H.M.S.Aurora was a 6th rate ship which had a normal compliment of 200 men. Samuel joined the ship at sea on 24 August 1777 for the first voyage. The Captain throughout the voyage was Chas Cumming and the Boatswain Richard Barker. The Master at the start of the voyage was James Roger and the Purser was Neil Momson. Whilst stationed in the West Indies the Master was replaced by Jonas Wilkins and the Purser by Samuel Denton. Finally John Rose took over as Master when the ship returned to Chatham. On it's return, Samuel remained with the ship until 12 May 1780 when he was transferred to H.M.S.Assurance.

Below is information which relates to the time that Samuel was on board, extracted from the ship's muster books which are kept at the Public Record Office at Kew.

AURORA. Compliment 200 men. Began wages & Sea Victualling at Woolwich the 5th July 1777. Saild from thence to Longreach the 9th August and from thence to the Nore the 15th. Continued at whole allowance of all species.

				1778	Jan	7	At sea	1779	Jan	7	At sea
						14	At sea			14	Barbados
						21	Antigua			21	At sea
						31	Antigua			31	At sea
					Feb	7	Antigua		Feb	21	At sea
						14	Antigua			14	At sea
						21	Antigua			21	At sea
						28	Antigua			28	At sea
					Mar	7	Antigua		Mar	7	At sea
						14	At sea			14	At sea
						21	Dominique			21	Barbados
						28	St.Vincents			31	At sea
					Apr	7	At sea		Apr	7	St.Christophers
						14	Tobago			14	At sea
						21	Grenada			21	At sea
						30	Grenada			30	At sea
					May	7	Antigua		May	7	St.Lucia
						14	St.Kitts			14	St.Lucia
						21	At sea			21	At sea
						28	At sea			31	At sea
					Jun	7	At sea		Jun	7	At sea
						14	At sea			14	At sea
						21	At sea			21	Antigua
						30	At sea			30	At sea
1777	Jul	7	Woolwich		Jul	7	At sea		Ju1	7	At sea
		14	Woolwich			14	Grenada			14	At sea
		21	Woolwich			21	Grenada			21	At sea
		28	Woolwich			31	St.Kitts			31	Nevis
	Aug	7	Woolwich		Aug	7	At sea		Aug	7	At sea
		13	Longreach			14	Antigua			14	At sea
		18	Nore			21	Antigua			21	At sea
		24	Samuel joins ship			31	At sea			28	At sea
	Sep	6	At sea		Sep	7	At sea		Sep	7	At sea
		13	Stromys			14	Barbados			14	At sea
		20	Stromys			21	Barbados			21	At sea
		30	At sea			30	Antigua			30	At sea
	Oct	7	Stromys		Oct	7	Antigua		Oct	7	At sea
		14	At sea			14	At sea			14	At sea
		21	Downes			21	At sea			21	At sea
		28	Downes			31	At sea			31	At sea
	Nov	5	Spithead		Nov	7	At sea
		10	Spithead			14	At sea
		20	Spithead			21	At sea
		30	Spithead			30	Barbados
	Dec	8	At sea		Dec	7	Barbados
		14	At sea			14	St.Lucia
		21	At sea			21	St.Lucia
		31	At sea			31	St.Lucia

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AURORA. Compliment 200 men. Came to Chatham 2nd November 1779 in Sea Victualling sailed thence 3rd February 1780 and continued at whole allowance of all species.

1779	Nov	5	Chatham
		20	Chatham
	Dec	3	Chatham
		10	Chatham
		18	Chatham
		20	Chatham
		31	Chatham
1880	Jan	8	Chatham
		13	Chatham
		22	Chatham
		29	Chatham
	Feb	4	Black Staky
		11	Downes
		17	Grover Lake
		24	At sea
	Mar	7	Grover Lake
		14	Falmouth
		21	At sea
		31	At sea
	Apr	7	Falmouth
		14	Falmouth
		21	Falmouth
		30	Falmouth
	May	7	Studland Bay
		12	Samuel transferred
		15	Spithead
		25	Yarmouth Roades
	Jun	7	Plymouth
		17	Downes
		30	At sea
			Etc.

 

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