Primrose, 1810
Type: Sloop ; Armament 18
Launched : 1810 ; Disposal date or year : 1832
Notes:

21 Jul 1810 with the homeward-bound Baltic convoy, of about 200 sail, off Rob's Snout, under the protection of the Lynx, Clio, Snake, Rosario, Gluckstadt, and Centinel?, with the Tartar, Rose, and Primrose following at some distance astern, [presumably with a view to preventing enemy gun boats sneaking up from astern, and picking off the slower vessels in the convoy.]

30 Jan 1811 departed Portsmouth.

3 Feb 1811 arrived Plymouth from Portsmouth.

21 Apr 1811 arrived Portsmouth with a convoy from Lisbon.

7 May 1811 at Portsmouth appointed to convoy for Newfoundland and Quebec.

15 May 1811 departed Portsmouth with a convoy for Quebec.

14 Jul 1811 departed Quebec with timber ships under convoy for England.

21 Aug 1811 passed Plymouth with convoy, the brigs Mary and Hope departed convoy.

24 Aug 1811 arrived Portsmouth with convoy from Quebec.

18 Sep 1811 departed Portsmouth on a cruise.

21 Sep 1811 arrived Deal from Portsmouth, after being on the Goodwin sands this morning ; the weather being moderate she floated off at the flood with little or no damage.

23 Sep 1811 departed Deal to join the fleet off Flushing.

18 Oct 1812 remains Yarmouth.

17 Oct 1812 arrived Yarmouth from the Texel.

27 Oct 1812 departed Yarmouth with live bullocks for the fleet.

5 Jun 1813 arrived Portsmouth with convoy for the Downs.

27 Jun 1813 at Portsmouth appointed to the North American convoy.

11 Jul 1813 departed Portsmouth this morning with a convoy bound to Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Halifax, and Quebec ; but are now working into St. Helen's again.

14 Jul 1813 put into Portland Roads with a large fleet under convoy for British America, which departed the following day.

22 Jul 1813 arrived Falmouth with the outward-bound Newfoundland and Halifax convoy, put in by contrary winds.

The Acadian Recorder reports that Albion departed Falmouth 9 Aug 1813, in company with the Talbot, Primrose, and Mutine, and convoy for N. America, who were seen on the Banks on 15 Sep., and all well.

23 Nov 1813 arrived Portsmouth from Quebec with the remains of her convoy, the rest becoming scattered in a fog off the banks of Newfoundland.

16 Dec 1813 arrived Torbay with a convoy of transports from Portsmouth, bound to the North coast of Spain.

26 Dec 1813 departed Torbay with a convoy of transports for the North coast of Spain. We yesterday mentioned the unfortunate action which took place through mistake, near Lisbon, between the Duke of Montrose packet and the Primrose sloop of war. The circumstances attending this action require investigation.

12 Mar 1814 Primrose discovered a strange vessel in lat. 43� 16' N., lon. 10� 56' W., and departed in chase. Due to poor signalling etc. it wasn't realised until a number of shots had been fired and casualties incurred that the vessel was the British brig-packet Duke-of-Marlborough.

2 Apr 1814 Came into Plymouth from Lisbon.

25 Aug 1814 captured a U.S. privateer, the 13 gun schooner Pike, with 85 men.

15 Nov 1815 arrived Portsmouth from Shields.

8 Feb 1817 in Portsmouth harbour.

22 Mar 1817 Is expected to depart Plymouth for Jamaica in the next few days.

14 Jun 1818 Is reported to have departed Havannah for Jamaica.

circa 1 Oct 1818 is reported at Port Royal, Jamaica, to have departed for Honduras, and thence to England.

7 Dec 1824 at Sea, Captain Stoddart advises V.-Adm Halsted "that at day-light this morning a strange sail was observed from this vessel; and after a chase of five hours from off Cumberland Harbour, nearly down to St. Jago de Cuba, I boarded the brig 'Les Deux Nantois,' 200 tons, having on board 466 slaves. but being under French colours, and having French papers, I could not consider myself authorised to send her direct to the Havannah. I have therefore put an officer on board, with directions to proceed with her to Port-Royal, for your further instructions, which I hope will meet your approval."

19 Dec 1824 the Primrose appears to have accompanied 'Les Deux Nantois,' to Port Royal, where the admiral went through the legal procedure, restocked the food and water on board, advised the Admiralty regarding the brief detention of the vessel and sent her on her way this morning.

6 Sep 1826 at Para, the C.O., Captain Octavius Vernon, writes to H. E. the President of Para, regarding his detention of the Spanish vessel Pedro Primeiro, as requested, about which there appears to have been some misunderstanding. See Parliamentary papers for 1827.

6 Jan 1827 employed in the West Indies.

8 May 1827 departed Vera Cruz for Tampico and England.

12 May 1827 departed Tampico for Havannah.

27 May 1827 departed Havannah for New York.

28 Jun 1827 departed New York for Tampico.

21 Jul 1827 arrived Portsmouth from Vera Cruz with specie and cochineal.

29 Oct 1827 John Barrow, Admiralty Office, wrote to Lieut. Griffinhoofe, commanding HM Sloop Primrose, transmitting for information and guidance, a Copy of an Act, 5 Geo. IV. c. 113, intituled, "An Act to amend and consolidate the Laws relating to the Abolition of the Slave-trade," with reference to the Treaties which have been entered into with Spain, Portugal, and The Netherlands, for the prevention of an illicit traffick in Slaves, and of which Copies are contained in the said Act; I am also to enclose to you 3 Instructions, signed by His Royal Highness, authorizing you, in conformity with the Treaties, to search Vessels bearing those Flags; in doing which, as well as in the whole of your conduct towards such Vessels, you are to be strictly governed by the said Treaties, and the Instructions attached to them. I am, &c. John Barrow.

17 May 1828 refitting Sierra Leone.

28 Jul 1828 detained the Brazilian slave schooner Nova Virgem, with 354 negroes, in lat. 5� 50' N., which was condemned by the British and Brazilian Mixed Commission at Sierra Leone on 18 Sep 1828, and the surviving 320 surviving negroes were emancipated.

14 Sep 1828 detained the Brazilian slave schooner Zepherina, with 218 negroes on board, in or about lat. 5� 50' N. long. 3� 37' E. On 9 Dec 1828 she was condemned by the British and Brazilian Mixed Commission at Sierra Leone.

Circa Dec 1828 is reported to be off the Gallinas.

Per a report made to Parliament in 1842, at some time during 1829 the Sloop Primrose, 18 guns, Complement: 125, was involved in combatting the Slave Trade and experienced 1 Death, for which no reason is given.

15 Jan 1829 Detained the Portuguese slave Brig Vingador, at lat. 12� 17' N. 16� 54' W. ; bound from Town of Cacheo off the River Cacheo to St Jago. 223 slaves were on board when the vessel was captured, which was sent for adjudication to the British and Portuguese Court of Mixed Commission, Sierra Leone, and on 3 Mar 1829 sentenced to be condemned ; and 115 men, 51 women 54 children, were subsequently emancipated.

15 Jan 1829 detained the Portuguese slave Galliot Aurelia, at lat. 12� 17' N. 16� 54' W. ; bound from the Town of Cacheo off the River Cacheo to Brazil, which was sent for adjudication to the British and Portuguese Court of Mixed Commission, Sierra Leone, and on 3 Mar 1829 sentenced to be condemned, with 13 men, 6 women, 10 children on board when the vessel was captured being emancipated.

2 Mar 1829 Was at Sierra Leone refitting following a long and busy cruise during which a number of slave vessels were apprehended by the ship's boats, and the brig Lochiel, with all her crew dead, was brought here for adjudication.

11 Apr 1829 arrived Accra, all well.

7 Aug 1829 refitting Ascension.

Per a report made to Parliament in 1842, at some time during 1830 was involved in combatting the Slave Trade.

At sea 4 Feb 1830 Spoke with the Bramble off Ascension.

24 Mar 1830 the boats of the ship detained the Spanish slave schooner Maria de la Conception, Santiago Comas, master, in the River Pongos, with 79 negroes on board. On 11 May 1830 she was condemned for being engaged in the illicit traffic in Slaves by the British and Spanish Mixed Court at Sierra Leone.

25 Mar 1830 the boats of the ship boarded the Maria in the Rio Nunez, but were unable to arrest her. She was subsequently arrested in the Rio Pongos by the Plumper on 7 Nov 1830, probably on her next trip to the West Coast of Africa.

10 Apr 1830 Refitting at Sierra Leone.

22 Aug 1830 anchored in the Bay of Loango.

4 Sep 1930 departed for Prince's Island, and on the 7th detained the slave ship Veloz Passagera, Joz� Antonio de la Vega, master, following a severe action, losing 3 men killed and 12 wounded, her captain being included in the latter. The Velos lost 43 killed and 20 wounded ; she had 555 slaves on board ; her crew will be sent to England to be charged with piracy. 6 Jun 1831 account of proceeds of the bounty granted for 551 slaves and a moiety of the hull, &c. will be deposited in the Registry of the High Court of Admiralty on the 16th inst. See p. 269 at www.archive.org/details/royalnavyhistory06clow.
After the action Captain Broughton mustered the ship's company and found that 3 men had been killed, viz.:- James Graham, a seaman, and William Bunker, and Benjamin Allen, marines ; and that 9 men, besides the witness, had been wounded, viz. Mr. Watts, the boatswain, and Mark Derrick, a marine, both dangerously, who were subsequently invalided home to England ; George Martin, Henry Amy, John Compton, John Owens, Thomas Walker, Henry Stevens, and William Rust, seamen and marines, wounded, but whose wounds were not considered dangerous. The Veloz was sent for adjudication to the British and Spanish Mixed Court of Justice, Sierra Leone, and on 16 Oct 1830 sentenced to be condemned.

Oct 1830 at Ascension.

7 Dec 1930 departed Sierra Leone for England.

21 Jan 1831 arrived Plymouth from the West Coast of Africa, having been absent for 3 years and 4 months. The Primrose has brought home 29 of the crew and mate of the Veloz Passagera, to be tried for piracy.

12 Feb 1831 paid off into Ordinary.

28 Apr 1831 prize money due to be paid as a result of the capture of the Zepherina, on 14 Sep 1828.

Primrose 28 Apr 1831 prize money due to be paid as a result of the capture of the Maria de la Conception, on 24 Mar 1830.

Primrose 7 Jul 1831 prize money due to be paid as a result of the capture of the Veloz Passagera, on 7 Sep 1830.

Primrose 29 Nov 1833 it is interesting to note that the case of the slave vessel Donna Mariana, captured by a pirate, and then taken by the Primrose in Aug 1828, is still bouncing around the courts in London. [She was reported to have been sold for about �900, but by the time the lawyers have come to a conclusion I suspect that there will be very little left in the kitty for Prize Money.]