Lot No: 8171

Certificate of Registration 1844 for the famous ex american whaler Truelove, together with an extract copy of an 1813 certificate and two relevant letters. The Truelove was constructed in Philadelphia in 1764, but was captured by the British in the American War of Independence and converted to a whaling ship in 1784 registered at Hull. It made over 80 voyages catching 500 whales and was the last pure sail ship in Baltic whaling fleets. It took relief supplies in the search for the Franklin expedition, during which time she was threatened with sinking due to pack ice several times but was the only unharmed ship of the twenty trapped by ice in Melville Bay. Captained for seventeen years by John Parker, who captained various whalers for 27 years, and who campaigned on behalf of the Inuit of Baffin Island, bringing a couple to Britain. Truelove changed to a general cargo ship in 1868 and in 1873 visited Philadelphia to celebrate her 109th ''birthday''. She was moored as a hulk in the Thames until broken up circa 1888 after 124 years of service. The Certificate of Registration, Hull, 1844, recites its origins in Philadelphia and that it had been previously registered at Hull in 1831, that John Parker was Master and gives a detailed description of its size, burthen and characteristics. The inside pages record changes in ownership and of Masters, including a reappearance of Parker in 1860/61 and William Barron (1861/62) who had started as an apprentice on the Truelove in 1849 and published a book 'Old Whaling Days' in 1895. Also William Wells (1854/60 & 1866/68), advisor to the Arctic explorer Benjamin Leigh Smith. Together with an extract copy of 1813 registration details mentioning the owner as William Voase of Hull, presumably a relative of John Voase, wine merchant, the first owner after the Truelove fell into British hands and who used it to ship wine from Portugal before converting it into a whaler; plus two letters and envelope (1897) from a Hull resident mentioning that he knew the Ward owners listed in the registration and also one of the crew.

Sale Price: £70.00