Richard James

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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]

Comment on sources

  1. HCA 13/73 f.92r
  2. HCA 13/73 f.93r
  3. HCA 13/73 f.93v
  4. HCA 13/73 f.93v