The Full Story
HMS Black Joke started life as a Brazilian slave ship called Henriquetta. She was fast, built to outrun the Royal Navy and deliver her human cargo before anyone could stop her. In 1827, HMS Sybille caught her.
The Navy saw her potential. They bought her, armed her, and sent her back to the African coast. This time hunting the ships she once sailed alongside.
Over the next five years, Black Joke became one of the most successful vessels of the West Africa Squadron, credited with 11 prizes in a single year and freeing thousands of people across her career. Her speed, the very thing that had made her effective as a slaver, now made her deadly to slavers.
Her most famous action came in 1829 when she chased the Spanish slaver El Almirante for thirty-one hours, finally catching her with 466 enslaved people aboard. All were freed.
By 1832, Black Joke was worn out. She was broken up in Africa, her timbers too rotten to sail home. But in five years, she had done more to disrupt the slave trade than entire fleets.
Why This Matters
HMS Black Joke embodies the transformation Britain underwent. A ship built for slavery became an instrument of liberation. Her story shows the dedication of the Royal Navy's anti-slavery patrols.
Key Facts
- ⚠Correction: the video calls Black Joke the most successful anti-slavery vessel in history and says she freed over 2,000 people; she is best described as one of the most successful ships of the West Africa Squadron, credited with 11 prizes in a single year, and career-total freed figures vary by source (Wikipedia HMS Black Joke (1827), A. E. Rooks).