Albion (1798 whaler) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids History |
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|---|---|
 Great Britain |
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| Name | Albion |
| Namesake | Albion— an archaic name for Great Britain |
| Owner |
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| Builder | Frances Barnard, Son & Roberts, Deptford |
| Launched | 25 October 1798 |
| Fate | Last listed in Lloyd's Register in 1825 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tons burthen | 362 (bm) |
| Propulsion | Sail |
| Complement | 26 |
| Armament |
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Albion was a large sailing ship, called a full-rigged whaler. She was built in Deptford, England, and launched in 1798. Albion made five long trips to hunt whales near New South Wales and New Zealand. In 1803, the government also hired her to carry supplies and animals to Risdon Cove in Tasmania.
Contents
Albion Begins Her Journeys
On her very first trip, Albion left Britain on February 20, 1799. Her captain was Eber Bunker. She was sailing towards New South Wales, which is now part of Australia.
Albion reached Port Jackson (which is now Sydney) on June 29, 1799. The journey took about three and a half months. She was carrying a cargo of salted pork.
First Whaling Adventure
After arriving, Albion left Port Jackson in September 1799. She was heading to the whale hunting areas near New South Wales and New Zealand. Between September 1799 and August 1800, she collected 600 barrels of whale oil.
At one point, Albion sailed to Tahiti because Governor Philip Gidley King asked her to. When she returned to Port Jackson, the crew reported seeing "immense numbers of whales."
Albion then sailed back to Britain. She arrived on March 26, 1802, with 155 barrels of whale oil. Just before arriving, she reportedly rescued another ship on March 19.
Second Whaling Trip
In July 1802, Albion set sail for Port Jackson again. The next month, a group called the East India Company gave permission to 19 ships, including Albion, to hunt whales. They were allowed to go east of the Cape of Good Hope into the "Southern Whale Fishery."
Albion was at Boa Vista, Cape Verde, on October 5, 1802. By January 1803, she was reported "all well" at the Bay of Islands in New Zealand.
She returned to Port Jackson on July 6, 1803. Captain Eber Bunker then took Albion on a second whaling trip along the Australian coast. During this trip, Captain Bunker discovered the Bunker Islands off the coast of Queensland.
Helping Settle Tasmania
Next, the government hired Albion for an important job. She was to carry supplies, cattle, and people to help start the first European settlement in Risdon Cove, Tasmania. The leader of this group was 23-year-old Lieutenant John Bowen.
Albion arrived in Risdon Cove on September 12, 1803. Another ship, HMS Lady Nelson, had arrived a few days earlier. Together, the two ships brought 49 people for the new settlement. This included convicts, soldiers, and free settlers with their families.
Even though Albion was hired for transport, she was allowed to hunt whales along the way. In December 1803, she was in New Zealand. She caught three whales and returned to Sydney with 600 barrels of whale oil.
More Whaling and Returns to Britain
Albion left Port Jackson again on August 24, 1804, heading for New Zealand. She was reported "all well" off the New Zealand coast in May 1804. She then sailed back to London with 1,400 barrels of whale oil and 13,000 seal skins. She arrived in Britain on March 3, 1805.
On March 30, 1806, Albion left for New Zealand once more. She arrived at Port Jackson on August 19. Captain Cuthbert Richardson was in command. She was carrying general goods for Robert Campbell (1769-1846).
Around October 12, 1806, Albion sailed for the whale "fishery" again. She was reported "all well" off New Zealand in March 1807. On May 13, Albion returned to Port Jackson from a whaling trip with 75 tons of whale oil. She then left again on May 27 for another whaling trip. In September, she was again "all well" off New Zealand.
Albion left for England on November 12, 1808, with a cargo of whale oil. She stopped at St Helena on February 27, 1809. She then left for Rio de Janeiro on March 10 and returned to England on May 20.
Final Whaling Voyages
Albion left Britain again on August 9, 1809, with Captain Philip Skelton in charge. She arrived at Hobart Town (then part of New South Wales) on December 21, 1809. She was carrying general goods.
After leaving Hobart Town, Albion headed for the whale hunting areas. She was reported at the Bay of Islands, New Zealand, in February 1810.
Albion was next seen in the Straits of Timor in August 1811. She was sailing for England with a "full ship" of whale oil. She arrived back in Britain on November 17. This was Albion's last journey to the waters around Australia and New Zealand.
In 1812, Albion, still with Captain Skelton, went on a whaling trip to Timor. In February 1813, Albion was doing well in the South Sea fishery. In August, Albion was at Boro (or Bouru), in the Moluccas, with 190 tons of whale oil. She then returned to Britain, arriving on August 12, 1814.
Albion Changes Her Work
After her whaling days, Albion started trading with the West Indies. In 1816, records show her captain was P. Skelton, then C. Dodds. Her owner was Wallace & Co., and she traded between London and Tobago.
In May 1817, it was reported that Albion had stopped in New York in December 1816. She was on her way from Tobago back to London. She was expected to sail from New York in April.
By 1818, Albion was under the command of Brydon, owned by Somes. She traded between London and Calcutta. Then in 1819, West took over as captain. He sailed her to Mauritius before she returned to the London-Calcutta trade route.
What Happened to Albion?
Albion was last listed in a shipping record called Lloyd's Register in 1825. She was also in the Register of Shipping in 1826. At that time, her captain was W.W.West, her owner was Somes, and she traded between London and Mauritius. After this, she was no longer listed, meaning her career ended.
See also
