Ships’ logs and letters

Two pages from the ship’s log of William Wardlaw, master of HM Apollo. This ship is listed in the National Archives at Kew, but Captain Wardlaw is not mentioned, presumably because they don’t have this record. Dated July 1798, while sailing the Caisson Routes – to service engineering works along the Thames? A number of ship’s logs have survived as the personal property of the master.

Master of the Apollo

In 1802, P Sampson and Robert Wardlaw were Commanders of the Company ships, Dover Castle and Asia. Dover Castle was launched in 1798 by Wells. Deptford, for John Atkins; Captain Peter Sampson is recorded. In 1799, he undertook the direct voyage to Madras, and the second voyage (1801-03) was the Cormandel Coast and Bengal route, with Captain Wardlaw. The Asia was launched by Humble, Liverpool, for Robert Charnock. Captain Robert Wardlaw sailed the Coromandel Coast and Bengal route from 18.06.1799 to 27.09.1800, and 31.03.1801 to 15.07.1902, and again from 17.09.1806 to 09.09.1807. The Asia was wrecked on a sandbank in 1809. This extract confirms that the ships’ stores are forthcoming.

Filling the hold