''Harpooner'' was launched at Whitby in 1769, or possibly a few years later. Her early career is obscure. She may have been a Greenland

whaler A whaler or whaling ship is a specialized vessel, designed or adapted for whaling: the catching or processing of whales. Terminology The term ''whaler'' is mostly historic. A handful of nations continue with industrial whaling, and one, Japa ...

between 1786 and 1792. She appeared in ''Lloyd's Register'' in 1801, and thereafter traded across the Atlantic. She was wrecked in 1816 with heavy loss of life.

Career

''Harpooner'' first appeared in the ''Register of Shipping'' (''RS'') with Krushaw, master, Richards, owner, and trade Southampton–Baltic. She was of 340 tons burthen and had undergone a good repair in 1799. However, her entry carried the annotation, "Lost".''RS'' (1800), Seq.№92.
/ref> Apparently ''Harpooner'' was not irretrievably lost as she entered ''

Lloyd's Register Lloyd's Register Group Limited (LR) is a technical and professional services organisation and a maritime classification society, wholly owned by the Lloyd’s Register Foundation, a UK charity dedicated to research and education in science and ...

'' (''LR'') in 1801 with Kneeshaw, master, Richeson, owner, and trade London–St Petersburg. She also had undergone a good repair in 1800, and now had a burthen of 370 tons.''LR'' (1801), "H" supple. pages, Seq.№H88.
/ref> In 1802 her trade changed to London–Quebec. On 27 June 1810 ''Harpooner'', of Whitby, Davie, master, rescued the crew of ''William & Agnes''. ''William & Agnes'', W. Fernie, master, had foundered in the Atlantic Ocean at while on her way to Quebec. The 1816 volume of ''LR'' showed ''Harpooner'' with J. Simpson, master, changing to J. Briant, Richardson, owner, and trade London transport.''LR'' (1816), Seq.№H200.
/ref>

Fate

''Harpooner'', Bryant, master, was wrecked on 10 November 1816 at

Cape Pine The Headland of Cape Pine is the point of land marking the boundary of Trepassey Bay on the Avalon Peninsula of the island of Newfoundland in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is the most southerly point in Newfoundland; a ...

Newfoundland Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...

, with the loss of 208 of the 385 people on board. She was on a voyage from

Quebec City Quebec City ( or ; french: Ville de Québec), officially Québec (), is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Quebec. As of July 2021, the city had a population of 549,459, and the Communauté métrop ...

to an English port. Her passengers came from the

76th Regiment of Foot The 76th Regiment of Foot was a British Army regiment, raised in 1787. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 33rd (Duke of Wellington's) Regiment to form the Duke of Wellington's Regiment in 1881. History Formation The regiment ...

and a detachment from the 4th Veterans Battalion. There were also staff officers, and women and children. The military records of Captain Mathew Henry Willock, of the 103rd Regiment, show that in 1817 he received a medal from His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex and the Royal Humane Society for saving the lives of troops under lord Howard of Effingham's command on board ''Harpooner''. Willock also received a pension of £100 per annum for life for his actions on ''Harpooner''. (Returns of British Army Officers covering 1790s-1830's (UK National Archives WO-25-789) 21st-25th Regiments of Foot)

Notes, citations, and references

Notes Citations References * *
The National Archives (United Kingdom)
��wiki for users of The National Archives {{1816 shipwrecks 1769 ships Ships built in Whitby Whaling ships Age of Sail merchant ships of England Maritime incidents in 1810 Maritime incidents in 1816