Lieutenant Lapenotiere's First Command: HM Schooner Berbice off Guadeloupe, 2nd May 1794 - Geoff Hunt PPRSMA

John Lapenotiere is most famous for bringing the news of the Battle of Trafalgar and the death of Admiral Nelson back to England, in the schooner Pickle.

Geoff Hunt has written about this painting:

"The schooner Berbice was either captured from the French or possibly purchased at Guadeloupe in 1794. Here she is seen putting to sea on 2nd May 1794 in company with the 98-gun flagship, HMS Boyne.

What interested me about this subject was the Berbice’s commander, Lieutenant Lapenotiere. Clearly a thoroughly competent seaman and navigator, he had a career full of interest - going to the Pacific on Captain Bligh’s second voyage, serving in the West Indies, in the Mediterranean, and on the Brest blockade. He stayed in the rank of Lieutenant for many years and was always in command of small ships, schooners and cutters and the like, all about 120 tons, all of them with a few cannon and about 35 men on board. Berbice was his very first command. No-one would ever have heard of him had he not been in command of yet another small schooner, the Pickle, which was entrusted with the dispatches bringing home the news of the Battle of Trafalgar and Nelson’s death. After this he was promoted to Commander, and eventually Captain. I am glad to say that after this eventful career he ‘retired’ (though still only 41) to Cornwall, where he was married and raised a family of seven!"

Oil on lined canvas, signed and dated lower right.

Canvas size: 18 x 27 inches

Frame size approx 23.5 x 32.5 inches

A larger photo is available on request.