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British New York Vice-Admiralty Court. Captured ship: Essex formerly Nelly (master...

Catalogue reference: HCA 32/325/14

What’s it about?

This record is about the British New York Vice-Admiralty Court. Captured ship: Essex formerly Nelly (master... dating from 1779 Apr 6 in the series High Court of Admiralty: Prize Court: Prize Papers. It is held at The National Archives, Kew.

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Full description and record details

Reference
HCA 32/325/14
Date
1779 Apr 6
Description

British New York Vice-Admiralty Court.

Captured ship: Essex formerly Nelly (master William Willcomb).

History: an American merchant ship (brigantine, 180 tons, 8 guns, 12 men) bound from Guadeloupe to Newburyport, Massachusetts laden with molasses, sugar, coffee, cotton and cocoa; taken on 6 April 1779 in latitude 38°30'N, longitude 70°W by the loyalist privateers Rosebud (James Duncan commanding) and Light Bob (Ananias McDougal commanding), and brought into New York.

Court papers numbered CP 1-4:-

  • [CP 1]: affidavit of papers brought in by Duncan, 16 April 1779;
  • [CP 2]: libel in Duncan v The brigantine Essex, 16 April 1779;
  • [CP 3]: deposition of William Willcombe, 19 April 1779;
  • [CP 4]: account of sale of the brigantine Essex, by order of court for salvage [odd?], net proceeds £109 1s 4d, 27 May 1779.

Ship's Papers numbered SP 1-11 (Massachusetts papers):-

  • SP 1-SP 2: register and clearance, Newburyport;
  • SP 3-SP 5: clearances etc, Guadeloupe;
  • SP 6: cargo manifest;
  • SP 7: list of ventures;
  • SP 8: invoice of cargo;
  • SP 9: owner's instructions, of John Tracy, Newburyport, 29 October 1778;
  • SP 10: crew list and agreement;
  • SP 11: wrapper.

[Papers previously wrongly identified as Court papers: 1-4; Ship's papers: 5-15 (large pencil numbers): sorted and renumbered in 2025. CP 4 added from HCA 49/91 in 2025]. See also T 1/559/268-283

Held by
The National Archives, Kew
Former department reference
HCA 32/325/14/1-15
Legal status
Public Record(s)
Language
English and French
Closure status
Open Document, Open Description
Record URL
https://beta.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/id/C13505694/

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Series information

HCA 32

High Court of Admiralty: Prize Court: Prize Papers

See the series level description for more information about this record.

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Catalogue hierarchy

Over 27 million records

This record is held at The National Archives, Kew

109,109 records

Within the department: HCA

Records of the High Court of Admiralty and colonial Vice-Admiralty courts

37,247 records

Within the series: HCA 32

High Court of Admiralty: Prize Court: Prize Papers

18 records

Within the piece: HCA 32/325

Captured ships with names beginning with E. (Described at item level)

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British New York Vice-Admiralty Court. Captured ship: Essex formerly Nelly (master...

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