Sappho (1785 ship)

Sappho was launched at Shields in 1785. She spent most of her career trading with the Baltic, though she made some voyages elsewhere, and in particular, between 1788 and 1799 she made a voyage to the Falkland Islands as a whaler. She was last listed in 1798, having perhaps been captured in late 1797.

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

History
Great Britain
NameSappho
NamesakeSappho
BuilderShields
Launched1785[1]
FateLast listed 1798
General characteristics
Tons burthen139,[2] or 200[1] (bm)
Armament2 × 4-pounder guns (post–1793)

Career

Sappho first appeared in Lloyd's Register in 1786.[1]

Year Master Owner Trade Source
1786 Sanderson T.Weir Gothenburg–London LR
1787 Sanderson
T.Middleton		 T.Weir
Ogle & Co.		 Gothenburg–London
London–Southern Fishery		 LR

Whaling voyage (1787–1789): Captain Thomas Middleton sailed from London on 5 December 1787, bound for the Falkland Islands.[3] In April 1789 Sappho and Elizabeth and Mary, James Hopper, master, were in Port Desire when a Spanish frigate arrived and confiscated thousands of seal skins they had gathered.[4] Sappho herself had to give up some 7,000 seal skins.[3] In April 1789 she put into Port Desire for water and repairs.[2] Sappho returned to London on 16 July 1789 with one tun of sperm oil, eight tuns of whale oil, four cwt whale bone, and 19,000 seal skins.[3]

Year Master Owner Trade Source
1790 G.Middleton
W.Moody		 Horncastle London–Petersburg LR
1793 W.Moody
Illegible
J.French		 Horncastle
G.Kendal		 London–Ostend
London–Lisbon		 LR
1794 J.French
J.Greathead		 G.Kedall London–Lisbon LR
1795 Greathed Kendall London–Pernambuco LR
1796 Greethed Kendall London–Riga LR

Fate

Sappho was last listed in 1798 with data unchanged from 1796.

A French privateer captured and took into Bordeaux in 1797 a Sappho, Elliot, master, as Sappho was sailing from Lisbon to Limerick.[5] Although at the time Sappho was a unique name in Lloyd's Register, it may require original research to determine whether the captured Sappho was the Sappho of this article.

Citations
  1. LR (1786), Seq.No.S618.
  2. Clayton (2014), p. 214.
  3. British Southern Whale Fishery Database – Voyages: Sappho.
  4. Stackpole (1972), p. 122.
  5. "The Marine List". Lloyd's List. No. 2956. 22 September 1797. hdl:2027/mdp.39015073721238.

References
  • Clayton, J.M. (2014). Ships employed in the South Sea Whale Fishery from Britain: 1775-1815: An alphabetical list of ships. Jane M. Clayton. ISBN 978-1-908616-52-4.
  • Stackpole, Edouard A. (1972). Whales & Destiny: The Rivalry Between America, France, and Britain for Control of the Southern Whale Fishery, 1785-1825. University of Massachusetts Press.
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