Clarendon

Official Number none

The Clarendon was a full-rigged ship built at Whitehaven by Wilson, Walker & Co. for Peter Everitt Mestaer & Co. She operated in the trade to the Far East, and was eventually sold to  Porcher & Co. In 1811 she was registered at Whitehaven, was owned by W.Stitt and Co., and her master was Capt.W.Atkinson (see Source 2).

The Clarendon was captured by the American privateer Young Wasp, off the Cape of Good Hope in January 1815, whilst bound from Batavia to London. The ship was taken to Baltimore and there condemned as a prize of war. The following is from Source 4:

" The privateer Young Wasp returned to Philadelphia, laden with valuable goods, from a successful cruise off the coasts of England and Spain, and from thence off the Cape of Good Hope and around the island of St.Helena. She was one hundred and seventy days absent, and made eight prizes. She had three engagements with the enemy ........ the third with the ship Clarendon, of 14 guns and 50 men, from Batavia, bound for London, with a valuable cargo. With this ship the privateer had a battle for a short time, when the enemy surrendered. In this affair the Wasp had one man killed and two wounded. "

Sources :

1. "Shipbuilding in Whitehaven - A Checklist" by Harry Fancy, Whitehaven Museum (1984)
2. "Jollies Guide and Cumberland Directory, 1811."
3. "Ships of the East India Company" by Rowan Hackman, World Ship Society, 2001.
4. "The History of the American Privateers and Letters-of-Marque" by George Coggeshall, pub.1856, page 352.