HMS Cleopatra was a 26-gun sixth-rate frigate of the Royal Navy. She was built at Pembroke Dock and launched on 28 April 1835. She was to have been launched in July 1834 and fitted thereafter.Plymouth 29 May, The Times, London, England, 31 May 1834, page 2 Her complement was 152 officers and men, 33 boys, and 25 marines. She was broken up in February 1862.
Cleopatra was the second of three Vestal-class ships built between 1833 and 1836. The first was and the third . She was acknowledged as a good handling fast boat during her early voyages.Portsmouth, The Times, London, England, 13 June 1836, page 6
Voyages
Russia Captain George Grey, the fourth son of Earl Charles Grey, took command of the vessel on 12 August 1835 first sailing to Saint Petersburg, Russia with his sister Lady Louisa, the wife of John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham and British Ambassador to Russia at the time.The United Service Magazine, Part 2, H. Colburn, 1835, page 541 On 19 September, while sailing to St Petersburg, Cleopatra ran aground for several hours on a point of land near Læsø in the Baltic. In order to refloat the ship chains, several cannons, and other objects were offloaded onto the Dutch ship Ypres.Copenhagen – 25 Sept, The Times, London, England, 5 October 1835, page 5 She called into Elsinore to check for damage on the 22nd before proceeding on to St Petersburg.Ship News, The Times, London, England, 5 October 1835, page 7 A subsequent court-martial into the grounding cleared the captain and crew of any negligence.Naval Court Martial, The Times, London, England, 10 November 1835, page 2
Cleopatra set sail for England from St Petersburg on 15 October 1835 arriving at Flamborough Head on 25th.Memoirs of the life and services of Rear-Admiral Sir William Symonds, James A. Sharp, page 544 The following day at 5pm, in a South Westerly gale, she came across the brig Fisher which had been demasted and was sinking. The brig was about 82 miles South East of Flamborough Head. There were several men on the deck but despite all the efforts of Cleopatras crew they could not either get a line to her or a boat. The sea was extremely rough and the boat they tried to launch was swamped. Those on board were injured, several severely. By 6:40pm all they could do was hoist a light and wait. To the distress of Cleopatra the brig sank shortly afterwards and none of the sailors on board were saved. She then sailed to Sheerness for repairs.English Extracts, Geelong Advertiser, 1 April 1850, page 2
After being repaired she sailed to Spithead on 28 November 1835 where she was to sail from to South America. Her purpose was to transport boys and marines as supernumeraries for other vessels on the South American station. She left Spithead on 30 November 1835 for Rio de Janeiro, passing Plymouth on 1 December.
Cleopatra made a return journey to St Petersburg in October 1838 taking the new British Ambassador Ulick de Burgh, 1st Marquess of Clanricarde.
North America and West Indies Station By 20 January 1836 she was at Rio de Janeiro. While there she was challenged to a race by a French Navy brig of war L'Ariane. Cleopatra won the race.Memoirs of the life and services of Rear-Admiral Sir William Symonds, James A. Sharp, page 170 and 545 She left there on 2 March for St Catherine. On 23 August she was in Buenos Aires.Memoirs of the life and services of Rear-Admiral Sir William Symonds, James A. Sharp, page 547 In April 1839, while back in England command was passed to Captain Stephen Lushington.
On 11 May 1839 she was at Halifax and on 23 November was at Bermuda preparing to sail for Jamaica in the West Indies. Once there, on 3 January 1840, she intercepted and detained the Portuguese slave vessel Louisa, which had 283 slaves on board. A month later, on 23 February, she intercepted, boarded, and inspected the papers of the Spanish vessel Iberia. During the search a sealed envelope of the Custom House clearance register was opened to verify that the ship was not a slaver. This created an international incident sparking an exchange of letters between the British and Spanish governments.Correspondence with the British Commissioners, at Sierra Leone, the Havana, Rio de Janeiro, and Surinam: From 11 May, to 31 December 1840, inclusive, Foreign Office Great Britain, William Clowes, 1841, pages 1-2, 8, 18
On 2 June 1840 she left Jamaica for Bermuda. By 6 October she had been to Quebec and was at Newfoundland. While in port at Quebec a Cleopatra seaman, Robert Collins, killed the ship's Sergeant of Marines. Collins was tried and executed by hanging from the fore yardarm. This was apparently the first shipboard execution at Quebec and the third navy execution since 1812. The newspaper remarked that the case was unusual in that none of Collins's shipmates spoke up in favour of his character or general conduct. The norm was that at least one would make a statement on the accused's behalf, regardless of the likely outcome of the trial.Execution of a Seaman For Murder, The Times, London, England, 27 October 1840, page 6 She returned to Bermuda by 26 October.
Lushington had fallen severely ill in early 1840 and after nine months of prolonged illness was invalided out on 9 November. He was replaced by Captain Alexander Milne in November. On 16 December she was at Barbados, having been cruising off Puerto Rico. By the 26th she was at St Thomas' and left on the 29th.
On 27 January 1841, off St Thomas, she detained another slave ship, the Spanish schooner , with 288 slaves on board. During 1841 she was at Jamaica on 3 March, and Halifax on 10 April and 18 October. On 1 August she detained a slave brig, which was sent for adjudication to the Vice-Admiralty Court at British Guiana. Captain Christopher Wyvill had taken command at some point through this period, Milne having relinquished command in March.
In April 1842 she returned to England to be paid off and recommissioned.Chatham – Friday 15 April, The Times, London, England, 18 April 1842, page 4 Wyvill was reappointed captain.
Africa On 25 July she sailed for Mauritius, taking its governor, Major-General Sir William Gumm, and his suite. Cleopatra was to have gone to serve in the East Indies but was reassigned to the Cape of Good Hope.Naval Intelligence, The Times, London, England, Monday, 25 July 1842, page 6
By 12 April 1843 she was in the Mozambique Channel and detained the slave brigantine Progresso under Captain Antonio R Chaves, with 447 slaves on board. By the time she reached Simon's Town only 222 had survived despite being assisted by the crew of Cleopatra, such was the impact of their captivity prior to their rescue.Horrors of the slave trade – the Progressio, The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, 21 September 1843, Page 2 Cleopatra detained the slave vessel Defensivo on 11 July and both Silveira and Atilla on 29 November. They were detained between Quelimane and Luabo (near Chinde), in the mouth of the Zambesi.
On 21 March 1844 she was off the coast of Madagascar and anchored about north of St Augustin's Bay. Two days later, on 23 March there was an incident when two natives were turned out of the boat for stealing stores. In retaliation the natives threw a spear, killing Lieutenant Molesworth. A fight ensued and seven more crew members were killed and three wounded.Cape of Good Hope – murder of Lieutenant Molesworth, The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, 15 August 1844, Page 2 Later that year she detained the slave vessel Mars on 4 July, Isabel on 5 July, and the a slave brig on 13 December. These were followed on 16 March 1845 by the slave vessel Paquette de Monte Video.
In August 1845 Cleopatra began a survey of the attitudes held by the kings and governors of coastal East Africa north of Simon's Town, and from consuls regarding how they saw trade in general progressing. She reached Zanzibar on 13 September and was on the Quelimane Coast by the end of October. She was joined on 14 November by off the mouth of the Quelimane River. There was considerable evidence of the slave trade, with support for it from tribal chiefs in the region and visiting ships trading for them. Cleopatra then sailed on to Johanna, finally returning to Simon's Town Bay on 14 Jan 1846. She had also visited Mayotta and Nos-beh on the journey. After caulking and resupplying she resumed her patrols.
Lucy Penniman On 18 May 1846 Cleopatra anchored near the Angozha River, Mozambique. Using the ship's boats they rowed up the river and found an American barque, Lucy Penniman of New York, which had sailed there from Rio de Janeiro under her master, Matthew Cooper. The crew advised Cleopatra that they had been tricked into becoming a part of her crew and that she was intended for the slave trade. Nearby was the Brazilian brig Kentucky, which was on fire. Lucy Pennimans crew wanted help as they expected Kentuckys 30-strong Portuguese crew to try to take their boat.British and Foreign State Papers, Volume 35, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Great Britain, H.M. Stationery Office, 1860, pages 322-323
Cooper had earlier landed on shore by the ships boats to contact the Portuguese. When the boats returned two hours later to pick him up it was ambushed by a large number of Arabs and natives. The boats held their position, about off shore, and returned the fire using the boats' guns and muskets. Four of the crew were wounded, one severely and the captain was missing. Lucy Penniman was first moved to near Cleopatra, then sent to Simon's Town, arriving on 4 July. Lucy Pennimans crew were named as: Thomas F. Martin, first mate; James Oney, carpenter; James A Robertson; Andrew McBroom; Louis Cornides; and George Washington Smith. The crew were sent to Cape Town.House of Commons Papers, Volume 67, Great Britain Parliament, House of Commons, H.M. Stationery Office, 1847, pages 59-65
Cleopatra continued her anti-slavery patrols, detaining Constante on 12 July and Improviso on 12 November.
England In January 1847 she sailed for England arriving there on 16 March.Naval Intelligence, The Times, London, England, 16 March 1847, page 8 She had had a severe dysentery outbreak among the crew with two dying on the way back from Zanzibar to Simon's Town and 40 on her sick list. Two more died before she departed for England.Naval Intelligence, The Times, London, England, 4 February 1847, page 6 She was relieved by .Naval Intelligence, The Times, London, England, 8 February 1847, page 7 When she arrived in England she was carrying Commander Gooch of who was not expected to recover. Her orders were to sail to Chatham to be paid off.
She was dry docked to ascertain her condition as she had nine feet of water in her hold. Inspection revealed that her copper cladding was missing in a number of places and the underplanks completely eaten through by worms in a number of places. Surprise was expressed at her being able to return safely to England.Naval Intelligence, The Times, London, England, 10 April 1847, page 7 She required an entire new keel. The total cost of repairs to make her serviceable and seaworthy again was estimated at £15,000.Naval Intelligence, The Times, London, England, 29 May 1847, page 8 Repairs were completed by 17 July 1848,Naval Intelligence, The Times, London, England, 17 July 1848, page 8 with the final fitting of masts and pendant being completed in 1849. Captain Thomas Lecke Massie was appointed captain on 29 April 1849.Naval Intelligence, The Times, London, England, 30 April 1849, page 8 After completing crewing, loading supplies, and a short sea trial she left for Rio on 15 June.Naval Intelligence, The Times, London, England, 15 June 1849, page 8
East Indies and China Station