Sea Captain John Johnson b 1777, d 1838

[nethercs]

I know John Johnson was, Master & Owner of the brig Ellen from 1829 until his death in 1838.  I know of this from the Lloyd's register and from his Will.

I am trying to identify his ship before the Ellen.  Having searched shipping lists etc I think that he may have captained the "Bang-up" - which was a coastal trader around England and made occasional voyages to Boston and Providence.  This would have been from April 1812 until January 1829.
 
Can anyone tell me whether John Johnson was indeed Master of the "Bang-Up" and anything about the "Bang-up"?

Thank you
Steve Nethercote
Melbourne, Australia

[seaweed]

I have searched every online database I know using the search terms Bang up, Bangup and Bang and the only information found concerns two later vessels, 1860/70's, both with the spelling BANGUP, one a fishing boat registered in Wexford and the other a small sailing vessel, 38 tons, registered in Hull. That doesn't mean to say a vessel with that name did not exist before these.
I can find several references in Lloyds List for Johnson and ELLEN.
Could you tell us where your information regarding Bang Up comes from? Masters pre 1845 are always difficult, not least because in the majority of records only a surname is given.

[nethercs]

Firstly, I am not formally claiming that the Bang-up is his boat, but it is a good candidate.

I went about finding it in a funny sort of a way.  I knew when and where he had sailed the Ellen from the newspaper shipping lists in the online British Newspaper Archives.   I know about the Ellen from his Will, and entries in Lloyd's register.

I knew from parish register entries that he had been a Master Mariner for many years before he took charge of the Ellen.  I went looking in the shipping lists for a boat captained by "Johnson" where a) Johnson was captain of the boat for a long time and b) ceases to be reported in the shipping lists just prior to being named in shipping lists as captain of the Ellen.  Johnson captained the Bang-Up from (at least) April 1812 until January 1829 when the frequent shipping list entries for "Bang-Up, Johnson" suddenly and completely stop.  The first shipping list to name him captain of the Ellen is April 1829. John Johnson married in 1810 and the Bang-Up was built in 1811 at Hull.   So, what I have is pretty circumstantial, but it does fit together fairly comfortably.   The Bang-Up was a coastal trader - which fits with a story that has been passed down about him. (Its not much of a story and I wont repeat it here.)

About the Bang-up.  "The Register of Shipping for 1822 by a Society of Merchants, Ship-owners and Underwriters" shows it to be a 48 ton single deck sloop, a London coastal trader and names the Master and Owner as Johnson.  (The register is on Google Books).

All of that is very nice, but there is a bit of a hole in it.  I know the Master/Owner of the Bang-Up has the surname Johnson, BUT I don't know his given name.  I would like it to be John, but it could be William, Thomas or Fred.  None of the records or lists I have seen have stated so much as a first initial.
Thank you for your interest and assistance
Steve Nethercote

[seaweed]

Given the information to hand, It seems to me that theres a good chance that BANG UP was registered in Hull. If so unless you have not already done so, you should contact Hull History Centre. They hold Muster Rolls http://www.hullhistorycentre.org.uk/discover/hull_history_centre/our_collections/source_guides/muster_rolls.aspx
and shipping registers http://www.hullhistorycentre.org.uk/discover/hull_history_centre/our_collections/source_guides/ships_and_shipping.aspx for the Port of Hull.
If there are records, then both sets of documents should give a Christian name and in the case of the registration documents details of the ship.
I understand their enquiry service has reasonable charges but you would have to ask.

[nethercs]

Thank you very much
I am writing to the Hull History Centre to ask them to look into this.

Is there a chance that it would have been registered in London?  London was his home base (at least from 1816 it was and may have been in earlier years)

Thank you again
Steve Nethercote

[seaweed]

As part of my original search I checked the British National Archive series BT111 Register of London ships (Coastal)  There was no reference to BANG UP.
I found reference to J Johnson and ELLEN in BT111/4 confirming that ELLEN, port number 116, entered the London Register 16/April/1829, Master J Johnson, possible previous master B Lightfoot.
I have found over the years that Newspapers and the Internet (including Lloyd's) can get it wrong and the information then becomes accepted fact, therefor I tend only to trust original documents such as the information you knew from his will.
See what comes back from Hull History Centre. If it draws a blank we can take it from there.

[nethercs]

Thank you
Steve Nethercote

[seaweed]

I don't know if you have seen this website
http://www.humberpacketboats.co.uk/keels2.htm
There is reference there to a sloop named BANG UP part owned by a Thomas Johnson. As I said in my previous post, I do not hold much store with this type of sketchy information, at a guess I think this may be the  38 tons, Hull registered vessel mentioned in my first post but it seems a coincidence regarding the surname. No point speculating wait and see what comes back from Hull.
Meanwill I suggest you take a look at The National Archive pieces BT111/2 and BT111/3 and BT111/4 these are the index to the London (Coastal) Shipping registers from 1803 until 1832. These are quite hefty volumes which can be downloaded for free. Rather than search for a ships name look for J Johnson.
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details/AssetMain?iaid=C408073
If you find anything, come back to me as I will be at the National Archives tomorrow.