Minerva was launched in 1791 at Galway. She then traded widely, particularly as a West Indiaman. Between 1800 and 1804 she made two voyages from Bristol as a Guineaman. That is, she was a slave ship, carrying enslaved peoples in the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. She then returned to trading with the West Indies. A United States privateer captured her in 1814.
Although the voyage data in Lloyd's Register does not indicate it, Minerva next made two voyages as a slave ship.
1st voyage transporting enslaved people (1800–1802): Captain John Kennedy acquired a letter of marque on 9 April 1800.[2] He sailed from Bristol on 5 May.[3] In 1800, 133 vessels sailed from English ports, bound for the trade in enslaved people. Most of these vessels sailed from Liverpool; only three sailed from Bristol.[4]
Minerva acquired her captives on the Windward Coast. She delivered her captives to Demerara and then sailed on to Grenada. Apparently she landed 223 captives in all. She returned to Bristol on 27 January 1802.[3]
Year
Master
Owner
Trade
Source & notes
1802
J.Kennedy J.Silcocks
Anderson
Bristol–Jamaica
LR; small repairs 1799
2nd voyage transporting enslaved people (1802–1804): Captain Joseph (or John) Silcock sailed from Bristol on 5 December 1802 bound for the Gold Coast.[5] In 1802, 155 vessels sailed from English ports, bound for the trade in enslaved people. Most of these vessels sailed from Liverpool; again, only three sailed from Bristol.[4]
Minerva started acquiring captives on 31 January 1803.[5] On 13 May 1803 Lloyd's List (LL) reported that Minerva, Silcock, master, had arrived at Africa. The same report mentioned that Minerva, Coley master, had also arrived there.[6]
Minerva, Silcock, master, sailed to the leeward and returned to the Cape Coast Castle on 23 February. She again sailed to leeward on 5 November.[7] She arrived at Demerara on 25 February 1804, and there landed 218 captives.[5] Advertisements described the slaves as being "Chantee" (Ashantee?), Coromantee, and Fantee. The agents for the sale were Walcott & Forrester and the sale was to begin on 2 March.[7]Minerva arrived back at Bristol on 6 August.[5]
Year
Master
Owner
Trade
Source and notes
1805
J.Silcocks T.C. Williams
Anderson
Bristol–Barbados
LR; small repairs 1799 and good repair 1802
1806
Williams
Anderson
Bristol–Barbados London
LR; small repairs 1799 and good repair 1802
1807
Williams
Anderson
London–Barbados
LR; small repairs 1799 and good repair 1802
Lloyd's Register continued to carry Minerva with unchanged information to 1813. However, the Register of Shipping carried two Minervas from 1809, one launched in 1791 at Galway with Bishop, master and owner, and trade London–West Indies, and a second, launched in 1791 in Ireland, with Williams, master, Anderson, owner, and trade London–Barbados.
Year
Master
Owner
Trade
Source and notes
1809
Bishop
Captain & Co.
London–West Indies
Register of Shipping (RS); small repair 1802 and repairs 1805
1810
Williams
Anderson
London–Barbados
Register of Shipping (RS)
The Register of Shipping carried both vessels to 1813 with unchanged information.
Fate
Neither register carried Minerva in 1814.
On 8 January 1814 the United States privateer Comet captured a vessel, believed to be Minerva, of London. Minerva was close to Barbados when she was captured.[8][a]
Although Lloyd's Register carried 109 vessels named Minerva, only the Minerva of this article had London–Barbados as its trade. Also, no other Minerva showed a trade of London–West Indies.
Notes
^The privateer was probably the highly successful Comet.
Richardson, David, ed. (1996). Bristol, Africa, and the Eighteenth-Century Slave Trade to America, Vo. 4 The Final Years, 1770-1807. Bristol Record Society, c/o Department of Historical Studies, Univ. of Bristol. ISBN0-901538-17-5.
Williams, Gomer (1897). History of the Liverpool Privateers and Letters of Marque: With an Account of the Liverpool Slave Trade. W. Heinemann.
