Henry Wellesley (1804 ship)

Henry Wellesley was a barque built in 1804 by Bacon, Harvey & Company at Calcutta, British India. In 1808 a French privateer captured her, but she returned to British ownership. Between 1820 and 1824 she was a whaler that made three voyages to the British southern whale fishery. Later, she twice transported women convicts from England to Port Jackson, New South Wales. She was wrecked near Calais in 1841.

Career
In September 1808 the French privateer Hirondelle captured Henry Wellesley, Wilkinson, master, near Ganjam. She returned to British ownership by means that are currently obscure.

Henry Wellesley entered Lloyd's Register (LR), in 1812.

In March 1812 Lloyd's List reported that Henry Wellesley had been on her way to Île de France when she had grounded between Gravesend, Kent and the Downs. She had lost her false keel and was expected to have to go into dock at Portsmouth and unload. By 3 June she was at Madeira, on her way to the CGH, the Cape, and Mauritius. On 21 August Henry Wellesley, Groube, master, had reached the Cape.

Henry Wellesley sailed from Bengal on 24 September 1813. She arrived at the Cape on 7 December and sailed from there on 13 December. On 4 January 1814 Henry Wellesley, Teeple, master, sailed from St Helena. On 14 March she was off Folkestone.

Henry Wellesley changed her registration to Great Britain on 20 May 1814.

Henry Wellesley, Spain, master, sailed from Gravesend on 27 July, bound for Martinique.

Cole sailed from Cork for Jamaica on 22 November 1819. On 31 May 1820 Henry Wellesley was at Deal, returning from Jamaica.

Cole did not sail to India. Instead, next Henry Wellesley became a whaler. 1st whaling voyage (1820–1821): Captain Brydon (or Bryon) sailed from London on 18 October 1820, bound for the south seas. Henry Wellesley hunted whales at the New South Shetland Islands (where she had arrived on 1 February 1821), and Delagoa Bay (where she had arrived on 1 June). She returned to England on 5 November 1821 with ten casks of whale oil, ten casks of blubber, and "fins". 2nd whaling voyage (1822–1823): Captain Luke, and the outward bound fleet, sailed from Deal on 24 February 1822. Henry Wellesley was at Falmouth on 14 March, and had to put back on 16 March. By 28 March she was at 41.18333°N, -12.5°W. Henry Wellesley again hunted whales at the South Shetland Islands and Delagoa Bay. On 29 August she was at St Helena, having come from the south seas. On 15 September she sailed again for the south seas. On 9 October she was at -33.68333°N, 2°W. She returned to England early in 1823 with 100 casks of whale oil, and "fins". 3rd whaling voyage (1823–1824): Captain Luke sailed from England for the South Seas on 14 March 1823. On 1 April 1823 Henry Wellesley was at the Cape, having come from Saldanha Bay and London. On 23 June she was off the Cape. Henry Wellesley was reported to have been at the Cape of Good Hope and St Helena in 1823. She returned to England on 9 February 1824.

1st convict voyage (1835–1836): Under the command of Benjamin Freeman and surgeon Robert Wylie, Henry Wellesley departed Portsmouth, England on 7 October 1835, and arrived in Sydney on 7 February 1836. She had embarked 118 female convicts and had five convict deaths en route. Henry Wellesley departed Port Jackson on 20 March bound for Batavia in ballast.

2nd convict voyage (1837): Henry Wellesley sailed from Woolwich on 20 July 1837, under the command of Edward Williams and surgeon William Leyson; she arrived in Sydney on 22 December. She had initially embarked 140 female convicts, relanded one, and she arrived with 139; she had no convict deaths en route. Henry Wellesley departed Port Jackson on 10 February 1838 bound for Batavia via King George's Sound, with cargo.

Henry Wellesley sailed from Batavia on 2 January 1839 to Port Adelaide arriving on 5 March, then to Sydney arriving on 18 March. She then sailed for Batavia, before returning to Sydney in September and a voyage to Hobart Town, before again sailing for Batavia.

Fate
While she was traveling from London to Hobart Town, Henry Wellesley went aground near Calais on 25 May 1841 and was wrecked.

The volume for 1841 of Lloyd's Register carried the annotation "Wrecked" by Henry Wellesley's name.