Golden Grove (1793 ship) facts for kids
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|} The Golden Grove was a sailing ship built in Southampton, England, in 1783. It might have been known by a different name at first. In 1794, the ship was used for a specific trade route that involved transporting people across the ocean. Sadly, the Golden Grove was wrecked in late 1795.
Ship's Early Journeys
Even though the Golden Grove was built in 1783, it first appeared in Lloyd's Register in 1793. Lloyd's Register was like a big book that listed ships and their details. At that time, the ship's captain was Proudfoot, and its owner was Richard Miles. The ship's main route was between London and Africa.
Captain John Mead Proudfoot received a special permission called a letter of marque on October 8, 1793. This allowed his merchant ship to carry weapons for defense during wartime. The Golden Grove left London on November 7, 1793. Its destination was the Bight of Benin, a part of West Africa. In 1793, 68 British ships made similar voyages from British ports.
On December 12, the Golden Grove was reported to be sailing well. It was part of a group of ships protected by a naval vessel, HMS Bulldog. This was about 100 miles northeast of Madeira, an island in the Atlantic Ocean.
Voyage to Jamaica
Captain Proudfoot began taking people on board in West Africa on January 18, 1794. These people were gathered from places like Cape Coast Castle, Anomabu, and Popo. The Golden Grove left Africa on April 14 and arrived in Kingston, Jamaica, on June 5.
The ship had taken 416 people on board. When it arrived in Jamaica, 415 people were still alive. This was a very low number of deaths for such a long journey at that time. The ship then returned to England, arriving on October 3.
By 1796, the Lloyd's Register showed that the Golden Grove had a new captain, W. Hodg_n, and a new owner, Wood. Its new trade route was between London and St. Kitts, an island in the Caribbean.
Ship's Final Days
The Golden Grove was wrecked on November 18, 1795, at Chesil Beach in Dorset, England. A newspaper called Lloyd's List reported the news two days later. It said that the Golden Grove, with Captain Hodzard, was wrecked on Portland Beach. The ship was on its way to St. Kitts, and very little of its cargo was saved. After this, the Golden Grove was no longer listed in Lloyd's Register.
The Golden Grove was one of seven ships that were wrecked in the same big storm. Many of these ships, including the Golden Grove, were part of a large fleet. This fleet was led by Admiral Hugh Cloberry Christian. Their mission was to sail to the West Indies to capture islands.
The British fleet left Spithead, England, on November 16. Just two days later, a strong westerly gale (a very powerful wind) began to blow. This storm scattered the fleet and forced many ships back towards port. Several merchant ships, like the Golden Grove, were wrecked during this storm, and many lives were lost.
The main expedition finally set sail between mid-February and mid-March of the next year. In May and June, the British forces successfully captured the islands of St Lucia, Saint Vincent, and Grenada.
| History | |
|---|---|
 Great Britain |
|
| Name | Golden Grove |
| Owner |
|
| Builder | Southampton |
| Launched | 1783 |
| Fate | Wrecked November 1795 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tons burthen | 284 (bm) |
| Sail plan | Full-rigged ship |
| Crew | 32 |
| Armament | 16 × 6-pounder guns + 4 swivel guns |
