Part of the Acorn Archive
Hearts of Oak
LITTLE
CATHERINE
and Captain John Vivian (senior)
The
LITTLE CATHERINE was the ship which took Trevithick's engine to London, in
1803.
Before
1824, Packet ships were hired by the Post Office from a commander holding
a Post Office Commission. The hire was for a considerable period, of 21 years.
Packet ships were styled HMP (His Majesty's Packet). After 1824, when the
Admiralty took over the Falmouth packet station, they were commissioned ships,
and styled HMPB (His Majesty's Packet Brig).
In addition to the 'established
packets' there were numbers of 'temporary packets' these were hired to replace vessels lost or captured by the
enemy, or by Commanders who had
received their commission but were waiting for their contracted vessel
to be completed.
The
LITTLE CATHERINE was a temporary packet, and she was hired at Penzance in 1813
for the West Indies and American Service, Captain John Vivian being appointed
on 13th March 1813.
On
15th March 1813, HMP LITTLE CATHERINE, returning from Corunna, was
captured by two French frigates (SOULTAN and ETOILE); She was
re-captured/salvaged by HMS LACEDEMONIAN, and was taken to Bermuda.
After
the second capture and subsequent abandonment,
she
was valued at £3990 14s 6d by the Post
Office,
which
sum was paid to the owners H. C. Blewett.
She
was purchased at Bermuda by the Post Office in 1814;
Renamed
BLUCHER and was then used as a temporary packet by various commanders prior to
them obtaining their own ships or when
a packet was captured or sunk.
The
LITTLE CATHERINE/BLUCHER was built in 1801 (perhaps at Bermuda) and was
described as a Brig of 185 tons.
Only
two or three vessels were purchased by the Post Office in this manner, the
other 'temporary packets' being hired
from a consortium of the packet commanders or private shipowners.
BLUCHER’s Commanders were ….
James Price
14 Apr 1814
Nicholas Pocock
27 Feb 1818
Joseph White
29 Sep 1819
Lt. Furzer RN 1821
Thanks to Andy
C Adams
~~~~~~~~oo~~~~~~~~
Raymond
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