Alexander

Alexander was a wooden sailing ship built by Henry Baldwin and launched at Quebec in 1801. The vessel was registered in London the following year, placing it within British merchant shipping records even though its construction took place in what was then Lower Canada. The surviving account does not provide a detailed specification of her tonnage, rig, dimensions, or original owners. Between 1802 and 1803, Alexander was chartered for a voyage associated with the British East India Company and the British government’s provisioning of New South Wales. The Victualing Board arranged for her to carry more than 511,000 pounds of flour, together with other supplies. Captain James Normand, whose name also appears as Norman in maritime records, departed England on 28 April 1802. Alexander reached Rio de Janeiro on 30 June and Port Jackson on 16 October. During the stop in New South Wales, the government sold 60 casks of flour and 25 casks of salt meat to Nicolas Baudin. These provisions assisted Baudin’s French ships Naturaliste and Geographe, which were engaged in exploration in the region. Alexander sailed from Port Jackson on 3 January 1803, reached Colombo in March, and arrived at Bombay on 27 April. She subsequently called at St Helena and returned to the Downs on 18 December. In a January 1804 testimonial, Captain Norman described the accuracy of Thomas Earnshaw’s chronometer during the outward and homeward portions of the voyage. The account is notable because reliable marine chronometers were important to navigational work and the calculation of longitude. Following the East India voyage, Alexander entered the West Indies trade. Lloyd’s Register recorded her in that service from 1804 through 1810, although the registers may have lagged behind actual changes in ownership or employment. In early 1806, the vessel was instead employed as a convict transport. Under Captain Richard Brooks, she left Portsmouth on 28 January with 57 convicts—42 women and 15 men—for New South Wales. She traveled in a convoy escorted by Porpoise, together with Lady Madeleine Sinclair, Elizabeth, Justina, and Fortune. Alexander grounded on a sandbank before reaching Rio de Janeiro and was repaired there. She arrived at Port Jackson on 20 August; one male convict and one child died during the voyage. The ship departed Port Jackson on 10 November carrying 300 tons of oil, 20 tons of fine salted skins, and 1,500 furs. She grounded at Bennelong Point while leaving the harbor but was heaved off without reported damage. On returning to Britain, Alexander appears to have been sold. New owners placed her back in West Indies trade. A Lloyd’s Register entry may suggest that her armament was increased, perhaps in response to privateering risks, but this interpretation is not certain. Alexander was no longer listed by Lloyd’s Register after 1810. The 1810 Register of Shipping recorded the word “condemned” against her name. The surviving evidence does not clarify whether the ship was broken up, lost, sold abroad, renamed, or otherwise withdrawn. Her final fate remains unknown.

• 1810

  Last recorded and reportedly condemned

  [1]Alexander (1801 ship)en.wikipedia.org

  The ship disappeared from Lloyd’s Register after 1810, while the Register of Shipping reportedly marked her as condemned.

• 1806

  Transported convicts to New South Wales

  [1]Alexander (1801 ship)en.wikipedia.org

  Under Captain Richard Brooks, Alexander carried 57 convicts from Portsmouth to Port Jackson as part of a convoy.

• 1804

  Entered West Indies trade

  [1]Alexander (1801 ship)en.wikipedia.org

  Following her East India Company-related service, Alexander was placed in the West Indies trade.

• 1803

  Completed the East India and New South Wales voyage

  [1]Alexander (1801 ship)en.wikipedia.org

  After leaving Port Jackson, the ship called at Colombo and Bombay before returning to Britain via St Helena.

• 1802

  Registered in London

  [1]Alexander (1801 ship)en.wikipedia.org

  The vessel was registered in London and chartered for a government-supply voyage connected with the British East India Company.

• 1802

  Arrived at Port Jackson with provisions

  [1]Alexander (1801 ship)en.wikipedia.org

  Alexander delivered flour and other supplies to New South Wales, with part of the cargo later sold to Nicolas Baudin for his French expeditionary vessels.

• 1801

  Launched at Quebec

  [1]Alexander (1801 ship)en.wikipedia.org

  Alexander was built by Henry Baldwin and launched at Quebec.

Historical sailing vessel used for long-distance commercial, government-supply, colonial, and convict-transport voyages.

• 1806

  Employment as a convict transportOther

  Background

  The vessel was selected for a government-supported transport voyage to New South Wales during a period when merchant ships were used to carry convicts to the colony.

  Action taken

  Alexander sailed from Portsmouth with 42 female and 15 male convicts under Captain Richard Brooks.

  Aftermath

  She reached Port Jackson in August, later carrying colonial commodities back to Britain.

  Source

• 1804

  Shift to West Indies tradingStrategy

  Background

  After completing her government-supply voyage associated with the British East India Company, the vessel’s owners placed Alexander in the West Indies trade.

  Action taken

  Alexander was reassigned to commercial service in the West Indies and remained recorded in that trade for several years.

  Aftermath

  The vessel later undertook a convict-transport voyage to New South Wales in 1806 before apparently returning to West Indies trading under new owners.

  Source

1. 1Alexander (1801 ship)en.wikipedia.org