William Hutchinson (1715-1801)

Mariner and writer on seamanship. Was sent to sea in his early years as a cabin boy on a small collier and later served as cook.

Served before the mast in a 32 gun East Indiaman during a voyage to China in 1738 to 1739.

Served in a Letter of Marque vessel in the West India trade.

The initiative for the establishment of the first life-boat at Formby, one of the entrances to the Liverpool, sometime before 1776 by the Liverpool Corporation has been attributed to him.

Records of tides, barometers, weather and wind during the years from 1768 to 1783 [1793?] kept by him are still preserved in the Liverpool Library.

1715: Born at Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
1738-1739: Sailed to Madras and China in an East Indiaman as a "forecastle man".
1743: Served as a Mate on a bomb's tender in the Royal Navy in Hyères Bay under Mathews and Lestock.
1745: Served in a six gun frigate built ship in the Leghorn trade.
1746: Was in the West Indiaman Perl which had been fitted out as a privateer and was taken by a French squadron.
1748 April: Captured the French ship St Jean off Malta as master of the privateer St George. The prize lay in Valetta harbour pending legal complications until it was sold in the end of 1751 for a fraction of its orginal value.
1750: Became master of the ex-Royal Navy 20 gun frigate Lowestoft purchased by Fortunatus Wright and traded to the West Indies and the Mediterranean.
1759: Appointed Head Dock Master and Principal Water Baliff at the Liverpool Harbour by the Liverpool Corporation.
1763: Lighthouses were built at Hoylake and Leosowe at the initiative of William Hutchinson and equipped with parabolic reflectors designed by him.
1777: Treatise on Practical Seamanship was published.
1794: A Treatise on Naval Architecture was published.
1801 February 11: Died at the age of eighty-five and was buried in the churchyard of St Thomas, Liverpool.

Bibliography

Hutchinson, William: A Treatise on Practical Seamanship; with Hints and Remarks Relating Thereto: Designed to Contribute Something towards Fixing Rules upon Philosophical and Rational Principles; to Make Ships, and the Management of Them; and also Navigation, in General, more Perfect, and Consequently less Dangerous and Destructive to Health, Lives, and Property.
Printed for the Author, Liverpool, 1777 (1st). 4to, 20×14 cm, frontisp., xiv, 213 pp, 10 plates.
Facsimile: Scolar Maritime Press, London, 1979. With a 7 pp introduction by Morin Scott.
Fourth edition 1794 with the title A Treatise on Naval Architecture.
References: Private Collection*; Adams; KÖS.
Hutchinson, William: A Treatise Founded upon Philosophical and Rational Principles, Towards Establishing Fixed Rules for the Best Form and Proportional Dimensions in Length, Breadth and Depth of Merchant's Ships in General; and also the Management of Them to the Greatest Advantage by Practical Seamanship.
Liverpool, 1781. 4to, ?? pp, frontis., 12 plates.
References: Francis Edwards 733:1430.
Hutchinson, William: The Second Edition (considerably enlarged) of a Treatise on Practical Seamanship; with New and Important Hints and Remarks relating thereto; designed to contribute something towards fixing rule, upon philosophical and rational principles for the Form and Proportional Dimensions in Length, Breadth and Depth of Merchant Ships in General, and the Management of them; and also to render Navigation, in general, more Perfect, and Consequently less Dangerous and Destructive to Health, Lives and Property. By William Hutchinson, Mariner, Dock Master at Liverpool. The Second Edition, considerably enlarged, of A Treatise on Practical Seamanship; with new and important hints, …
Printed and sold for the Author at all the principal seaports in Great Britain, (Liverpool), 1787 (2nd). 4to, frontispiece, xvi, 269 pp, 11 plates (1 folding).
References: Maggs IV; NUC; Adams.
Hutchinson, William: A Treatise founded upon Philosophical and Rational Principles, towards establishing fixed Rules, for the best Form and Proportional Dimensions in Length, Breadth and Depth of Merchant's Ships in General; and also the Management of them to the greatest advantage, by Practical Seamanship; with Important Hints and Remarks relating thereto; from long approved experience.
Printed by Thomas Billinge, Liverpool, 1791. 4to, 20×13.5 cm, frontisp., xvi, 290, (2) pp, 12 plates (1 folding).
First edition with the title A Treatise on Practical Seamanship in 1777.
References: MaB*; Adams; BM; NUC; RCA Bibl.
Hutchinson, William: A Treatise on Naval Architecture. Founded upon Philosophical and Rational Principles, Towards Establishing Fixed Rules for the Best Form and Proportional Dimensions in Length, Breadth and Depth, of Merchants Ships in General, and also the Management of them to the greatest advantage, by Practical Seamanship; with important hints and remarks relating thereto, especially both for defence and attacks in war at sea, from long approved experience. Fourth edition, enlarged and improved.
T. Billinge, Liverpool, 1794 (4th enl.). 4to, 21×14 cm, frontisp., xvi, 304 pp, 12 plates (1 folding).
Facsimile: Conway Maritime Press, Greenwich, 1970.
The first edition 1777 with the title A Treatise on Practical Seamanship.
References: Private Collection*; The Mariners' Museum; The Peabody & Essex Museum; Adams.

Updated 1996-08-31 by Lars Bruzelius

Sjöhistoriska Samfundet | The Maritime History Virtual Archives.