ROVER mail cutter 1794
Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2020 8:45 pm
The first British government mail packet service came about when France entered the American War of Independence, on the side of the rebellious colonists against the British in 1778. It was discontinued five years later, at the end of the war, but resumed in February 1794 when the Post Office inaugurated a weekly mail service between Weymouth and St Helier, with two sailing cutters, the ROYAL CHARLOTTE and the ROVER. In suitable weather, they could make the 96-mile crossing in 16 hours
In February 1794, two post-office packets, both cutters of about eighty tons, commenced running weekly from Weymouth to these islands; their names were the CHESTERFIELD, Captain James Wood, and ROVER, Captain Joseph [Joshua] Bennett: they sailed alternately on the Saturday evening, and, with a fair wind, reached this island on a Sunday morning. In 1811, another cutter, the FRANCIS FREELING, was also placed on the station, and from that time the packets have continued to ply twice a week, leaving Weymouth on the Wednesday and Saturday evenings
ROVER
The ROVER, commanded by Captain Joshua Bennet, joined the EARL OF CHESTERFIELD as the first vessels to carry official mail between England and the Channel Islands in 1794.
These two cutters were identical in appearance, both built of oak at Bridport in Dorset. They weighed 80 tons and were 50ft in length with a 12ft beam. During the war, they were armed with carriage guns and small arms.
The crossing from Weymouth (in good weather) took these vessels 16 hours for a distance of 85 miles.
The ROVER was wrecked on rocks off Alderney in about 1825 but the crew and passengers were saved.
https://www.theislandwiki.org/index.php ... port_-_sea
Jersey 2020 54p sg?, scott?
In February 1794, two post-office packets, both cutters of about eighty tons, commenced running weekly from Weymouth to these islands; their names were the CHESTERFIELD, Captain James Wood, and ROVER, Captain Joseph [Joshua] Bennett: they sailed alternately on the Saturday evening, and, with a fair wind, reached this island on a Sunday morning. In 1811, another cutter, the FRANCIS FREELING, was also placed on the station, and from that time the packets have continued to ply twice a week, leaving Weymouth on the Wednesday and Saturday evenings
ROVER
The ROVER, commanded by Captain Joshua Bennet, joined the EARL OF CHESTERFIELD as the first vessels to carry official mail between England and the Channel Islands in 1794.
These two cutters were identical in appearance, both built of oak at Bridport in Dorset. They weighed 80 tons and were 50ft in length with a 12ft beam. During the war, they were armed with carriage guns and small arms.
The crossing from Weymouth (in good weather) took these vessels 16 hours for a distance of 85 miles.
The ROVER was wrecked on rocks off Alderney in about 1825 but the crew and passengers were saved.
https://www.theislandwiki.org/index.php ... port_-_sea
Jersey 2020 54p sg?, scott?