Vere was a British ship launched in 1774 as Fanny, and was renamed in 1781. She spent much of her career, under either name, as a West Indiaman. In 1794, she was on her way from Jamaica to London with French prisoners who captured her and took her into South Carolina. She was last listed in 1796.

Captain John Carr and his Ship Vere, in two positions off the Eddystone Lighthouse; Francis Holman, 1782
History
Great Britain
NameVere
BuilderThames
Launched1774
CapturedDecember 1794
FateLast listed in 1796
General characteristics
Tons burthen380, or 400[1][2] (bm)
Armament
  • 1781
    • Fanny:2 × 9-pounder + 16 × 6-pounder + 2 × 4-pounder guns[2]
    • Vere:26 × 6-pounder guns[1]

Career

edit

Vere first entered Lloyd's Register (LR) in 1781, with the notation that she had been Fanny.[1] The entry for that year for Fanny had the annotation "Now the Vere, Carr".[2]

Fanny

edit

Fanny first appeared in LR in 1776.[3]

Year Master Owner Trade Source & notes
1776 D.Sinclair Currie & Co. London—Jamaica LR
1781 D.Sinclair Ewer & Co Transport London LR

Vere

edit
Year Master Owner Trade Source & notes
1781 John Carr Long & Co. London–Jamaica LR
1790 Jn Carr
R.Murray
Long&Co.
Cox & Co.
London–Jamaica
London–Grenada
LR; damages repaired 1784 and thorough repair 1790
1796 R.Murray Cox & Co. London–Grenada LR; damages repaired 1784 and thorough repair 1790

Fate

edit

Vere was last listed in 1796, though the last mention of Vere, Murray, master, in ship arrival and departure data occurred in 1793.

In December 1794, Vere was transporting French prisoners from Jamaica to England. After she had separated from her convoy, the prisoners were able to seize her. They then sailed her to Georgetown, South Carolina, and then Charleston. Judge Thomas Bee, of the United States District Court of South Carolina, ruled on 22 January 1795, that the Court did not have the power to order restitution, and that the French captors had the right to depart unmolested.[4]

Citations

edit