Hawkins' Second Slavery Voyage

On 18 October 1564 Hawkins again left Plymouth for the Guinea Coast and the West Indies, on his second slave trade voyage. His first mission had proved to be so profitable that this time the list of benefactors included Queen Elizabeth herself. His ships were the Jesus of Lubeck (700 tons), the Solomon (120 tons), the Tiger (50 tons) and the Swallow (30 tons; not the same ship that sailed previously).

In Africa, Hawkins travelled along the coast and up rivers. On occasion Africans had fled their villages having been pre-warned of the slaver’s arrival, or fought against Hawkins and his men. Hawkins left Africa with between 400 and 500 slaves: a number were captured; some were traded from African slave owners; yet more were traded or pirated from Portuguese slavers.

The slaves were sold or traded in colonies along the Spanish Main, again despite the Asiento agreement with the Portuguese. Hawkins then sailed up the Florida coast, before crossing the Atlantic with a cargo that included precious metals, pearls and other jewels, arriving at Padstow on 20 October 1565.

John Sparke of Plymouth, who sailed with Hawkins, wrote an account of the second slavery voyage. Sparke made reference, probably for the first time in English, to potatoes and tobacco, both seen in the West Indies. John Sparke was appointed Mayor of Plymouth in 1583 and again in 1591.

Hawkins was granted a coat of arms in recognition of the success of this second voyage, the crest of which was the torso of an African slave bound with a rope.

Learn more about slavery and abolition and the Plymouth connection:

John Hawkins

Slave Trade Triangle

Abolition

Conclusion

Glossary

Suggested reading

Slavery and abolition web links

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