Sir Edward Hamilton (1800 ship)

Sir Edward Hamilton was a merchant ship launched at Rotherhithe in 1800. The British East India Company (EIC) chartered her in 1800 to bring rice from Bengal. She then proceeded to sail as a West Indiaman and later across the Atlantic, finally to the Baltic. She grounded in December 1853 and was so damaged that apparently she never sailed again.

Sir Edward Hamilton, Capt Robert Lundy approaching Malta
History
United Kingdom
Name: Sir Edward Hamilton
Namesake: Sir Edward Hamilton, 1st Baronet
Builder: Peter Everitt Mestaer, King and Queen Shipyard, Rotherhithe
Launched: 21 November 1800
Fate: Wrecked 2 December 1853
General characteristics
Tons burthen: 495,[1] or 495​71⁄94,[2] or 500 (bm)
Complement: 35[1]
Armament:
  • 1800:12 × 6-pounder guns[1]
  • 1810:12 × 6-pounder guns

Career

Weather-induced crop failures in Britain in 1799 and 1800 forced the British Government to import rice from Bengal to counter popular unrest. The wheat harvests of 1799 and 1800 were about one-half and three-quarters of the average, respectively. The price of bread rose sharply, leading to bread riots; some of rioters invoked the French Revolution.[3]

Because the British East India Company (EIC) had a legal monopoly on all trade between Britain and India, the Government had to have the EIC engage the transport vessels. The EIC chartered 28 vessels, Sir Edward Hamilton among them.

See also: Transport vessels for the British Government's importation of rice from Bengal (1800–1802)

Captain Andrew Robertson acquired a letter of marque on 29 November 1800.[1] He sailed from Portsmouth on 9 January 1801, bound for Bengal. Sir Edward Hamilton arrived at Calcutta on 26 May. Homeward bound, she was at Diamond Harbour on 1 September, Kedgeree on 15 September, and the Cape on 23 December. She reached St Helena on 28 January 1802 and arrived back at Portsmouth on 30 March.[4]

Year Master Owner Trade Source & notes
1803 Robertson
Dommett		 Anderson
Curling & Co.		 London–Bengal
London–Jamaica		 LR
1810 G.Bell Curling & Co. London–Jamaica LR
1820 G.Bell Curling & Co. London–Jamaica LR; small repairs 1812 & bends 1817
1830 J.Hall
R.Lundy		 Curling & Co.
T. Ward		 London–Jamaica
Hull–Quebec		 LR; bends 1817 & damages repaired 1829

In 1830 a new owner, T. Ward, of Hull, changed Sir Edward Hamilton's homeport to Hull. She started sailing between Hull and Quebec.[2]

On 2 May 1833 Maybud sprang a leak and her crew abandoned her in the North Sea while on a voyage from Sunderland, County Durham to Aldeburgh. Sir Edward Hamilton rescued the crew.[5][Note 1]

Year Master Owner Trade Source & notes
1835 R.Lundy T.Ward Hull–America LR; large repair 1831
1840 R.Lundy T.Ward Hull LR; large repair 1831
1845 LR – Not listed
1853 T.Dobson T.Ward Hull–Baltic LR; large repair 1831 & small repair 1848

Fate

On 31 May 1853 Sir Edward Hamilton and Canton were in company while sailing from Hull to Saint Petersburg when they grounded on Anholt. They were assisted off and were to proceed on their voyages.[7][Note 2]

Sir Edward Hamilton was returning from Saint Petersburg when she was driven ashore on 2 December 1853 at Flamborough Head. She was refloated on 4 December and taken in to Bridlington in a severely leaky condition. Part of her cargo and stores were removed and her masts cut down. Still, she filled with water at every tide.[9]

Notes, citations, and references

Notes

  1. Maybud, of 59 tons (bm), J. Walker master and owner, had been launched in 1825. She was a Lynn-based coaster.[6]
  2. Canton, of 376 tons (bm), Dunkerley, master, had been launched in Hull in 1834.[8]

Citations

  1. "Letter of Marque, p.86 - accessed 25 July 2017" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 October 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
  2. Hackman (2001), p. 192.
  3. Neumann & Kington (1992), p. 187.
  4. British Library: 'Sir Edward Hamilton.
  5. "Ship News". The Standard (2043). 7 November 1833.
  6. LR (1833), Seq.№M979.
  7. "Multiple News Items". The Standard (8994). London, England. 6 June 1853.
  8. LR (1853), Seq.No.C81.
  9. "Multiple News Items". The Standard (9150). London, England. 5 December 1853.

References

  • Hackman, Rowan (2001). Ships of the East India Company. Gravesend, Kent: World Ship Society. ISBN 0-905617-96-7.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Neumann, J.; Kington, J. (1992). "Great Historical Events That Were Significantly Affected by the Weather: Part 10, Crop Failure in Britain in 1799 and 1800 and the British Decision to Send a Naval Force to the Baltic Early in 1800". Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society: 187–199.
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