Nancy (1789 ship)

The recovered wreck of Nancy
History
Great Britain
NameNancy
NamesakeNancy Richardson
BuilderRichardson Forsythe and Company
Laid downJune 1789
Launched24 November 1789 at Detroit
FateCommandeered for the Provincial Marine
United Kingdom
NameNancy
AcquiredCommandeered 1812
FateTransferred to Royal Navy 1814
Great Britain
NameHMS Nancy
Acquired1814
FateBurned and sank, 14 August 1814
General characteristics
Tons burthen67 (bm)
Length80 ft (24 m)
Beam22 ft (6.7 m)
Depth of hold8 ft (2.4 m)
PropulsionSails
Sail plantwo-masted schooner
Armament
  • 2 × 24-pounder carronades
  • 2 × 6-pounder guns (1813)

44°31′09″N 80°01′12″W / 44.519214°N 80.019951°W / 44.519214; -80.019951

Nancy was a schooner, built in Detroit, Michigan and launched in 1789. She served for several years in the fur trade on the Great Lakes, but is best known for playing a part in the Anglo-American War of 1812. She served for several years as a vital supply ship for the Provincial Marine. The Royal Navy took over the Provincial Marine in 1814 and so acquired Nancy. After HMS Nancy was blocked in by an American fleet near the mouth of the Nottawasaga River, her crew set her on fire on 14 August 1814 to prevent the capture of the ship and the cargo she carried. Forgotten for many years, the wreck was re-discovered in July 1927 and raised to form the centrepiece of the Nancy Island Museum.