Discussion devoted mainly to the Anglo-Dutch Wars (at sea), including ships, battles, and persons. Our website, kentishknock.com, is the primary outlet for artwork, research results, and more formal analysis and commentary. Copyright (c) 2003-2007 James C. Bender
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
The mystery ship St. Johannes from Jan Glete's notes
Jan Glete had kindly supplied me with a copy of his notes from studying documents at the Nationaal Archief at The Hague, when he was doing research for Navies and Nations. Those notes listed a ship St. Johannes, which we never found anywhere else. Yesterday, I received a photograph of a page that seems to supply the answer. The document is dated 18 February 1653. It says "gehuert van S~ Johannes Louten ende Son Hahoort (?)". The dimensions are those given by Jan Glete. There are two gun lists. The one on the left includes 2-18pdr guns and matches that for the St. Johannes. The list further right has 10-12pdr, 8-8pdr, 8-6pdr, and 2-3pdr guns, which is typical for an Amsterdam Directors' ship with 28 guns. The name is the "Walvis" (or Walvisch). I am guessing that Jan Glete had mistaken the owner's name for the ship name.