By John D Ellis
Jacob Loring was born in New York c.1780. Nothing is known of his life before he entered the Royal Navy. He transferred from HMS Nimble, a cutter, onto HMS Conqueror in May 1804 and thereafter served as an Able-Seaman.(1)
At Trafalgar, Conqueror was commanded by Captain Israel Pellew, (later Vice-Admiral, Sir Israel Pellew, 1779-1832). The ship was fifth in line in the column led by Nelson. Conqueror was one of the ships that battered Admiral Villeneuve’s Flag-ship, Bucentaure, into submission and Marines of Conqueror took the surrender of the Admiral himself on board the Bucentaure.
Of the 629 Officers and Ratings on Conqueror, two were killed and nine wounded. Other Black Royal Navy sailors were present at Trafalgar and on the Conqueror seventeen of the crew (including Jacob Loring) were from Africa or the countries of the African Diaspora.(2). The ship pictured is HMS Hercule, similar in design to the Conqueror.
Jacob Loring left the Conqueror in October 1805 and the ship was eventually broken up in 1822.
Loring appears to have continued his service on HMS Namur (pictured) which was his last ship.
Many years earlier, Olaudah Equiano had served on the Namur as a ‘powder boy’ (‘powder boys’ had the dangerous job of carrying gunpowder from the ship’s magazine to the crews manning the guns). Equiano was enslaved at that time and was on board with the man who owned him, Henry Pascal. Equiano gave a vivid account of the dangers “I was a witness of the dreadful fate of many of my companions, who, in the twinkling of an eye, were dashed in pieces, and launched into eternity. Happily I escaped unhurt, though the shot and splinters flew thick about me during the whole fight …. I expected therefore every minute to be my last; especially when I saw our men fall so thick about me.” (3)
In February 1815 Loring was admitted as an out-pensioner of Greenwich Hospital on a pension of £6 per annum being “worn out”. He was described as “a black man” and 41 years of age. He had served twelve years in the Royal Navy.
Jacob Loring resided at Angel Gardens, Shadwell prior to his death on 10th December 1838. Greenwich Hospital were notified of his death by a neighbour, Ann Clark, the following day. He was buried at St Paul’s, Shadwell on the 14th of December 1838.
References and Sources.
1)www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/trafalgarancestors/details.asp?id=5196
2)www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/trafalgarancestors
For Jacob Loring see: The National Archives (TNA) ADM 6/276. ADM 22/417. ADM 22/281. ADM 22/307. ADM 22/417.
Burial: St Paul, Shadwell, Tower Hamlets, Middlesex. 14th December 1838. Jacob Loring. Angel Gardens. 63 years. LMA. Board of Guardian Records, 1834-1906 and Church of England Parish Registers, 1813-2003. ancestry.co.uk findmypast.co.uk
(3) “The Interesting Narrative of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, The African. Written by himself”