Molly (1759 ship)

Molly was launched in the Thirteen Colonies in 1759, probably under the same name. From 1776 on she was a whaler, sailing to the northern whale fishery from Kingston-on-Hull. She made annual whaling voyages until 1806 when a French frigate captured her.

History
Great Britain
NameMolly
Launched1759
Captured1806
General characteristics
Tons burthen273, or 290, or 300 (bm)
Armament
  • 1781: 6 × 6-pounder + 6 × 9-pounder guns
  • 1794: 6 × 6-pounder guns

Career

Molly first appeared in an online copy of Lloyd's Register in 1776.[1] Although there is no readily accessible data on her career before 1775, apparently she had made 32 annual whaling voyages prior to her capture in 1806, which suggests that she had been whaling since 1774. She made the sixth most whaling voyages of any northern whale fishery whaler.

The whaling season lasted from March to July–August, or so. Favourable conditions could result in short seasons; in 1799 Molly sailed to Greenland on 17 March and returned to Hull 87 days later, on 12 June,[2] with a good catch. When not whaling, the vessels would frequently engage in the coal or Baltic trades, though with a crew a third of the size of that they required for whaling.[2]

Year Master Owner Trade Source
1776 Jn.Potts B.Thompson
B.Blaydes
Memel–Hull
Hull–Greenland
LR

Captain Potts remained Molly's master until 1786.

Year Master Whales Tuns whale oil Seals
1775 0 0 0
1776 Potts 3 28.25 0
1777 Potts 6 110 0
1778 2 36.5 0
1779 Potts 11 92 15
1780 Potts 9 70 0
1781 Potts 7 100.5 0
1782 Potts 14 87.5 0
1783 8 60 0
1784 100.5
1785 Potts 1 24.5 0
Year Master Owner Trade Source
1786 Potts
Edward Hall
Tong & Co. Hull–Greenland LR; good repair 1774, & new wales 1782
Year Master Whales Tuns whale oil Seals
1786 Hall 9 427
1787 Hall 4 86.5 0

In 1787 Molly was in Greenland when she took an extremely large whale.[3]

The largest whale I ever heard of was got in Greenland by Molly of Hull in 1787. It yielded no less than 40 tuns (the old-fashioned tun), and I believe it was the largest fish that ever was known to be got.

Smith

That same year Chance gathered one whale. However, Molly claimed it. The matter went to court and on 30 November 1787 the judge found for the plaintiff. The judge awarded Molly £478.[4]

Year Master Whales Tuns whale oil Seals
1788 Hall 7 60 7
1789 Hall 1 9 140
1790 8 88 0
1791 Hall
1792 Hall 3 35 0
1793 Hall 9 66.5 0
1794 Hall
Year Master Owner Trade Source & notes
1795 E.Hall
N.Newham
Gilder & Co. Hull–Greenland LR; good repair 1774, new wales 1782, damages repaired 1790,
& good repair 1793
Year Master Whales Tuns whale oil Seals
1795 Newham
Year Master Owner Trade Source & notes
1796 Newham
A.Sadler
Gilder & Co. Hull–Greenland LR; good repair 1774, new wales 1782, damages repaired 1790,
& good repair 1793
Year Master Whales Tuns whale oil Seals
1796 Sadler 8 98 0
1797 Sadler 12 (full ship) 150 0
1798
1799 Sadler 11 (full ship) 176.5 0
1800 Sadler 13 131.75 0
1801 Sadler 29 219 0
1802 16 204.25 0
1803 Sadler 7 167.5 0
1804 19 192.5 0
1805 Sadler 18 140 18
1806 Sadler 0 0 0

Fate

In 1806 Molly was attempting to "double the ice", in fog, when she encountered the French frigate Sirène, which captured her.[5] Lloyd's List reported in July 1806 that the frigate had captured the whalers Lion, of Liverpool, and Molly, of Hull.[6][lower-alpha 1] In August Lloyd's List reported that a French frigate had taken Molly, Sadler.[7]

In 1806, 40 vessels sailed for the whale fisheries.[8] Molly had made 32 whaling voyages, making her among the most long-lived whalers.[9]

Notes

  1. The report was partially in error. Lion had not been taken and returned to Liverpool in late July or so. She went on to whale until at least 1816.

Citations

  1. LR (1776), Seq.No.M410.
  2. Barrow (1988), p. 97.
  3. Smith (1923), p. 125.
  4. Lubbock (1937), p. 123.
  5. Gillett & MacMahon (1989), p. 252.
  6. "The Marine List". Lloyd's List. No. 4068. 29 July 1806. hdl:2027/mdp.39015005721496.
  7. "The Marine List". Lloyd's List. No. 4072. 12 August 1806. hdl:2027/uc1.c2735022.
  8. Munroe (1854), p. 41.
  9. Munroe (1854), p. 36.

References

  • Barrow, Tony (1988). "The crewing of Arctic whaling vessels in the eighteenth century". In Fisher, Stephen (ed.). Lisbon as a port town, the British seaman and other maritime themes. University of Exeter.
  • Gillett, Edward; MacMahon, Kenneth A. (1989). A History of Hull. Hull University.
  • Lubbock, Basil (1937). Arctic Whalers. Glasgow: Brown, Son & Ferguson.
  • Munroe, Henry (1854). "Statistics of the Northern Whale Fisheries, from the Year 1772 to 1852". Journal of the Statistical Society of London. 17 (1): 34–42. doi:10.2307/2338354. JSTOR 2338354.
  • Smith, Charles Edward (1923). From the Deep of the Sea: Being the Diary of the Late Charles Edward Smith, M.R.C.S., Surgeon of the Whaleship Diana, of Hull. Macmillan.
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