Richard James
| Richard James | |
|---|---|
| Person | Richard James |
| Title | |
| First name | Richard |
| Middle name(s) | |
| Last name | James |
| Suffix | |
| Spouse of | |
| Widow of | |
| Occupation | |
| Secondary shorebased occupation | |
| Mariner occupation | Boatswain |
| Associated with ship(s) | Oporto Merchant (Master: Thomas Chevers) |
| Training | Not apprentice |
| Is apprentice of | |
| Was apprentice of | |
| Had apprentice(s) | |
| Citizen | Unknown |
| Literacy | Signature |
| Has opening text | Richard James |
| Has signoff text | Richard James |
| Signoff image | (Invalid transcription image) |
| Language skills | English language |
| Has interpreter | |
| Birth street | |
| Birth parish | |
| Birth town | |
| Birth county | |
| Birth province | |
| Birth country | |
| Res street | Limehouse |
| Res parish | Stepney |
| Res town | |
| Res county | Middlesex |
| Res province | |
| Res country | England |
| Birth year | 1629 |
| Marriage year | |
| Death year | |
| Probate date | |
| First deposition age | 30 |
| Primary sources | |
| Act book start page(s) | |
| Personal answer start page(s) | |
| Allegation start page(s) | |
| Interrogatories page(s) | |
| Deposition start page(s) | HCA 13/73 f.93r Annotate |
| Chancery start page(s) | |
| Letter start page(s) | |
| Miscellaneous start page(s) | |
| Act book date(s) | |
| Personal answer date(s) | |
| Allegation date(s) | |
| Interrogatories date(s) | |
| Deposition date(s) | Mar 10 1659 |
| How complete is this biography? | |
| Has infobox completed | Yes |
| Has synthesis completed | No |
| Has HCA evidence completed | No |
| Has source comment completed | No |
| Ship classification | |
| Type of ship | Merchant ship |
| Silver Ship litigation in 1650s | |
| Role in Silver Ship litigation | None |
Biographical synthesis
Richard James (b. ca. 1629; d. ?). Boatswain of the Oporto Merchant.
Resident in 1659 in Limehouse.
Evidence from High Court of Admiralty
Thirty year old Richard James deposed on March 10th 1659 in the High Court of Admiralty. He was examined in the case of "Rowland Hill John Hill and Company owners of the Oporto Merchant. Thomas Chevers master against Sir James Drax Knight Richard Higgins Tho: Kendall, James Wych and Robert Welding merchants in particular and all others in generall that have or pretend to have any rights, titles, or interest in the goods wares and merchandizes lately brought in the sayd ship to this port from the Barbadoes in a cause of damage and average".[1]
Richard James stated that the Oporto Merchant was coming from Barbados laden with sugars, cottons and some indigo for the account of Sir James Drax, Mr Wood and other London merchants. But the ship was caught in a violent storm on January 20th 1659. To preserve the ship and the crews' lives "her Company ranne her before the sea, under her forecourse halfe mast high; and which they ranne her soe, her stemme gave way way."[2] As a result her captain and crew "foreced to hand their forecourse; or foresaile, and lye under a mizen."[3] While the ship lay so "the said shipps tiller was broken by the violence of the said storme, and did much endanger the looseing of the rudder and sterne poast of the said ship, and saith that at the helme port where her tiller was broken the said ship receaved much water in her hold." The ship's missen sail was torn and blown away.[4]
