She was the French privateer L’ENFANT PRODIGUE built in 1794 at Bordeaux for French owners, and taken by Captain Jas. O’Bryen in HMS EMERALD (36) off Santa Lucia on 24 June 1803.
Under the name ST LUCIA or sometimes spelled SANTA LUCIA taken up by the Royal Navy as a gun brig with a armament of 14 – 4pdrs. guns. (In British Warships in the age of sail is she given under the name SAINT LUCIA.
Tonnage 183 ton (bm), dim. 85½ x 23 x 7ft.
1804 In commission under Capt. Conway Shipley at Barbados.
25 January 1804 in a position off the Grenadines, he captured the privateer FURET with an armament of 4 guns. The FURET came from Guadaloupe.
16 February 1804 he took the BIGOU with an armament of 6 guns. Twenty of the crew of 60 from the BIGOU were in two prizes, the schooner FANNY from Demerara and the brig GOOD INTENT from Barbados. The GOOD INTENT was later recaptured by the HMS GUACHAPIN.
End February 1804 Capt. Shipley was removed and placed on HMS HIPPOMENES.
1805 Under command of Capt. James Ayscough and stationed in the Leeward Islands.
1807 Under command of Lieut. Hon. Michael de Courcy.
She was retaken by the French armed schooners VENGEANCE (12) and the FRIPPONE (5) whilst off the west coast of the island Guadeloupe in the West Indies in 29 March 1807. During the battle 7 men were killed and 8 wounded.
Her fate unknown.
Historical Sketches of Watercraft on stamps gives: Under the Treaty of Paris, she was returning to Great Britain in 1814, but I can nowhere find any confirmation that she returned to the U.K.
St Lucia 1973 15c sg352, scott337, and 2002 15c Sg?, scott?
Source: Ships of the Royal Navy Vol I, by Colledge. Mostly copied from, http://www.cronab.demon.co.uk/S1.HTM Log Book Vol. 32 page 137 Mr. Richard Emmerson.