SINCLAIR, DANIEL [SSNE 1580]
Text source
Daniel Sinclair was a shipbuilder in Danish-Norwegian service in the early seventeenth century. He may be the same man who James Spens [SSNE 1642] wrote a letter of recommendation for to Chancellor Axel Oxenstierna (also intended for King Gustav II Adolf) in May 1614 wherein Sinclair was described as an experienced master shipwright. If this is the same man then it appears he was not taken into Swedish service but entered Danish service instead. In 1614 he acted as a member of the Danske Kompagni of Copenhagen. He was appointed as a master shipbuilder on 2/7/1617. He married Else Villumsdatter, a stepdaughter of David Balfour in 1624. Sinclair died in 1636. Sinclair owned an estate at Christianshavn. He was to build a ship in Blekinge 14/2/1620, and had, by 31/10/1624, built Den Rode Love. Sinclair also built a vessel at Slotoen near Nakskov by 7/6/1624 and was ordered to construct two vessels like Hummeren for delivery at Whisun 1629 (contract 7/2/1628) in the same location. Sinclair engaged himself on 13/3/1631 to construct at another ship for delivery at Whisun 1632. Much later on he received an order to collaborate with Christoffer Goye from 23/3/1631 in the construction in Norway of a vessel of the same dimensions as the Tre Lover built by David Balfour for delivery on 24/8/1632. He was to launch a vesel constructed at Slotoen which was to be called Den Norske Love on 12/4/1633. Soon after this he died, and was buried in Bergen's St Nicolaj church on 11 October 1636. Two of his children were buried there in March and May 1642, his widow on 13 December 1644, and his daughter on 1 September 1654.
Sources: Swedish Riksarkiv, Anglica 5, 10 May 1614; C.F. Bricka and J.A. Fredericia, Kong Christian den Fjerdes Egenhaendige Breve, (8 vols., Copenhagen, 1878-1947), I, p.174 and III, p.327; R. Monro, His Expedition with a worthy Scots Regiment called Mac-Keyes (2 vols., London, 1637), I, p.42; T. Riis, Should Auld Acquaintance Be Forgot (2 vols., Odense, 1988), II, p.75; M. Bellamy, 'Danish Naval Administration and Shipbuilding in the reign of Christian IV, 1596-1648', Ph.D. thesis, Glasgow, 1997; Personalhistorisk Tidskrift, vol. i,(1880), p.198.
Service record
- DENMARK-NORWAY, NAVY
- Arrived 1614-01-01
- Departed 1636-12-31
- Capacity SHIPBUILDER, purpose NAVAL