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National Maritime Museum

Hamilton, Commander Archibald (1778-1848)


IDENTITY STATEMENT

Reference code(s): GB 0064 HMN/25-141

Held at: National Maritime Museum

Title: Hamilton, Commander Archibald (1778-1848)

Date(s): [1734-1785]

Level of description: sub-fonds

Extent: 6ft; 186cm

Name of creator(s): Hamilton | Archibald | 1778-1848 | East India Captain | merchant

CONTEXT

Administrative/Biographical history:

Archibald Hamilton, younger brother of John Hamilton, served in the East India Company's ship, BOMBAY CASTLE as Fourth Mate in 1798. He was given command of a French prize LA MEDEE, which was captured off Brazil in 1800. He then succeeded his brother in the command of the BOMBAY CASTLE, 1802, and made two voyages in her to Bombay and China. His ship was one of the East India Company's China fleet under Sir Nathaniel Dance (1748-1827) when the French squadron was beaten off in 1804, off Pulo Aor, in the Straits of Malacca. A court of enquiry into charges of misconduct was held during the final voyage of the BOMBAY CASTLE. Her successor, the BOMBAY, made four voyages with Hamilton commanding between 1810 and 1820; the first two were to China and the latter two to Bombay and China.

CONTENT

Scope and content/abstract:

Papers of Capt Archibald Hamilton, consisting of journals, owners' instructions, accounts of stores, navigational work books, cash books, as well as accounts of the engagement off Pulo Aor and the subsequent court of enquiry. There are also private and general trade accounts and several items of economic interest, including a fabric pattern sample book the papers relate to Montgomerie Hamilton, younger brother of Archibald. There are a number of logs of other East India Company ships, 1765 to 1785, and some papers of William Reid, relating to trade with North America, 1734 to 1735.

ACCESS AND USE

Language/scripts of material: English

System of arrangement:

Conditions governing access:

Please contact the Archive for further information.

Conditions governing reproduction:

Please contact the Archive for further information.

Finding aids:

Detailed catalogue online at the: National Maritime Museum website .

ARCHIVAL INFORMATION

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

The papers are part of the Hamilton (East India) collection, presented between 1965 and 1968 by Lieutenant-Commander John Hamilton, RN.

ALLIED MATERIALS

DESCRIPTION NOTES

Archivist's note: Edited by Sarah Drewery, Jul 2011.

Rules or conventions: Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Date(s) of descriptions: 2010-08-26


INDEX ENTRIES
Subjects
International trade | Trade
Merchant shipping | Maritime transport | Transport
Naval battles | Battles
Administration of justice
Shipping
Trade (practice)
Water transport

Personal names
Hamilton | Archibald | 1778-1848 | East India Captain | merchant

Corporate names
East India Company

Places
Malaysia | South East Asia
North America