Phoenix (1810 ship)

History
United Kingdom
Name: Phoenix
Namesake: Phoenix
Owner: John Blankett[1]
Builder: Robert Davy, Topsham, Devon[1]
Launched: 12 November 1810[1]
Fate: Wrecked July 1829
General characteristics
Tons burthen: 493 24⁄94,[1] or 500[2](bm)
Armament:

Phoenix was a merchant vessel launched in 1810. The British East India Company (EIC) chartered her to make one voyage to Madras and Bengal between 1820 and 1821. She then made one voyage transporting convicts to Tasmania in 1822. She was wrecked in 1829.

Career

The supplement to Lloyd's Register for 1811 lists Phoenix as one year old, with Wilson, master, and Blacket & Co., owner. It gives her trade as London transport, amended to London-West Indies.[2]

By 1813 Phoenix had switched from the London-West Indies trade to simply being a general transport out of London. She also became quite heavily armed.[3]

EIC voyage (1820-21)

The EIC chartered Phoenix for one voyage. Captain William Gordon sailed Phoenix from Falmouth on 12 June 1820, bound for Bengal and Madras. She reached São Tiago on 28 June, and arrived at Calcutta on 14 October. Homeward bound, she was at Diamond Harbour on 29 December, and Kedgeree on 21 January 1821. She reached Madras on 3 February, and arrived at The Downs on 14 July.[4]

Convict transport (1822)

Captain Thomas Weatherhead and surgeon Evan Evans sailed Phoenix from Portsmouth on 5 January 1822. She sailed via Rio de Janeiro, and arrived at Hobart, Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania), on 20 May, after a voyage of 135 days.[5] She transported 184 male convicts, of whom two died on the voyage.[6] A detachment of the 3rd Regiment of Foot provided the guard. Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel Cameron commanded the detachment, assisted by Ensign Pigot. The guard brought with them ten women and ten children. After landing the prisoners on 25 May, Phoenix sailed to Sydney, where she landed the guards.[7]

Fate

Phoenix was wrecked at Simon's Bay, South Africa, on 19 July 1829.[1] Her master's name was Couzens,[8] and she had sailed from Ceylon carrying passengers, none of whom were lost, and a cargo of sundries, part of which was saved. She wrecked on the seaward side of what is now known as Phoenix Shoal, in the bay (34°11.388′S 18°26.898′E / 34.189800°S 18.448300°E / -34.189800; 18.448300).

Notes, citations, and references

Notes

  1. ↑ The guns are unconventional in size, and the number is uneven, something that is unusual. The two carronades are of a dimension that is unusual for carronades.[3] This would suggest that someone in filling out the form, or transcribing it, exchanged guns for carronades.

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Hackman (2001), p.240.
  2. 1 2 Lloyd's Register (1811).
  3. 1 2 Lloyd's Register (1813).
  4. ↑ National Archives (United Kingdom): Phoenix (6) - accessed 6 December 2014.
  5. ↑ Bateson (1794), pp.308-9.
  6. ↑ Bateson (1794), p.329.
  7. ↑ Free Settler or Felon: Convict Ship Phoenix 1822 - accessed 28 October 2015.
  8. ↑ Lloyd's List, 20 October 1829).

References

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