King George (1781 ship)

King George was launched on the Thames in 1781. She spent about three-quarters of her career sailing for the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC), and was the third vessel by her name to sail for the HBC. She then spent the last quarter of her career as a whaler in the British northern whale fishery. She foundered there without a trace in 1822.

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

History
Great Britain
NameKing George
Ordered14 September 1780[1]
BuilderRandall & Brent, Thames[1]
Launched7 March 1781
FateFoundered 1822
General characteristics
Tons burthen280,[2] or 286,[2] or 290,[3] or 303 (bm)
Complement
Armament
  • 1781:6 × 12-pounder + 10 × 9-pounder + 2 × 6-pounder guns[3]
  • 1793: 18 × 9-pounder guns + 6swivel guns[2]
  • 1805: 8 × 6-pounder + 8 × 9-pounder guns
  • 1808: 2 × 6-pounder guns + 14 × 12-pounder carronades[2]
  • 1814: 2 × 6-pounder guns + 14 × 12-pounder carronades

Career

King George first appeared in Lloyd's Register (LR) in 1781 with J[oseph] Richards, master, the Hudson's Bay Company, owners, and trade London–Hudson's Bay.[3] From then through 1811 she sailed for the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) under a variety of masters.

On 8 April 1793, shortly after the outbreak of war with France Captain John Richards acquired a letter of marque.[2][lower-alpha 1] Captain Richards was dismissed the company's service on 18 February 1801, after he admitted to having smuggled furs, "contrary to the Duty" he owed the HBC.[4]

His replacement was Captain John Turner, who had spent a decade as the captain of the HBC's Queen Charlotte.[5]

On 2 May 1808 Captain John Tinner (or Turner), acquired a letter of marque.[2] Also in 1808, the ice was the heaviest and closest it had been in 41 years.[5]

The HBC sold King George in May 1811 to Daniel and Samuel Brent & Sons. The Brents chartered her back to the HBC for a period and later offered to sell her back to the company for £5,400, an offer the HBC declined.[1]

On 18 August 1813 King George and Eddystone arrived at Hudson Bay.

She then became a Northern Fisheries whaler, possibly after the Brents sold her to Elvgin & Co.

Year Master Owner Trade Source
1814 P.Turner
J.Gordon		 Brent London–Davis Strait Register of Shipping; large repair 1806

On 19 April 1814 Lloyd's List reported that King George, Gordon, master, had had to put into Aberdeen leaky while sailing to the whaling grounds at Davis Strait. Two American privateers, one of them Scourge, had chased her in.[6]

The following data is from Coltish:[7]

Year Master Where Whales Tuns whale oil
1814 Gordon Davis Strait 3 32
1815 Patterson Davis Strait 14 83
1816 Patterson Greenland 23 162
1817 Patterson Greenland 14 106
1818 Patterson Greenland 9 101
1819 Patterson Greenland 22 138
1820 Patterson Greenland 15 172
1821 Patterson Greenland 6 42
1822 Proven Davis Strait 3 0

Fate

King George, Proven, master, sailed from Gravesend on 4 April 1822 for Greenland.[8] She was reported to have been there on 5 July with three fish.[9]

King George was then presumed to have been lost with all hands in the Davis Strait.[10]

Notes
  1. John Richards was the son of Captain Joseph Richards, who had died at Stromness on 19 June 1782.

Citations
  1. Archives of Manitoba – Hudson’s Bay Company Archives – Ships’ Histories: King George (III).
  2. "Letter of Marque, p.71 - accessed 25 July 2017" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 October 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
  3. LR (1781), Seq.№K68.
  4. Hudson's Bay Record Society (1967), p. lxxxviii.
  5. Houston, Ball & Houston (2003), p. 150.
  6. LL 19 April 1814.
  7. Coltish (c. 1842).
  8. LL 5 April 1822, №5687, SAD data.
  9. 9 August 1822, №5723.
  10. "Davis' Straits Fishing". The Aberdeen Journal. No. 4318. 13 October 1830.

References
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