Woodford (1790 EIC ship)
Woodford was a large East Indiaman built for the British East India Company. Launched at Perry’s yard in Blackwall on 22 November 1790, she served as a cargo ship that also carried soldiers during wartime. Over about two decades, Woodford made nine long voyages to India and China, visiting places such as Bombay, the Malabar Coast, Penang, Whampoa (near Canton), and St Helena on the way home.
One notable moment came in 1797 when Woodford’s captain led a small fleet of East Indiamen in a clever bluff to deter a French squadron. The French, thinking they faced ships of the line, withdrew and the Indiamen continued to China.
In 1794 the British government briefly held Woodford at Portsmouth as a possible transport for an attack on Mauritius, but the plan was abandoned and she was released after a delay that the government compensated.
In March 1803, during a time of renewed war with France, Royal Navy press gangs tried to impress Woodford’s crew in the Thames. The crew resisted fiercely, and two sailors were killed before the attempt was abandoned.
Woodford continued to sail on long India and China trips, with her armament updated over the years and occasional letters of marque authorizing privateering during wartime.
By 1811 the ship was worn out after many voyages, and in 1812 Woodford was sold for breaking up.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 07:10 (CET).