Captain Bryan Blundell
(1675-1756)

Died aged c. 81

Bryan Blundell (c. 1675–1756) was an English merchant involved in the transatlantic slave trade. Blundell captained The Mulberry, which transported a large number of indentured workers to Virginia and was the first ship in the Old Dock in Liverpool in 1715. Blundell is also noted for his foundation of The Liverpool Blue Coat Hospital School in 1708 with the Rector of Liverpool, the Reverend Robert Stythe, to provide an education for the city's destitute children and orphans. Blundell was known as a Master mariner. He first went to sea aged 12 and kept a detailed journal painting a vivid picture of the tumultuous political times and their impact on transatlantic trade. This document also contains his amateur colour drawings of ships and detailed drafts of their rigging plans, which enabled him to have vessels constructed in Virginia at a far lower cost than in England. Blundell was heavily involved in the trade and transportation of African slaves. For example, he was the sole owner of the slave ship Tarleton which landed 236 of its 273 slaves in Barbados having embarked them on the Gold Coast. It is presumed that the remaining 37 enslaved people did not survive this journey. Blundell's sons and descendants continued to build wealth from the transatlantic slave trade throughout the 18th century. Blundell served as Mayor of Liverpool between 1721 and 1722 and again between 1728 and 1729; a position also held by his son Henry Blundell and his grandson Henry Blundell-Hollinshead.

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