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This vessel, previously named Lively^[1] possibly HMS Lively^[2], was one of a number of privateers to carry the name Saint George. See Privateers named Saint (or St.) George for a list of others to carry this name.

A Declaration for Letters of Marque for the vessel, named the Saint George, dated 22 December 1756, is outlined in the TNA catalogue entry for HCA 26/6/137.

The history of the vessel after the engagement of May 1757, and the death of Captain Devonshire, is not at all clear. However, the catalogue entry for HCA 26/7/149 details a Declaration for Letters of Marque under the name St George in June 1757, for which all the named crew members except the Captain, are identical to those listed for the original Saint George declaration. It is possible that this is the same ship, although the details provided for burden, crew numbers, and armaments, all differ from those specified for the Saint George.

Contents 1 Owners 2 Captain 3 Crew 3.1 Known crew Members:

[edit] Owners

The owners are listed in the declaration as being a group of merchants from London, of whom at least James Manbey, Christopher Huddy and Griffiths Hore are known to have been based in Wapping, as also was John Preswick, who owned a share in Lively, but who had almost certainly died shortly before the date of the above declaration.^[3]

[edit] Captain

• December 1756, Feb 1757: Israel Devonshire^[4][5]
• March 1757: Captain Devonshire^[6]
• May 1757: Captain Devonshire was killed during an engagement in which the Marquis D'Aumont Privateer from Bordeaux was captured, and the Dinwidde from Virginia for Bristol, was retaken.^[7]

[edit] Crew

With a crew of c.240 ^[4], this ship was relatively very well manned when compared with other ships applying for Letters of Marque at around the same time. It is likely that this was in anticipation of requiring a significant 'fighting force' in addition to the crew required to sail the vessel. A newspaper advertisement for crew members was published in February 1757^[5], offering advance payment of 6 Guineas for "Gentlemen sailors" and 3 guineas for "able bodied landmen", and explicitly excluding the recruitment of crew "belonging to His Majestys Service". Samuel Withers, whose will is referred to below, was no doubt one of the able bodied landmen enticed by the offer of 3 guineas.

[edit] Known crew Members:

• Wills, Thomas. Listed as Surgeon in the original Declaration for Letters of Marque, his will was proved in 1759.
• Withers, Samuel. A tailor from London, his will written in March 1757 records that he is "now going out in the Saint George Privateer"

1. ↑ Reference to the name change in PROB 31/401/134, an inventory which contains details of ships, or shares of ships, belonging to John Preswick, Sail Cloth Maker of Wapping.
2. ↑ An advertisement for crew in the Public Advertiser of Feb 2 1757 refers to this. The Wikipedia entry for HMS Lively suggests there was a ship of this name sold in 1750, which is supported by the catalogue entry for ADM 354/142/31 which references a proposal to sell the Lively.
3. ↑ PROB 31/401/134
4. ↑ ^4.0 4.1 Declaration for Letters of Marque. HCA 26/6/137
5. ↑ ^5.0 5.1 Advertisement for crew in Public Advertiser of Feb 2 1757
6. ↑ Will of Samuel Withers, Tailor now going out in the Saint George Privateer of Saint Luke London. 1766. PROB 11/921
7. ↑ Public Advertiser of 28 May 1757 and British Spy or The Universal London Weekly Journal of June 4 1757