Betsey (1790 ship)

Betsey was launched in 1790 at Liverpool as a slave ship. She made six complete voyages as a slaver. A French privateer captured her in 1799 after she had delivered her slaves on her seventh voyage.

For other ships with the same name, see Betsey (ship).

History
Kingdom of Great Britain
Name: Betsey
Builder: Liverpool
Launched: 1790
Captured: 27 February 1799
General characteristics
Tons burthen: 190[1] (bm)
Complement:
Armament:
  • 1794: 10 × 6-pounder guns[1]
  • 1797: 16 × 2&4&6-pounder guns[1]

Career

Betsey first appeared in Lloyd's Register (LR) in 1790.[2]

Year Master Owner Trade Source
1790 P.Welch Wm. Boats Liverpool–Africa LR

1st slave voyage (1790–1791): Captain Patrick Welsh sailed from Liverpool on 12 June 1790, bound for West Africa. On 17 July she spoke the British East India Company's packet Swallow at 5°31′N 17°0′W as Swallow was on her way to Madras and Bengal with the Governor and his suite.[3] Betsey arrived at Kingston on 25 December 1790 with 303 slaves. She sailed from Kingston on 24 January 1791 and arrived at Liverpool on 29 March 1791. She had left Liverpool with 27 crew members and she suffered three crew deaths on her voyage.[4]

2nd slave voyage (1791–1792): Captain William Doyle sailed from Liverpool on 1 May 1791, bound for West Africa. Betsey began acquiring slaves in Africa on 28 July, first at Calabar, then New Calabar, and lastly at Bonny. She left Africa on 23 October and arrived at Kingston on 27 December. She had embarked 305 slaves and she arrived with 285, for a 7% loss rate. She sailed from Kingston on 24 February 1792 and arrived back at Liverpool on 13 April. She had left Liverpool with 29 crew members and she suffered two crew deaths on the voyage.[5]

On this voyage Doyle, together with five other captains of slave ships (one being Amacree), bombarded Calabar for more than three hours to force the local native traders to lower the prices they were charging for slaves. The bombardment by some 66 guns killed and wounded 50 or so of the local inhabitants and resulted in the traders agreeing to the prices the captains offered.[6]

3rd slave voyage (1792–1794): Captain Doyle sailed from Liverpool on 18 August 1792, bound for Whydah. Doyle died on 30 January 1793;[7] Kent replaced Doyle as master. Betsey arrived at Kingston on 2 November 1793 with 150 slaves, having come via Dominica. She left Kingston on 27 January 1794 and arrived back at Liverpool on 17 March 1794. She had left Liverpool with 31 crew members and she suffered 24 crew deaths on the voyage.[8]

4th slave voyage (1794–1795): Captain John Corran acquired a letter of marque on 5 April 1794.[1] He sailed from Liverpool on 28 May 1794. Betsey began gathering slaves at Whydah on 28 August, and left Africa on 16 October. She arrived at Kingston on 7 January 1795 with 315 slaves having embarked 317, for a loss rate of less than 1%. She left Kingston on 7 March and arrived back at Liverpool on 30 April. She had left Liverpool with 30 crew members and suffered three crew deaths on the voyage.[9]

5th slave voyage (1796–1797): Captain David Armstrong sailed from Liverpool on 6 January 1796, bound for West Africa. He died on 11 May and Edward Mosson replaced him as captain.[10] Betsey left Africa on 1 August 1796. She arrived at St Croix on 22 September with 268 slaves. She sailed for Liverpool on 28 November and arrived back there on 11 January 1797. She had left with 25 crew members and she suffered ten crew deaths on her voyage.[11]

6th slave voyage (1797–1798): On 16 February 1797 Captain John Watson acquired a letter of marque.[1] He sailed from Liverpool on 23 February, bound for West Africa. Betsey arrived at Demerara on 9 September with 313 slaves. She arrived back at Liverpool on 17 January 1798. She had left Liverpool with 31 crew members and suffered one crew death on her voyage.[12]

7th slave voyage (1798–1799): Captain Edward Mosson sailed from Liverpool on 30 March 1798, bound for West Africa. Betsey arrived at St Croix on 19 November 1798 with 311 slaves. She had left Liverpool with 31 slaves and suffered five crew deaths on her voyage.[13]

Fate

When Betsey, Mosson, master, was at St Croix, she was sold there.[14]

The French privateer Zeliée, of 18 guns and 84 men, captured Betsey on 27 February 1799 as Betsey was sailing from "St Cruz" to Liverpool. HMS Melpomene captured Zele the next day in the Bay of Biscay.[15][16]

Citations and references

Citations

  1. "Letter of Marque, p.52 - accessed 25 July 2017" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 October 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
  2. LR (1790), Seq.No.498.
  3. "The Marine List". Lloyd's List (2258). 24 December 1790. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
  4. Trans Atlantic Slave Trade Database – Betsey voyage #80516.
  5. Trans Atlantic Slave Trade Database – Betsey voyage #80517.
  6. Wilberforce (1899), pp. 25–26.
  7. Behrendt (1990), p.134.
  8. Trans Atlantic Slave Trade Database – Betsey voyage #80518.
  9. Trans Atlantic Slave Trade Database – Betsey voyage #80519.
  10. Behrendt (1990), p.135.
  11. Trans Atlantic Slave Trade Database – Betsey voyage #80520.
  12. Trans Atlantic Slave Trade Database – Betsey voyage #80521.
  13. Trans Atlantic Slave Trade Database – Betsey voyage #80522.
  14. "The Marine List". Lloyd's List (3051). 15 January 1799. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
  15. "The Marine List". Lloyd's List (3058). 5 March 1799. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
  16. "No. 15274". The London Gazette. 8 July 1800. p. 792.

References

  • Behrendt, Stephen D., (1990) "The Captains of the British slave trade from 1785 to 1807". '"Transactions of the Historic Society of Lancashire and Cheshire, Vol.140.
  • Wilberforce, William (1899). The Enormity of the Slave-trade: And the Duty of Seeking the Moral and Spiritual Elevation of the Colored Race: Speeches of Wilberforce and Other Documents and Records. American Tract Society.
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