Llewelyn Sinclair

A Short Biography
(The information contained here forth is of a fictional nature. Some places and names may be real, but the majority are not. The story is purely designed for entertainment and role-play value, and has little to no historic accuracy)

Family background and the Trading Company
The Welsh Dynasty of Sinclair shares the same distant Norman Ancestors as their Scottish counterparts, and are thus related to the Earls of Orkney and Caithness as well as the Scottish Clan Sinclair in general.

The Welsh branch of the family is spread out all over the country with estates in most of the counties. Llewelyn's part of the family through his father Edward was from the southern part of Wales, with the main family seat located close to Newport in the Ancient city of Carleon.

The Sinclair Trading Company has a long history and started as a local shipping company, trading out of Cardiff and Newport with mainly Ireland and western France. In the recent generations, however, it has grown considerably, and is now an international Trading Company, trading goods all around Europe as well as in East and West India, the Baltic and Scandinavia.

The Sinclair Family have a tradition of patriotism, both to their welsh lineage and to Britain as a whole, and it is most common for the sons to either go into the Navy or the Trading Company.

This also shows itself in the shipbuilding and outfittings for ships, as the Company sees this as the greatest way for a merchant to support their king and country (and the Sinclair's who joined the navy).

Early Life
It is into this great tradition that Llewelyn James Sinclair was born in the year of our Lord 1694, at Roslin Hall, in the town of Caerleon in Monmouthshire, Wales.

He was the firstborn son of Edward Sinclair, one of the great entrepreneurs of the Sinclair family, and his Danish wife, who he found during one of his many trips to Denmark for the Company.

From the time he could walk he got to accompany his father on the great voyages he made around the world, and for a time the Sinclair main seat was in essence moved to the great Indiaman, the H.M.H.V. Thunderhawk.

Growing up sailing in his fathers ships and learning fast the ways of the sea, it quickly became apparent to Edward that the best course of action for Llewelyn would be to sign him up on a ship not in his own employ, so that he would learn the way of the sea on his own.

Llewelyn heartily agreed but instead of going to a different merchant as intended, he signed up on the first man-of-war in sight!

The Navy
After serving as a volunteer for some years, he got a midshipman's commission, and by good fortune (and influence from Edward) he got one of the most coveted midshipman positions in the Royal Navy; A Frigate, where he spent the reminder of childhood learning the ways of the sea, the navy and the king's officers.

Being Raised on the sea and having a good mathematical head Llewelyn quickly rised through the ranks of midshipmen, and one fearful day he was taking the final leap to a king’s commission; the Examination for Lieutenant. Needless to say he passed with flying colors and was subsequently attached to yet another frigate as the junior Lieutenant.

After some years serving as this capacity it came to pass that Llewelyn's frigate was detailed on a diplomatic mission, escorting a convoy going to the baltics to secure the vital ship building materials needed by the navy. In this convoy was none other than a handful Sinclair Trading Company ships, with Edwards Thunderhawk leading.

On board Edward had important members of the Diplomatic Service, as well as his wife and Llewelyn's younger brother, and he was chosen for this convoy because of his ties with Denmark and the Trading Company's connections and trade offices in the various Baltic ports.

After leaving Copenhagen, Llewelyn's frigate scouted ahead of the main convoy, which only had a few sloops and the frigate as escorts. Being in the middle of the Baltic, with no land or ship in sight it seemed a safe, almost boring trip, but suddenly disaster occurred.

Llewelyn was off duty resting in his cot, hen he head great commotion outside. Guns where fired and cold steel crashing against metal. Suddenly the door was opened and a gun was thrust up in his face detailing him to get his behind up on deck forthwith.

Coming on deck a horrible sight meets him; the captain and all the rest of the lieutenant lies dead on the quarterdeck, and a black flag flying from the yardarm!

Quickly the situation dawns on Llewelyn; a small part of the crew where in fact pirates or privateers, having taken over the ship and keeping the loyal crew under lock and indecision. The crew on deck is clearly torn. Seeing their officers killed and privateers in command, they would rather follow suit rather than be locked away, but at the same time they fell honor bound to the ship and their comrades. Sensing the situation is tense and could evolve any which way, Llewelyn started talking words of inspiration to the subdued crew on deck. Talking about honor, camaraderie and duty Llewelyn succeed in storming the quarterdeck sweeping the privateers back in the ocean. But not after learning a grand scheme not only to capture the convoy, but also capture the prominent diplomats with it. And sure enough 3 frigates a closing in on the convoy with the sloops now flying the black flag.

With the fire of battle stirring in their bellies Llewelyn and his crew turns the frigate around signaling the convoy to engage the enemy and together with the frigate they manage to crush the sloops, and escape to Copenhagen, where A hunt for the privateers is initiated.

Back in England a few months later Llewelyn received a heavy letter from the admiralty. For his actions and personal bravery Llewelyn is promoted to commander and given command of a small corvette with orders to join the legendary St. George Squadron of the White, operating in the Caribbean.

Arms and Ensigns
The 4 coats of arms of the Sinclair Dynasty.

Firstly the House of Sinclair Shield, followed by The personal Shields:

Llewelyn with the Phoenix being the personal crest,



Andrew with the swooping Hawk.



Edward with the elephant



And the General Coat of arms of the Sinclair family



Ships of Captain Llewelyn Sinclair's Flotilla

 * HMS Righteous Fury - 100 Gun "Indomitable" 1st Rate Ship of the Line
 * HMS Brytenwalda - 72 Gun "Wenden" Third Rate Ship of the Line
 * HMS Pendragon - 62 Gun "Valiant" Third Rate Ship of the Line
 * HMS Ponce de Leon - 56 Gun "San Fernando" Fourth Rate Ship of the Line
 * HMS Inextinguishable - 54 Gun "Macedon' Hunter's" Fourth Rate Ship of the Line
 * HMS Parmenion - 54 Gun "Mordeaunt Sleek" Fourth Rate Ship of the Line
 * HMS Cyclone - 44 Gun "Capricieux" Mastercraft Frigate
 * HMS Caesarion - 44 Gun "Hercules" Mastercraft Frigate
 * HMS Seraphim - 40 Gun "Deliverance" Frigate
 * HMS Chevalier - 38 Gun "Gallant" Naval Frigate
 * HMS Phantom - 32 Gun "Raa" Frigate
 * HMHV Condor - 0 Gun Stripped "Defiant" Frigate

Ships of Captain Edward Sinclair's Merchant Flotilla

 * HMHS Thunderhawk - 56 Gun "Mont Blanc" Indiaman
 * ''HMHS Scheherazade' - 46 Gun "Khan" Flute
 * ''HMHS Excelsior' - 44 Gun "San Mateo" Trader Galleon
 * HMHS Lionheart - 38 Gun "Defiant" Frigate
 * HMHS Sealion - 28 Gun "Mignone" Indiaman
 * HMHS Stargazer - 26 Gun "Leviathan" Bark
 * HMHS Sleipner - 16 Gun "Dromedary" Indiaman

Ships of Captain Andrew Sinclair's Privateer Flotilla

 * HMHS White Eagle - 20 Gun "Postillionen" Frigate

Ships of Captain Richard Hastings' Merchant Flotilla

 * HMHS Avalon - 56 Gun "Couronne" Galleon
 * HMHS Silverflame - 46 Gun "Oliphant" Indiaman
 * ''HMHS Silverhawk' - 44 Gun "San Mateo" Trader Galleon

Ships of Captain Anthony Hawkeye' Merchant Flotilla

 * ''HMHS St. Denis' - 26 Gun "Peregrine" Frigate
 * ''HMHS Warlock' - 16 Gun "Dromedary" Indiaman
 * ''HMHS Morning Glory' - 0 Gun "Mignone" "Stripped Mignone" Indiaman

Ships of Captain Charles Hawkins' Merchant Flotilla

 * HMHS Ventreuse - 28 Gun "Mignone" Indiaman

Captain Llewelyn Sinclair

 * HMS Paladin - 38 Gun "Defiant" Frigate
 * HMS Seahawk - 32 Gun "Falcon" Naval Frigate
 * HMS Tempest - 30 Gun "Stralsund" Frigate
 * HMS White Eagle - 20 Gun "Postillion" Frigate
 * HMS Falcon - 16 Gun "Lexington" Brig
 * HMS Sparrowhawk - 12 Gun "Mediator" Cutter

Captain Edward Sinclair

 * HMHS Stargazer - 28 Gun "Athena" Frigate
 * HMHS Lotus - 16 Gun "Locust" Corvette
 * HMHS Algeciras - 0 Gun Stripped "San Mateo" galleon