Folios 174-175: William Charleton, Regulating Captain, North Shields. Reports the...

Folios 174-175: William Charleton, Regulating Captain, North Shields. Reports the case of John Laughton, impressed at Newcastle on 20 April 1805, as a result of information given some months earlier to William Grant, Midshipman at the Rendezvous, and whose release has been applied for by Amos Wray in the enclosed letter. States that John Laughton was also recognised by Edward Wright, one of the Gang at the Rendezvous, as being a man he had been on 2 voyages with at Davis' Straights in the Elizabeth of Hull in 1799 and 1800. Believes that, while Laughton says he is 17 years old, he has the appearance of at least 25 and is over 6 feet tall.

Folios 176-177: enclosure with 174-175. Letter dated 26 April 1805, from Amos Wray, Ship Owner, 25 Ludgate Street, London to the Admiralty. Requests that his apprentice John Laughton, impressed from his ship, Helena, at Newcastle upon Tyne, is released, Encloses the Indenture and Affidavit of John Laughton as proof. [Indenture not enclosed].

Folios 178: enclosure with folios 176-177. Affidavit dated 9 August 1804, of John Robertson, Merchant, sworn before William G Watt, Justice of the Peace. States on oath that John Laughton is bound as an Apprentice to Amos Wrey [Wray] as detailed in the attached affidavit.

Folios 178: enclosure with folios 176-177. Affidavit dated 9 August 1804, of John Laughton, aged 17, son of the deceased William Laughton of Kirkhouse, South Ronaldsay, Orkney and sworn before William G Watt, Justice of the Peace. States that he is bound by Indentur , dated 9 August 1804, to John Robertson, Merchant of Stromness on behalf of Amos Wrey [Wray]of 25 Ludgate Street, London, to serve at sea, during the Lull Space for a term of 3 years and that he had never served at sea before.

Folio 179: enclosure with folios 176-177. Affidavit dated 23 April 1805, of George Spurrs of South Shields, Master of the Helena of London and Peter Dass of South Ronaldsay, Orkney and Apprentice to Ralph Atkinson, Ship owner, of Newcastle. Spurrs states that John Laughton of South Ronaldsay was bound by indenture, dated 9 August 1804 to Amos Wray of Ludgate Street, London for a tem of 3 years and also believes that Laughton had never been to sea prior to this or employed on any navigable river. Peter Dass states that he has know John Laughton since infancy and that who has never been at sea or worked on a river until taken from South Ronaldsay by the Helena at the start of August 1804. Moreover, Laughton has never been employed in the Greenland Trade as he is a Husbandman.