''Truelove'' was a merchant ship, which served in the 18th and 19th centuries. The vessel was constructed in America in 1764, but was captured by the British in the
American War of Independence
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...
, and operated as both a
whaler and a general cargo ship until 1888, when she was broken up.
Description
''Truelove'' was a
full-rigged ship, with three masts and
square rig. She was constructed with a "tumble home" design, with her hull sides (
topsides) sloping inwards to the upper decks from the water line. Her topsides were constructed with planks overlapping in such a way as to allow water to drain freely from the upper decks. The ship's usual maximum speed was . While operating as a merchant ship, she was fitted with twelve guns for defence against French attack.
The Truelove is commemorated with a sculpture in Hull by Stefan Gec.
Service history
''Truelove'' was launched in
Philadelphia in 1764. The vessel was captured by the British during the American War of Independence, when she operated as an American
privateer, and was bought by a shipowner for use as a cargo ship in the wine trade to
Oporto. After a refit in 1784, which involved strengthening the vessel's hull, she began work as a
whaler in the Arctic, based at
Hull
Hull may refer to:
Structures
* Chassis, of an armored fighting vehicle
* Fuselage, of an aircraft
* Hull (botany), the outer covering of seeds
* Hull (watercraft), the body or frame of a ship
* Submarine hull
Mathematics
* Affine hull, in affi ...
, although she was occasionally used for other cargo. In 1849, the ship carried relief supplies in support of
Franklin's lost expedition, during which time she was threatened with sinking several times due to
pack ice, including one instance when she was trapped for six weeks in
Melville Bay.
Notable whaling captains of the Truelove included
John Parker, William Barron, and
William Wells (1854-1860 & 1866-67) The vessel retired from whaling in 1868, having completed 72 voyages. After this time, she was still capable of being used as a general cargo ship. She was eventually broken up, probably around 1888, after 124 years of near continuous service.
References
External links
Watercolour of Truelove of Hull by David Johnson Kennedy at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania
Oil painting of Truelove of Hull by William Robert Nixon
{{DEFAULTSORT:Truelove (ship)
1764 ships
Whaling ships