Home Castle was launched in Aberdeen in 1811. From 1813 on she was a whaler in the British northern whale fishery (Greenland and Davis Strait). She was lost in 1829, while whaling in Davis Strait.
Career Home Castle first appeared in the Register of Shipping (RS) and in Lloyd's Register in 1813.RS (1813), Seq.No.H700.LR (1813), Supple. pages "H", Seq. No.H26.
Year Master Owner Trade Source 1813 G.Wallis Boyd & Co. London–LeithLeith–Davis Strait RS 1813 G.Wallace C.White & Co. Leith–Davis Strait LR
Home Castle then made 16 annual voyages to the Northern Whale Fishery, being lost on her last. Between 1813 and 1824, she sailed from Bo'ness (Borrowstounness). Then from 1825, to her loss she sailed from Leith.Scottish Arctic Voyages: Home Castle. Even when she belonged to Leith, she would go up to Bo'ness to boil her oil there and to overwinter.
The data below came primarily from Coltish:
Year Master Where Whales Tuns whale oil 1814 Wallace Greenland 7 52.5 1815 Wallace Davis Strait 4 27 1816 Wallace Davis Strait 4 30
On her way to Davis Strait in early 1816, Home Castle became leaky and had to put into Burnt Islands, Newfoundland and Labrador to effect repairs.
Year Master Where Whales Tuns whale oil 1817 Wallace Davis Strait 8 61 1818 Robertson Davis Strait 5 34 1819 Wallace Davis Strait 13 1820 Wallace Davis Strait 16 108.5 1821 Wallace Greenland 17 81.5 1822 Wallace Greenland 1 6 1823 Wallace Greenland 18 108.5 1824 Wallace Davis Strait 3 1825 Wallace Davis Strait 1 6.5 1826 Wallace Davis Strait 3 17.5 1827 Stewart (or Stuart) Davis Strait 19 194 1828 Stewart Davis Strait 15 82 1829 Stewart Davis Strait
Fate Home Castle was wrecked on the coast of the Davis Strait, either while crossing or after having crossed Melville Bay. Ice closed in on her, crushing her on 8 July. She was just behind Eagle, so close that Home Castles jib boom projected over Eagles taffrail, but Eagle was unharmed.
Lady Jane rescued two of Home Castles crew and took them into Newcastle.
Of 88 or 89 ships, only four were lost.
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