Princess Royal

Princess Royal was a large, frigate-built ship launched at Liverpool in 1783. She made four voyages as a slave ship in the triangular trade in enslaved people before she grounded in 1789 and was condemned. Career Princess Royal entered Lloyd's Register in 1783 with J. Forbes, master. However, Captain William Sherwood was Princess Royals master for the entirety of her career as a slaver. In a list of leading slave captains over the period 1785–1807, he placed fifth. He made 12 enslaving voyages for four owners, and in six vessels. Sherwood made four voyages in Princess Royal in which he acquired captives primarily at the Bight of Biafra and Gulf of Guinea islands and took them to Havana. 1st voyage transporting enslaved people (1785): Sherwood sailed from Liverpool on 27 March 1785. He acquired captives at Bonny Island and delivered 480 to Havana in October. Princess Royal had started the voyage with 50 crew men, 13 of whom died on the voyage. She arrived back at Liverpool on 1 December.