John Dawson | |
---|---|
Died | 1812 |
Nationality | British |
Occupation(s) | Ship's captain and owner of slave ships |
John Dawson (died 1812) was a Liverpool slave trader. [1]
Captain John Dawson, in Mentor, captured the French East Indiaman Carnatic. When Carnatic came into Liverpool, she was said to be worth £135,000 and the richest prize ever taken and brought safe into port by a Liverpool privateer. Part of the value was due to a box of diamonds that had been found on her. [2] Dawson married the daughter of Peter Baker, the shipbuilder who owned Mentor, and became a partner in the firm of Baker and Dawson. [3]
In the period between 1783 and 1792, Dawson and his partner Peter Baker, were the largest firm of slave traders in Great Britain. [4] In 1790, Dawson owned 19 slave ships, with an average value of £10,000 [5](about £1.5 million today). By the early 1790s, the partners' vessels had completed over 100 voyages. Baker & Dawson became one of the biggest slave-trading partnerships in late 18th-century Liverpool.
In 1786, Baker and Dawson, had a contract with the Spanish Government to supply slaves to Spanish America. Their vessels delivered more than 11,000 slaves. [3] It was estimated that the captives they provided had a value of £350,000. [6]
Baker and Dawson were the largest firm of slave traders in England. Vessels they owned, individually or together, included:
In January 1782 Dawson employed James Irving as a surgeon on his slave ship Prosperity, captained by James Murphy and based in Liverpool. [9]
Baker and Dawson often re-employed the same captains for their slave voyages. From 1785 to 1795 Thomas Molyneux captained six voyages, Joseph Withers and William Forbes five voyages, and Joseph Fayrer four. [4]
The contract that Baker and Dawson with the Spanish government to supply slaves to Spanish America caused the partners to over-reach themselves. [3] During the credit crisis of 1793, [10] Dawson was declared bankrupt in 1793, owing £500,000 (about £74 million today). [3] [11]
After bankruptcy, Dawson returned to enslaving.
John Dawson | |
---|---|
Died | 1812 |
Nationality | British |
Occupation(s) | Ship's captain and owner of slave ships |
John Dawson (died 1812) was a Liverpool slave trader. [1]
Captain John Dawson, in Mentor, captured the French East Indiaman Carnatic. When Carnatic came into Liverpool, she was said to be worth £135,000 and the richest prize ever taken and brought safe into port by a Liverpool privateer. Part of the value was due to a box of diamonds that had been found on her. [2] Dawson married the daughter of Peter Baker, the shipbuilder who owned Mentor, and became a partner in the firm of Baker and Dawson. [3]
In the period between 1783 and 1792, Dawson and his partner Peter Baker, were the largest firm of slave traders in Great Britain. [4] In 1790, Dawson owned 19 slave ships, with an average value of £10,000 [5](about £1.5 million today). By the early 1790s, the partners' vessels had completed over 100 voyages. Baker & Dawson became one of the biggest slave-trading partnerships in late 18th-century Liverpool.
In 1786, Baker and Dawson, had a contract with the Spanish Government to supply slaves to Spanish America. Their vessels delivered more than 11,000 slaves. [3] It was estimated that the captives they provided had a value of £350,000. [6]
Baker and Dawson were the largest firm of slave traders in England. Vessels they owned, individually or together, included:
In January 1782 Dawson employed James Irving as a surgeon on his slave ship Prosperity, captained by James Murphy and based in Liverpool. [9]
Baker and Dawson often re-employed the same captains for their slave voyages. From 1785 to 1795 Thomas Molyneux captained six voyages, Joseph Withers and William Forbes five voyages, and Joseph Fayrer four. [4]
The contract that Baker and Dawson with the Spanish government to supply slaves to Spanish America caused the partners to over-reach themselves. [3] During the credit crisis of 1793, [10] Dawson was declared bankrupt in 1793, owing £500,000 (about £74 million today). [3] [11]
After bankruptcy, Dawson returned to enslaving.