Thomas King (merchant) facts for kids

Thomas King was a British businessman and privateer. He became very wealthy through trading goods and by acting as a privateer.

A privateer was like a private ship captain who was given permission by their government to attack and capture enemy ships during wartime. This was a way to make money and help their country at the same time.

Early Life and Adventures

Thomas King was the grandson of John King, who was a merchant and even a mayor in the city of Bristol, England. Thomas started his working life as a trainee for a timber merchant, but he didn't find that job very exciting.

When a war started between France and England, Thomas became interested in fighting. At just 19 years old, he joined the crew of a privateer ship called the Lyon. This ship was a type of warship called a frigate and was owned by a man named Sydenham Teast.

First Voyages

On its first journey, the Lyon faced unexpected attacks from French ships. The captain quickly took the ship back to Teast's dock in Bristol for repairs.

However, the next time the Lyon sailed, it was much more successful! The crew managed to capture one French ship and two Spanish ships. After these adventures, Thomas King and Sydenham Teast became good partners.

Trading with Africa

Sydenham Teast was looking for a crew to carry goods like iron rods, rum, and clothes to the coast of West Africa. They planned to trade these items for palm oil. Thomas King joined this new business idea.

By 1788, Thomas King was the captain of his own ship, the African Queen. After several trips to Africa, King bought the African Queen for himself. When the war between France and England started again, he got a special license. This license allowed him to use his ship to attack French interests and make a profit.

Thomas King expanded his trading business with Africa even more after he married Sarah Poole. Her father, Samuel Poole, was also involved in trade. Thomas hired Richard Buckle to be the captain of his ships, which meant Thomas himself sailed less often. His ships carried many different goods, including fabrics like calicoes and linen, gunpowder, beef, wine, and sugar.

Expanding Business Interests

By 1797, Thomas King's business interests grew and changed. He started new ventures with his wife's family and other business groups. These companies traded under names like J. King and Son, and King and Poole.

Around the 1810s, Thomas King returned to trading with Africa. He became a leader from Bristol in what was called 'legitimate' trade to Africa. This meant focusing on regular, fair trade of goods.

Thomas King's Ships

Thomas King owned parts of, or had interests in, several ships during his career. These included:

• John Cabot (he owned this ship with his sons)
• Neptune (built in 1811)
• African Queen
• Colin
• London (built in 1788)