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Originally a French Privateer La Brave, she was taken in May 1803 and presented to the Royal Navy by the people of Barbados. Sailing under Captain Joseph Nourse she captured another French privateer, the Napoleon after only four days. This was fol¬lowed by numerous other victories at sea involving French and Spanish vessels around the Caribbean and in European and Atlantic waters before she was badly damaged in a violent hurri¬cane. Making her way to Bermuda for a refit HMS Barbadoes was finally wrecked off Sable Island along with two other vessels on 28 September 1812 but her cargo of $60,000 destined for Halifax Dockyard was salvaged by attaching a buoy to each of the cases.
Barbados SG1227

Depicted on the 70c value is HMS BARBADOES a wooden three masted ship of 775 tons. Length o/a 139ft. 8", Hull 117ft. 6", Breadth 35ft, 2", Depth 10ft. 3". She was built in France in 1801 as a 32 gun French privateer named LE BRAVE. She was taken in May 1303 and in 1804 was presented to the Royal Navy by the inhabitants of Barbados. She was renamed HMs BARBADOES and rated as a 5th Rate Frigate. Armament:- Upper Deck x 9pdrs. Quarter Deck 8 x 24pdr carronades. F/c 2 x 6pdrs plus 2 x 24pdr carronades. She was later re-rated as a 28 gun 6th Rate ship rigged sloop of war, She carried a crew of 170 men.
On 7-6-1805 (Captain Joseph Nourse) accompanied by HM Schooner NETLEY (14) they sailed from Antigua as escorts to a homeward bound convoy which on the following evening was intercepted by a large French fleet under Admiral-Villenueve. Fifteen merchantmen of the convoy were captured but both BARBADOES and NETLEY managed to evade capture.
On 7-9-1811 (Capt. Edward Rushworth) accompanied by HMS GOSHAWK (16) whilst east of Barfluer fell in with Seven French gun brigs each carrying 3 x 24pdrs and a mortar. They attacked them, driving them among the Les Calvados Rocks, forcing one ashore. On the following day HOTSPUR (38) arrived on the scene boats of BARBADOES and GOSHAWK she was re-floated whilst under heavy fire from the French.
On 22-6-1812 (Capt Thomas Huskinson) she took the American Revenue Schooner JAMES MADDISON (10).
On 28-9-1812 she was wrecked on Sable island.
Article by Richard Emmerson, Log Book December 2003.