Mentor was launched in Philadelphia in 1758 under another name. For some time her name was British King. By the time she first appeared in Lloyd's Register (LR) in 1776 her name had become Mentor. From 1776 to 1790 she was a whaler in the Greenland whale fishery, though she also spent time trading generally, and as a transport. In 1791 she commenced a voyage to the southern whale fishery but received damage en route and was condemned at the River Plate.

History
Great Britain
BuilderPhiladelphia[1]
Launched1758[1]
FateCondemned 1791
General characteristics
Tons burthen200,[1] or 240,[2] (bm)
Armament6 × 3-pounder guns (1781-1783)

Career

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Mentor first appeared in Lloyd's Register (LR) in 1776.[1]

Year Master Owner Trade Source & notes
1776 Wm.Davis
Wm.Brown
Js.Mather London–Davis Strait
London–Mogador
LR; repairs 1762, thorough repairs 1772 & 1773
1778 J.Christie J.Mather London–Greenland LR; thorough repairs 1772 & 1773
1781 J.Christie J.Mather London–Greenland
London transport
LR; thorough repairs 1772, 1773, & 1778
1782 J.Christie
Jn.Jameson
J.Mather London transport LR; thorough repairs 1772, 1773, & 1778
1783 Jn.Jameson
J.Christie
Mather Carolina–London
London–Greenland
LR; thorough repairs 1772, 1773, & 1778; repairs 1783
1784 J.Christie
J.Hallock
Mather London–Greenland LR; thorough repairs 1772, 1773, & 1778; repairs 1783
1787 J.Ellison
W.Anderson
Mather London–Greenland LR; thorough repairs 1772, 1773, & 1778; repairs 1783 & 1786
1789 Bartlett Mather London–Greenland LR; thorough repairs 1772, 1773, & 1778; repairs 1783, 1786, & 1788
1790 Bartlett
Milne
Mather London–Greenland LR; thorough repairs 1772, 1773, & 1778; repairs 1783, 1786, & 1788; good repair 1790
1791 Milne
W.Ramsey
J.Mather London–Petersburg
London-Southern Fishery
LR; thorough repairs 1772, 1773, & 1778; repairs 1783, 1786, & 1788; good repair 1790

Captain William Ramsey sailed on 22 July 1791, bound for the Southern Whale Fishery.[3]

Fate

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Mentor was reported to have put into Buenos Aires or Montevideo on 20 December. She had sustained much damage and it was expected that she would be condemned.[4]

LR continued to carry Mentor for some years thereafter,[5] but with data unchanged since 1791.[2] However, there is no subsequent mention in Lloyd's List ship arrival and departure data for 1791 to 1794 of a Mentor arriving back in Great Britain from the River Plate region.

Citations

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  1. ^ a b c d LR (1776), Seq.No.M397.
  2. ^ a b LR (1797), Seq.No.M377.
  3. ^ British Southern Whale Fishery Database – Voyages: Mentor.
  4. ^ "The Marine List". Lloyd's List. No. 1797. 26 June 1792. hdl:2027/mdp.39015008870928.
  5. ^ Clayton (2014), p. 173.

References

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  • Clayton, Jane M (2014). Ships employed in the South Sea Whale Fishery from Britain: 1775–1815: An alphabetical list of ships. Berforts Group. ISBN 9781908616524.