The Dummer Mail Packet Service provided a service between Great Britain and the West Indies from 1702 to 1711.
The Dummer packets were all based on Falmouth and were privately owned vessels sailing under Post Office contract. Twenty-two sloops were employed during the nine years of the West Indian service and some of them may have been taken off the Lisbon ‘run’.
The following list is taken from Tom Foster's 1968 book but is probably slightly out-of-date.
Name | Tonnage | Date | Remarks |
“ANTEGOE” | 200 | 1705-08 | Captain Ball, Master.Captured on 6th voyage. |
“BARBADOES” | 200 | Sep.-Dee. 1705 | Captain Richard Simpson, Master.Wrecked on Heneago Island during1st voyage on 28 December 1705. |
“BRIDGEMAN” | 7 | 1702-03 | Captain Chenall, Master.Inaugurated service but captured by a Martinique privateer on her2nd voyage on 27 July 1703. |
“COTTON” | 90 | Mar. 1705 | Captured between Nevis and Montserrat during 1st voyage on 12 April 1705. |
“DILIGENCE” | ? | Apr.-Sep. 1704 | Captured off the Lizard on 15 September 1704. |
“DUKE” | ? | 1705 | Captain Robert Dillon, Master.Known as the “Old Duke". |
“EVELYN” | ? | 710 | |
“FRANKLAND”(Sometimes called “Franklin”) | 132 | 1704-11 | Captain Pitts, Master. |
“JAMAICA” | 200 | 1705-07 | Captured on 4th voyage. |
“KINGSTON” | ? | 1708 | Wrecked on Scilly on 1st voyage during April 1708. |
“KING WILLIAM” | 130 | 1703-06 | Captain Smithe, Master.Later Captain Wright.
Lost on 8th voyage. |
“MANSBRIDGE” | 110 | 1702-04 | Captain Chenall, Master.Only made three voyages. |
“MARTLET” | ? | 1711 | The last packet to come into service. |
“NEWCASTLE” | ? | 1705 | Captain Thomas Darby.1 |
“PEARLE” | ? | 1709 | Captured off Martinique during 1st voyage in October 1709 |
“PRINCE” | ? | 1702-05 | Renamed “SIX ISLANDS” in 1705. |
“PRINCE GEORGE” | 200 | 1705-07 | Captured during 4th voyage in August 1707. |
“QUEEN ANNE” | 200 | 1705-06 | Captured by a French privateer on25 February 1706. |
“RESOLUTION” | ? | 1710-11 | |
“SIX ISLANDS” | ? | 1705 | Formerly called “prince”. Captured in 1705 |
“SOPHIA” | ? | 1710 | |
“UNION” | ? | 1710 |