William Ashton was launched at Lancaster in 1810 as a West Indiaman. In 1810 she repelled a French privateer in a single ship action, and in 1813 she captured a ship. Then in 1818–1819 she made one voyage to India, sailing under a licence from the British East India Company (EIC). Thereafter she traded widely until she was wrecked on 9 August 1830 at Newfoundland on her way from Dublin to Quebec.
Captain Thomas Greenwood's previous command had been the Lancaster-built West Indiaman Pusey Hall.
On 22 August 1810, a French privateer with yellow sides, 20 guns, and full of men approached William Ashton as v was on her way back to England from St Croix. The two vessels exchanged fire for two hours, at times firing from within 40 yards of each other. Greenwood several times filled bottles with small shot and shot that at the French vessel, possibly causing heavy casualties. Eventually, the privateer sailed off. William Ashton was much damaged in her masts and rigging, and had taken several shot between "wind and water".[4]
Captain Thomas Greenwood acquired a letter of marque on 22 September 1810,[2] shortly after arriving back at Lancaster after this action. However, a month later, on 25 October, Captain Thomas Dawson took command of William Ashton and acquired his own letter of marque.[2]
Year
Master
Owner
Trade
Source
1811
Greenwood Dawson
Burrow
Lancaster–Cork
LR
On 13 April 1813, William Dawson, William Ashton, and Mary captured the American schooner Miranda, which was on her way from Kennebunk to Cuba. The three British ships were coming from St Croix.[5][a][b]
Year
Master
Owner
Trade
Source
1814
T.Dawson
Burrows & Co.
Falmouth–St Johns
LR
1815
T.Dawson T.Keen
Burrows & Co.
Falmouth–St Johns Liverpool–Havana
LR
1816
T.Keen
E.Evans
Liverpool–Philadelphia
LR
On 20 May 1816 William Ashton, Keen, master, arrived at St Johns, New Brunswick, from Jamaica. She had lost two bower anchors when she ran ashore at Shelburne, Nova Scotia. On 8 September she filled with water after she struck on the Coal Rock as she was coming into Liverpool from St John, New Brunswick.
In 1813 the EIC had lost its monopoly on the trade between India and Britain. British ships were then free to sail to India or the Indian Ocean under a licence from the EIC.[9][c]
William Ashton, Brown, master, sailed in April 1818 for Bengal.[11] On 30 September she was at Bengal. On 3 March 1819 she sailed for Liverpool.
Year
Master
Owner
Trade
Source
1820
W.Brown W.Jameson
Powell & Co.
Liverpool–Calcutta Liverpool–Jamaica
LR; damages repaired 1817
1821
W.Jameson
Sandback
Liverpool–Jamaica
LR; damages repaired 1817
1823
W.Jameson C.Hayn
Sandback M'Inroy
Liverpool–Jamaica
LR; damages repaired 1817
1824
C.Hayn M.Guy
Milroy
Greenock–Demerara
LR; damages repaired 1817
1825
H.B.Guy
Battersby & Co.
Belfast–Quebec
LR; damages repaired 1817
On 22 May 1824, William Ashton, Captain H.B.Guy, was sailing between the Bermudas and Cape Hatteras when he reported having observed a rock with a circumference of about 100 yards at 38°48′50″N71°41′20″W / 38.81389°N 71.68889°W / 38.81389; -71.68889. The rock was given the name "Ashton Rock" in contemporary nautical guides.[12] However, the rock did not exist. There were no later confirmatory sightings and in five days of searching in 1850 Lieutenant J. C. Walsh, in the U. S. schooner Taney, could not find the rock. He reported his lack of success to Lieutenant Matthew Fontaine Maury.[13] Later, "Ashton Rock" was included on a list of rocks and the like that had been reported but did not exist.[14]
Year
Master
Owner
Trade
Source
1826
Bellamy
Carr & Co.
London–Quebec
LR; damages repaired 1817
1827
Bellamy Armstrong
Carr & Co.
London–Quebec
LR; damages repaired 1817 and some repairs 1827
1828
Armstrong J.Cooper
Dobinson
London–Petersburg
LR; damages repaired 1817, some repairs 1827, new deck and keel 1828
1829
J.Cooper
Dobinson
Bristol–Miramichi
LR; damages repaired 1817, some repairs 1827, new deck and keel 1828
Fate
On 9 August 1830, William Ashton was on her way from Dublin to Quebec when she struck a rock in Fortune Bay, Newfoundland during a fog and quickly filled with water. The crew and passengers were able to reach Harbour Briton.[15]
William Ashton was no longer listed in the 1830 volume of Lloyd's Register.
^However, the United States privateer Paul Jones recaptured Miranda, only to have HMS Unicorn recapture her.[6] The American schooner Miranda, of Rhode Island, had a crew of six men, and a burthen of 104 tons. She originally had been sailing for Matunzas with a cargo of lumber.[7] On 23 May 1813 HMS Leonidas captured Paul Jones off Ireland. Paul Jones was armed with 16 guns and had a crew of 85 men under the command of Captain Archibald Taylor. She had been out two months and had captured three prizes.[8]
^Although William Ashton made a voyage under a licence from the EIC, she does not appear in the most comprehensive book on vessels of the EIC.[10]
^"Ship News". 18 September 1830, The Times (London, England) Issue: 14335.
References
Hackman, Rowan (2001). Ships of the East India Company. Gravesend, Kent: World Ship Society. ISBN0-905617-96-7.
Findlay, Alexander George (1895). A Directory for the North Atlantic Ocean, Comprising Instructions, General and Particular, for Its Navigation. R.H. Laurie.
Maury, Matthew Fontaine (1851). Lieut. Maury's Investigations of the Winds and Currents of the Sea: (From the Appendix to the Washington Astronomical Observations for 1846.).
Purdy, John (1825). Memoir, Descriptive and Explanatory: To Accompany the New Chart of the Atlantic Ocean and Comprising Instructions, General and Particular, for the Navigation of that Sea. R.H. Laurie.
