadiz the captain of a French 74-gun, took vessel and crew into custody, turning them over to the British consul.[5] The French also returned Queen Charlotte to Andrew's control.[6]
| Year | Master | Owner | Trade | Source & notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1804 | A.Andrews Mounton |
Capt.&Co. | Liverpool–Leghorn London–Surinam |
LR |
| 1806 | A. Carr | Wilkie | London–Surinam | LR |
| 1806 | Moresdon A. Andrews |
Wilkie & Co. Capt.& Co. |
London–Surinam London–Surinam London–Cape of good Hope (CGH) |
RS |
| 1809 | Andrews | J.Wilkie | London–CGH | LR |
| 1809 | A.Andrews | Capt&Co. | London–CGH | RS; damages repaired 1806 |
| 1810 | A.Andrews | Capt&Co. | London–CGH | RS; damages repaired 1806 and small repairs 1809 |
Lloyd's List reported on 15 November 1811 that Queen Charlotte, Andrews, master, had lost an anchor and cable in Margate Roads.[7]
| Year | Master | Owner | Trade | Source & notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1813 | Andrews Jackson |
J.Wilkie | London–CGH | LR; several repairs |
On 27 December 1812 Queen Charlotte sailed from Rio de Janeiro together with four three other British merchant vessels bound for Great Britain and under convoy by the schooner HMS Juniper. At 4°25′N 22°30′W / 4.417°N 22.500°W one left the group, all of which, including Queen Charlotte, Jackson, master, were short of provisions. Queen Charlotte was bound for Greenock.[8]
Fate
editQueen Charlotte collided on 20 October 1813 with the transport Phœbe and sank off Spithead. Queen Charlotte's mate drowned. She was on a voyage from London to the Cape of Good Hope.[9] Queen Charlotte was raised from six fathoms (18 ft (5.5 m)) of water to 8 ft (2.4 m) feet in early December but a gale on 10 December broke up her decks and scattered her cargo.[10] LR for 1814 carried the annotation "sunk" by her name.[11]
Post script
editShe may have been salvaged and become Queen Charlotte (1815 ship).
Notes
editCitations
edit- ^ British Southern Whale Fishery – Voyages: Queen Charlotte.
- ^ Archives of Manitoba - Hudson’s Bay Company Archives – Ships’ Histories: Queen Charlotte.
- ^ Houston, Ball & Houston (2003), p. 150.
- ^ Houston, Ball & Houston (2003), p. 151.
- ^ "LONDON, THURSDAY, MARCH 29". Morning Post (London, England), Thursday, 29 March 1804; Issue 11070.
- ^ Naval Chronicle (June–July 1804), Vol. 11, p.424.
- ^ "The Marine List". Lloyd's List. No. 4615. 15 November 1811. hdl:2027/uc1.c2735025.
- ^ "The Marine List". Lloyd's List. No. 4768. 7 May 1813. hdl:2027/uc1.c2735026.
- ^ "The Marine List". Lloyd's List. No. 4815. 22 October 1813. hdl:2027/uc1.c2735026.
- ^ "The Marine List". Lloyd's List. No. 4829. 14 December 1813. hdl:2027/uc1.c2735026.
- ^ LR (1814), Seq.№Q16.
References
edit- Houston, Stuart; Ball, Tim; Houston, Mary (2003). Eighteenth-Century Naturalists of Hudson Bay. McGill-Queen's Press. ISBN 9780773569751.