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Lot Essay
These paintings form part of a series of four works commissioned by Captain John Lennon (1768-1846), an officer in the merchant navy, to commemorate the action between the Cowes-built barque Hibernia, and the American privateer Comet on 11th January 1814. There is also a set of these pictures thought to be by a pupil of Whitcombe's in the National Collection at Greenwich (see Concise Catalogue of Oil Paintings in the National Maritime Museum, Suffolk, 1988, BHC0605 - BHC0605h, p. 439 & 489).
Born on 12th November 1768 in Downpatrick, County Down, Ireland, little is known of Lennon’s early life, but it is thought that he served as a midshipman in the Royal Navy during the American War of Independence (1775-1782). By 1796, however, he was working on merchant ships in the West Indies where he was captured by a French privateer and held prisoner for four months in Havana. He seems to have led a colourful life in the West Indies, but his most remarkable exploits were when he was Captain of the barque Hibernia. Commissioned by Lennon, Hibernia carried 18 carronades and 2 long-pounders, though when fully laden with cargo she carried more guns than crew to operate them. She was launched at Cowes on 10th February 1810 before setting sail for Martinique on her maiden voyage on 14th March, and for the next few years she operated from the island of St Thomas, in the Virgin Islands.
In April 1812 after war broke out with America, orders were issued that no merchant vessels should sail without a convoy in order to avoid the danger of American privateers. Lennon’s restless nature was not suited to these restrictions and in September 1812 he obtained a dispensation to depart without a convoy from Governor Maclean, along with three other merchant vessels with a combined cargo worth £500,000. After setting sail on 13th September, he soon ran into the American privateer Rossie who, after a running fight on 19th - 20th September continued to harass the convoy most of the way back to England.
Fifteen months later whilst returning to St Thomas on 11th January 1814, the Hibernia was attacked off the island of Saba by the schooner Comet of Baltimore, an American privateer of 16-guns and 136 men under the command of Captain Boyl. In 1813, Lennon had reduced the number of his guns to 6 and so found himself vastly outnumbered by the superior force of Comet. However after a fierce nine hour fight overnight, during which 12 out of his crew of 22 were killed, Lennon successfully fought off the Comet. He returned to St Thomas, with the ship looking slightly bruised and battered, to receive the heartfelt congratulations of the inhabitants of the island. The merchant community donated 50 guineas for a commemorative sword, a subscription of £550 was raised for the crew, and an inscribed silver salver, costing £105, was bought for Lennon. Two lawsuits followed with the underwriters of the Hibernia's cargo (insured for £40,000), who refused to pay any part of the repair costs. As a result Lennon and his owners were liable for £8,000 damages, not half of which would have been incurred if Lennon had surrendered.
The incident remained one of the defining moments of Lennon’s career, inspiring him to commission this series of paintings from Whitcombe on his return to England. He also recalled the incident in his reminiscences, published in 1841 as Chivalry of the Merchant Marine by D. Burn, prompting calls for him to be knighted for his services. Although these were unsuccessful they formed part of a campaign to promote and encourage the merchant navy.
Born on 12th November 1768 in Downpatrick, County Down, Ireland, little is known of Lennon’s early life, but it is thought that he served as a midshipman in the Royal Navy during the American War of Independence (1775-1782). By 1796, however, he was working on merchant ships in the West Indies where he was captured by a French privateer and held prisoner for four months in Havana. He seems to have led a colourful life in the West Indies, but his most remarkable exploits were when he was Captain of the barque Hibernia. Commissioned by Lennon, Hibernia carried 18 carronades and 2 long-pounders, though when fully laden with cargo she carried more guns than crew to operate them. She was launched at Cowes on 10th February 1810 before setting sail for Martinique on her maiden voyage on 14th March, and for the next few years she operated from the island of St Thomas, in the Virgin Islands.
In April 1812 after war broke out with America, orders were issued that no merchant vessels should sail without a convoy in order to avoid the danger of American privateers. Lennon’s restless nature was not suited to these restrictions and in September 1812 he obtained a dispensation to depart without a convoy from Governor Maclean, along with three other merchant vessels with a combined cargo worth £500,000. After setting sail on 13th September, he soon ran into the American privateer Rossie who, after a running fight on 19th - 20th September continued to harass the convoy most of the way back to England.
Fifteen months later whilst returning to St Thomas on 11th January 1814, the Hibernia was attacked off the island of Saba by the schooner Comet of Baltimore, an American privateer of 16-guns and 136 men under the command of Captain Boyl. In 1813, Lennon had reduced the number of his guns to 6 and so found himself vastly outnumbered by the superior force of Comet. However after a fierce nine hour fight overnight, during which 12 out of his crew of 22 were killed, Lennon successfully fought off the Comet. He returned to St Thomas, with the ship looking slightly bruised and battered, to receive the heartfelt congratulations of the inhabitants of the island. The merchant community donated 50 guineas for a commemorative sword, a subscription of £550 was raised for the crew, and an inscribed silver salver, costing £105, was bought for Lennon. Two lawsuits followed with the underwriters of the Hibernia's cargo (insured for £40,000), who refused to pay any part of the repair costs. As a result Lennon and his owners were liable for £8,000 damages, not half of which would have been incurred if Lennon had surrendered.
The incident remained one of the defining moments of Lennon’s career, inspiring him to commission this series of paintings from Whitcombe on his return to England. He also recalled the incident in his reminiscences, published in 1841 as Chivalry of the Merchant Marine by D. Burn, prompting calls for him to be knighted for his services. Although these were unsuccessful they formed part of a campaign to promote and encourage the merchant navy.