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.

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 George Coggeshall (see Sources):

" 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. Lloyd's Register of Shipping (Shipowners' Red Book) 1809-10: Clarendon, ship, 507 tons, built at Whitehaven in 1808, owned by Stitt & Co., master Capt.T.Hodgson, voyage Whitehaven - Jamaica.
   
3. "Jollies Guide and Cumberland Directory, 1811."
4. "Ships of the East India Company" by Rowan Hackman, World Ship Society, 2001.
5. Privateers of 1812 website shows that Capt.Thomas Lynn was provided with a Letter of Marque for the Clarendon (485 tons, 37 men) on the 1st March 1814, and describes the armaments as 2 x 9 pounder carriage guns and 12 carronades, 9 and 24 pounders.
6. Lloyd's Register of Shipping (Shipowners' Red Book) 1814-5: Clarendon, ship, 507 tons, built at Whitehaven in 1808, owned by Stitt & Co., master Capt.J.Scott, voyage London - Jamaica, armed with 16 x 9 and 2 x 24 pounder carronades.
7. Lloyd's Register of Shipping (Shipowners' Red Book) 1815-6: Clarendon, ship, 507 tons, built at Whitehaven in 1808, owned by Stitt & Co., master Capt.J.Scott, voyage London - India, armed with 16 x 2 and 2 x 24 pounder carronades.
8. Lloyd's Register of Shipping (Underwriters' Green Book) 1815-6: Clarendon, ship, 507 tons, built at Whitehaven, 8 years old, owned by Mestaers, master Capt.J.Scott, voyage London - India, armed with 20 guns.
9. "The History of the American Privateers and Letters-of-Marque" by George Coggeshall, pub.1856, page 352.
10. Lloyd's List, Friday, 28th April 1815: "The Clarendon, Lynn, from Batavia to London, was taken off the Cape of Good Hope, the latter end of January, by the Young Wasp, American Privateer, of 20 guns and 150 men. Crew landed at Saldhana Bay."
11. Niles Weekly Register Vol.8 (March to September 1815) gives the cargo of the Clarendon when she was captured as: "1,150,000 pounds of coffee, some Japan wood, elephants' teeth, &c." This source states that the Clarendon had 50 men and 24 guns, but only 14 of these mounted.
    

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