Primary Sources:

'Whitehall, June 16. The Dutch Fleet having the tenth Instant in the evening made themselves masters of Sheerness, on the eleventh they advanced up the River of Medway, and though with much difficulty passed by several Vessels which had been sunk about Musselbank, which was the narrowest part of it, the better to put some stop to them in their passing; and with 22 sail came up towards the Chain . . . Part of the Enemies Fleet hath since this Action continued about Muscle-Bank, where on Friday were seen 24 sail, on Saturday only 14 . . . ' (6)

Secondary Sources:

The vessel's name suggests that her origins might have been in, or associated with, the slave trade. In particular, a vessel named the BARBADOS MERCHANT was recorded as making a slaving voyage in 1665, subsequently not heard of (which would fit well with the purchase of the BARBADOS MERCHANT as a fireship in 1666), while another contemporary BARBADOS MERCHANT was also recorded in the slave trade in 1667. This cannot have been the BARBADOS MERCHANT sunk in 1667 at the Medway since she was landing slaves in June 1667; however, these two show that the name has associations with the slave trade (7) and that therefore there is a strong likelihood of the vessel being identifiable with the 1665 slaving ship and/or of being involved in the trade. She has therefore been indexed as a slave ship in her earlier incarnation. (8)

In June 1667, during the Second Dutch War, the Dutch fleet under de Ruyter and de Witt(e), sailed into the rivers Thames and Medway to attack the English fleet laid up in their own harbours. On 10-JUN they attacked the fort at Sheerness, driving off the garrison and landing troops. They advanced up the Medway to the protective chain across the river at Upnor. The BARBADOS MERCHANT was one of a number of fireships scuttled by the English in front of them in an attempt to block their passage. In the event, they caused the Dutch few problems and the upperworks were set on fire by them as they left. The remains were sold in OCT-1667. (1)

The BARBADOS MERCHANT of 223 tons, 76 feet long x 23 feet 6 inches beam, sunk to block the Medway in 1667. Purchased for use as a fireship. (2)

Named as the BARBADOES. Purchased 1666 and sunk 1667 to block the Medway. (3)

'Two more fireships, the BARBADOS MERCHANT, and the DOLPHIN, two ketches (the EDWARD AND EVE, and the HIND) and the FORTUNE, a dogger (a small two-masted fishing boat) were accordingly also sunk at the Mussel Bank, but the work was done in haste . . . ' (4)

NB: An alternative form of the name as BARBADOES MERCHANT is also given, since the form BARBADOES was the conventional contemporary spelling.

Pepys commissioned James Norman, Clerk of the Survey at Chatham, to ascertain the physical damage to the ships and the financial loss represented thereby, detailed in an account of 17 August 1667 (Rawlinson MS A 195, ff106-7). The combined value of the BARBADOS MERCHANT, CONSTANT JOHN, DOLPHIN, JOHN AND SARAH and UNICORN, was assessed at £4,100, as 'utterly lost'.

A letter to the Navy Board of 4 October 1669 detailed the value of the wrecks still in the Medway. The 'bottom of the BARBADOS MERCHANT at Hoo Creek was assessed as worth £3 exactly, although the same 'bottom' had been sold at auction to Richard Boys of London for £3 15s.

The wrecks bought by Richard Boys were broken up in 1670. (5)

Location of breaking:

It is unclear which creek is intended by 'Hoo Creek', since there are three potential candidates: East Hoo Creek, Middle Creek, and West Hoo Creek. Thus the record for this vessel retains the named location for the Long Reach, covering the Mussel Bank, which lies between the East and Middle Creeks. This location is, however, for representative purposes only, and is not intended to be definitive. (8)

Purchased: 1666 (1)(2)(3)
Armament: 8 guns (1)(2)(3)
Owner: Royal Navy (1)(2)(3)

Date of Loss Qualifier: Actual date of loss

<1> British Warship losses in the Age of Sail 1650-1859 (Monograph). SKE6713.

<2> Larn, Richard and Bridget, 1995, Shipwreck index of the British Isles, volume 2 : Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Sussex, Kent (Mainland), Kent (Downs), Goodwin Sands, Thames (Bibliographic reference). SKE31910.

<3> Lists of Men of War 1650-1700 Part 1: English Sips 1649-1702 (Monograph). SKE6710.

<4> Peter Higginbotham, 2000, The Workhouse (Website). SKE56079.

<5> Rogers P G, 1970, The Dutch in the Medway (Bibliographic reference). SKE56188.

<6> 1765-, London Gazette (Newspaper). SKE56185.

<7> Peter Higginbotham, 2000, The Workhouse (Website). SKE56079.