''Earl Spencer'' was built in Brazil. 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 ...

'' in 1799 as foreign built,''Lloyd's Register'' (1799), №E470.
/ref> with later editions specifying "Brazil". She made two seal-hunting voyages to South Georgia between 1799 and 1802, being wrecked there on the second. Captain William Beacon received a letter of marque for ''Earl Spencer'' on 3 August 1799. She was listed on the Protection List in 1799 and 1800; the lists protected the crews of certain vessels, such as whalers, from

impressment Impressment, colloquially "the press" or the "press gang", is the taking of men into a military or naval force by compulsion, with or without notice. European navies of several nations used forced recruitment by various means. The large size of ...

, at least on the outbound leg of a voyage. ''Earl Spencer'' sailed in 1800 to South Georgia on her first sealing voyage. At the time of her visit she was the largest vessel to have visited to that date. ''

Lloyd's List ''Lloyd's List'' is one of the world's oldest continuously running journals, having provided weekly shipping news in London as early as 1734. It was published daily until 2013 (when the final print issue, number 60,850, was published), and is ...

'' reported on 2 May 1800 that ''Earl Spencer'' was at South Georgia. She was reported to be returning from the South Seas on 22 December 1800, dismasted and leaky. She put into Plymouth, having lost her masts in a heavy gale on the 13th. She was carrying 500 tons of spermaceti oil and seal skins. She finally returned to London on 3 February 1801.
BSWF Database – voyages: ''Earl Spencer''.] ''Earl Spencer'' sailed a second time for South Georgia on 15 May 1801 under the command of Captain William Beacon (or Bacon, or Beyton). She was lost there towards the end of 1801 or early 1802 when she drifted from her anchors and was wrecked. However, the crew was saved. She was valued at £8,000. The ''Register of Shipping'' for 1802 gave the name of her master as W. Beaton, and had the notation "LOST" against her name.''Register of Shipping'' (1802), Seq. №E48.
/ref> ''Earl Spencer'' was last listed in ''Lloyd's Register'' for 1803 (published in 1802).''Lloyd's Register'' (1803), Seq. №E48.
/ref>

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* * * {{1802 shipwrecks 1790s ships Ships built in Brazil Whaling ships Sealing ships Maritime incidents in 1801 Maritime incidents in 1802 Individual sailing vessels Age of Sail merchant ships Shipwrecks in the Southern Ocean