William and Ann was launched in 1781 at Whitby. From her launch until 1805 she alternated between being a transport and trading with the Baltic. In 1805 she became a whaler in the northern whale fishery . She wrecked in ice in 1830 in the Greenland fisheries on her 24th whaling voyage.

Career William and Ann first appeared in Lloyd's Register (LR) in 1781.LR (1781), Seq.No.W374. When she was launched Great Britain was still at war and her initial service was as a transport. After the war ended in 1783, William and Ann started trading with the Baltic. Thereafter, she interspersed trading with the Baltic and service as a transport.

Year Master Owner Trade Source & notes 1781 W.Bridekirk W.Skinner Whitby LR 1782 W.Bridekirk W.Skinner London transport LR 1784 W.Bridekirk W.Skinner London transportLondon–Petersburg LR 1789 W.Bridekirk W.SkinnerW.Sims London–Baltic LR 1790 W.Bridekirk W.SkinnerSt.Barbe London–Baltic LR; damage repaired 1789 1791 W.Bridekirk W.Skinner Cork transport LR; damage repaired 1789 1792 W.Bridekirk W.Skinner London–Petersburg LR; damage repaired 1789 1793 W.Bridekirk W.Skinner London–PetersburgCork transport LR; damage repaired 1789 1797 W.Bridekirk W.Skinner Cork transportLondon–Riga LR; damage repaired 1789 & repairs 1797 1799 W.Bridekirk W.Skinner Riga–PortsmouthLondon transport LR; damage repaired 1789 & repairs 1797 1800 W.Bridekirk W.Skinner London transportLiverpool–Rostock LR; damage repaired 1789 & repairs 1797 1805 W.Bridekirk Skinner, Jr. Cork LR; damage repaired 1789 & repairs 1797

LR carried William and Ann until 1810 with data unchanged from the 1805 volume. However, William and Ann had become a whaler, something that the Register of Shipping (RS) had recorded.

Year Master Owner Trade Source & notes 1806 Johnson Skinner Whitby–Davis Strait RS; repairs 1797, good repairs 1802, and small repairs 1804 and 1805

Some data exists on William and Anns catches in the Northern Whale Fishery.

Year Master Where "Fish"(Whales) Tuns blubber Tuns whale oil Seals 1805 Johnston Davis Strait 8 111 0 1806 7 141 11 1807 Johnston Davis Strait 6 100.75 0 1808 25 313.5 1

In 1809 William and Ann traded between London and Whitby rather than engaging in whaling.

Year Master Owner Trade Source & notes 1810 Stephens Skinner Whitby–London RS; good repairs 1802, 1804, 1805, 1806, 1807, & 1888

Year Master Where "Fish"(Whales) Tuns blubber Tuns whale oil Seals 1810 Stephens Greenland 11 184.5 42 1811 19 192 122

On 27 February 1812, William and Ann, Davidson, master, was leaving Leith for Davis Strait when she grounded at the end of the pier.

Year Master Where "Fish"(Whales) Tuns blubber Tuns whale oil Seals 1812 16 221 166 1813 9 139.5 0 1814 Stephenson Greenland 31 or 32 250 180 or 190 157 1815 Stephenson Greenland 4 91 67 171 1816 Stephenson Greenland 3 68 49 22 1817 Stephens Greenland 22 200 1535 1818 Stephens Greenland 8 115 89 1 1819 Terry Greenland 1 14 1820 Terry Greenland 12 189.5 136 7 1821 Terry Greenland 9 72 1822 Terry 6 81 1823 Terry 25 204 1824 Terry 13 150 1825 Terry 3 46 1826 Terry 23 1827 Terry 6 70 1828 Terry 13 149 1829 Terry 10 115

Fate The 1830 season was a disastrous one for the Northern Whale Fishery. Seven Scottish and five English ships were lost between 10 June and 10 September when beset by ice. William and Ann, of Whitby, Terry, master, was one of the vessels lost. She was one of the vessels that ice crushed on 26 June.

Captain Terry transferred to Eagle, along with the carpenter and 12 seamen.

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