John (1790 ship)

History
Great Britain
Name	John
Builder	America
Fate	Last listed in 1797
General characteristics
Tons burthen	129,[1] or 135 (bm)
Sail plan	Schooner
Armament	12 × 3-pounder guns
Notes	Almost rebuilt 1793

John was registered in Britain in 1790. She was reportedly launched in the United States, but where and when is currently obscure. Between 1791 and 1794 she made four voyages as a slave ship. In 1795 new owners sailed her as a whaler in the British Southern Whale Fishery. She was last listed in 1797.

Career[]

John first appeared in Lloyd's Register (LR) in 1791.^[1]

1st slave voyage (1791): Captain Patrick Ryan sailed from London on 4 January 1791. On 4 March John started acquiring slaves, first at Anomabu and then at Cape Coast Castle. She sailed from Africa on 25 July and arrived at St Vincent in September with 197 slaves. She arrived back in London on 17 November.

2nd slave voyage (1791–1792): Captain John Frazer sailed from London on 23 December 1791, bound for West Africa. John began acquiring slaves on 31 March 1791 at Cape Coast Castle. She left Africa on 20 April, after stopping at Annobon, and arrived at St Vincent on 24 May. She had embarked 201 slaves and she arrived with 200. She arrived back at London on 25 July.

John was raised and almost rebuilt in 1792.

3rd slave voyage (1792–1793): Captain John Frazer sailed from London on 14 October 1792. John started acquiring acquired slaves at Cape Coast Castle on 14 October 1792, stopped at Annobon, and left Africa on 9 July 1793. She arrived at St Vincent on 23 August with 225 slaves and having lost no slaves on the Middle Passage. She arrived back at London on 1 November. At some point George Haliburton had replaced Frazer as master.

John, Haliburton, master, was reported at Ostend, from London on 21 February 1794.

4th slave voyage (1794): Captain George Haliburton sailed from London on 3 March 1794. John started acquiring slaves on 1 May, at Cape Coast Castle. She sailed from Africa on 7 June, and arrived at Kingston, Jamaica on 3 August 1794 with 215 slaves. She arrived back at London on 4 November 1794.

William Colow sold John and her new owners apparently decided to sail her as whaler.

On 23 February 1795 John, Merrylee, sailed from Gravesend for the South Seas.^[2] LR continued to carry her with stale data and she was last listed in 1797.

Citations and references[]

Citations

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 9781908616524.