This stamp of Mauritius designed after an aquatinting gives a view from the deck of the UPTON CASTLE a transport, of the British Army of the landing at Île de France made by R. Temple, The aquatinting is now in the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich.
First and sole edition of this superb and extremely scarce visual record of the British capture of Mauritius in 1810. The aquatinting is by the accomplished Scottish engraver John Heaviside Clark - also known as "Waterloo Clark" for his sketches made in the immediate aftermath of the battle from on-the-spot drawings by Robert Temple, serving with the 65th Regiment of Foot.
The first plate is a fine view from the deck of the transport ship UPTON CASTLE, nicely framed by the rigging of that vessel, capturing some of the bustle of the moment, with the amphibious landing taking place and troops forming up on the beach..
https://www.peterharrington.co.uk/eight ... 41697.html
Built as a wooden-hulled ship by the Bombay Dockyard for Thomas & H. Bomanjee
21 August 1793 launched as the UPTON CASTLE.
Tonnage 679 ton (bm), dim. 39.8 x 10.7m.
1802as given as owners Smith, Forbes, &Co. and Homanjee Bomanjee
UPTON CASTLE was launched in Bombay in 1793. She spent her career as a "country ship", that is trading in the Far East. She made some voyages to England, including at least one, in 1809, under charter to the British East India Company (EIC). She also participated in two military campaigns as a transport. The French Navy captured her in 1804, but she returned to British hands before 1809. A fire in 1817 destroyed her.
Career
One of UPTON CASTLE's owner, Thomas, was also her master in her early years. However, by 1801 her captain was John Pavin.
Around 1800-01 UPTON CASTLE's history becomes a little ambiguous. One report has her in the Red Sea as one of the many transports supporting General Baird's expedition to help General Ralph Abercromby expel the French from Egypt. However, between 13 April and 1800 and 10 April 1801 she had traveled from Bombay to England, having arrived at Portsmouth on 10 April. She sailed from Gravesend for India on 12 June.
UPTON CASTLE was a transport vessel for the British expedition to the Red Sea (1801)
In December 1801, UPTON CASTLE sailed, together with MARQUIS CORNWALLIS, BETSEY (an armed HEIC brig), some other vessels, and 1000 troops to Daman and Diu to persuade the Portuguese governor to resist any French incursion. The expedition was under the command of Captain John Mackellar, of the Royal Navy, whose own vessel, TERPSICHORE was not ready for sea. The governor accepted the British reinforcements, which, as it turned out, were not needed.
In August 1804 The French Admiral Linois was cruising in the Indian Ocean in MARENGO, together with the frigates ATALANTA and SÉMILLANTE. On the 06th, near the des Neoufs Channel, they encountered and captured two British merchantmen, CHARLOTTE and UPTON CASTLE. They were on their way to Bombay when Linois's squadron captured them.
Linois described CHARLOTTE as being copper-sheathed, of 650 tons and 16 guns. She was carrying a cargo of rice. UPTON CASTLE he described as being copper-sheathed, of 627 tons, and 14 guns. She was carrying a cargo of wheat and other products from Bengal. He sent both his prizes into Isle de France (Mauritius). She arrived at Ile de France in November, a few days prior to the 14th.
How CHARLOTTE and UPTON CASTLE returned to British hands is currently obscure. Still, CHARLOTTE was again in British hands by 1807, and UPTON CASTLE by 1809.
On 23 July 1809 Master Hugh Adams sailed her from Bombay for England. She was at the Cape of Good Hope on 15 September, reached Saint Helena on 7 October, and arrived at The Downs pm 22 December.
The British attacked Île de France and captured it on 3 December 1810. UPTON CASTLE was one of almost 30 transports that delivered troops and supplies for the invasion.
The British then chartered some nine vessels, UPTON CASTLE among them, as cartels to carry back to France the French troops that they had captured. UPTON CASTLE arrived at Morlaix on 19 March 1812
Between 1814 and 1817 UPTON CASTLE's master was Henry W. Beyts. In 1816 and 1817 he sailed her to China.
Fate
A fire destroyed UPTON CASTLE on 16 February 1817 at Saugor, near the mouth of the Ganges.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upton_Castle_(1793_ship)
Mauritius 1978 1R sg 539, scott?