Camden was built at Whitby in 1813. She served as a general trader for much of her career, though in 1820-21, she made one voyage to Bombay for the British East India Company (EIC). Between 1824 and 1831, Camden sailed under charter to the Hudson's Bay Company. Between 1833 and 1837, she was a Greenland whaler out of the Whitby whale fishery, and was the last vessel from Whitby to engage in whaling. She was last listed in Lloyd's Register in 1850.

Career Camden first appeared in the registers in the Register of Shipping (RS) in 1814.RS (1814), "C" supple. pages.

Year Master Owner Trade Source 1814 Peacock Chapman Whitby–London RS 1815 Peacock Chapman Whitby–London RS 1816 PeacockJohnson Chapman London transport RS

As a government transport, Camden made a voyage to Jamaica. She returned and then, no longer a transport, sailed to Quebec, returning to England on 16 September 1817.

Year Master Owner Trade Source 1818 JohnsonLondon Chapman London transport–Bengal RS 1818 Johnson Chapman London–Batavia Lloyd's Register (LR)

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. Camden, Johnson, master, sailed for Batavia on 25 February 1818, or 27 March.LR (1819), "Licensed India Ships". Camden and a number of other outward bound vessels had ended up waiting at Deal. She sailed to Portsmouth, but after leaving Portsmouth had to put back. She finally sailed from Portsmouth on 31 March, bound for Batavia.

On 15 April 1819, Camden, Johnson, master, was at Mauritius, having come from Batavia and Manila. On 2 October, she sailed from Gravesend, for Amsterdam.

EIC voyage (1820-1821) Captain James Johnson sailed from the Downs on 2 May 1820, bound for Bombay. Camden arrived at Bombay on 21 August. Homeward bound, she was at the Cape of Good Hope on 24 January 1821, and arrived at Gravesend on 7 April.British Library: Camden.

Year Master Owner Trade Source & notes 1822 Johnson Chapman London–BataviaLondon–Quebec LR 1823 Johnson Chapman London–QuebecLondon–Jamaica LR; some repairs 1822 1824 JohnsonBell Chapman London–Jamaica LR; some repairs 1822 1825 Bell Chapman London–Honduras LR; some repairs 1822 1825 [Benjamin] Bell Chapman London–Hudson's Bay RS; some repairs 1822

In 1824, Camden moved her registry to London.

Hudson's Bay Company Between 1824 and 1831, Camden sailed under charter to the Hudson's Bay Company.Hudson’s Bay Company Archives – Ships’ Histories: Camden.

Year Master Owner Trade Source & notes 1827 W.Terry Chapman London–Hudson's Bay LR; some repairs 1822 & large repairs 1827 1828 W.Terry Chapman London–Hudson's Bay RS; some repairs 1822 & thorough repairs 1827 1830 TerryBriggs Chapman London–Hudson's BayLondon–Quebec RS; some repairs 1822 & thorough repairs 1827 1831 Briggs[Robert] Royal Chapman London–Hudson's BayLondon–Norway RS; some repairs 1822 & thorough repairs 1827 1832 RoyalPearson (or W.Parsons) Chapman London–Norway RS; thorough repairs 1827

Whaler Between 1833 and 1837, the Chapmans employed Camden as a whaler in the Whitby whale fishery. Whalers from Whitby had been whaling in Davis Strait since 1753, though by the 1830s the business had almost died out. In 1832, Phoenix, a Chapman-owned ship, was the sole vessel to go out, and she returned with 234 tons of oil (195 Imperial measure), the largest amount ever to have been brought back. The Chapmans therefore sent out Camden in 1833, as well as Phoenix. Both vessels were successful in volume terms: Phoenix returned with 227 tons, and Camden returned with 230 tons. However, whaling became unprofitable as the price of whale oil had fallen. Between 1833 and 1837, it varied between £23 and over £50 per ton. Whalebone prices varied between £30 and £150 per ton. Phoenix and Camden left in 1837, but Phoenix grounded on her way out and came back to port. Camdens voyage proved a failure. The Chapmans withdrew both ships from whaling, and with that whaling from Whitby ended.

1833 W. Parsons Chapman LondonWhitby whale fishery 26 231 1834 Armstrong Chapman Whitby whale fisheryLloyd's Register (1834), Seq. №C64. 35 1835 Armstrong Chapman Whitby whale fishery 6 105

On 31 October 1835, Camden, Armstrong, master, from Davis Strait, and Smales, Sinclair, master, from Quebec, ran afoul of each other. Both received considerable damage."SHIP NEWS". Morning Post, London, England, 7 November 1835, Issue 20255.

1836 Armstrong Chapman Whitby whale fishery ? 2 1837 Armstrong Chapman Whitby whale fishery 0 0 1838 Armstrong Chapman Whitby whale fishery 1839 Armstrong Chapman London—QuebecSources: Lloyd's Register. The information was only as current as owners chose to keep it. Also, Lloyd's Register published the next year's volume half-way through the previous year. Whaling data:Coltish (1842).

On 28 March 1838, Camden sailed to America.

Year Master Owner Trade Source & notes 1840 Armstrong Chapman London—Quebec LR; large repairs 1836 & small repairs 1841

On at least one of her voyages, in 1845, Camden brought back lumber for the naval dockyard at Chatham.

Fate Camden last appeared in Lloyd's Register in 1850. Her owner was still Chapman, but she had no master and no trade.Lloyd's Register (1850), Seq. №49. The last mention in ship arrival and departure data was in October 1845, when she sailed for Quebec.

Notes

Citations

References