Name Guildford Owner James Mangles Launched 1810 | Namesake Guildford Propulsion Sail | |
Fate Lost with all on board in 1831 on voyage from Singapore to England Tons burthen 521, or 528, or 521 & 533 (bm) | ||
Guildford was a two-decker merchant ship launched in 1810. She transported convicts to New South Wales. Of her eight voyages delivering convicts, for three she was under charter to the British East India Company (EIC). She underwent major repairs in 1819, her hull was sheathed in copper in 1822; in 1825 she received new wales, top sides and deck, the copper was repaired and other repairs. Guildford was lost without a trace in 1831.
Contents
Voyages
Magnus Johnson was Guildford's captain on her first seven voyages. On 4 July 1811 he received a letter of marque, which authorised Guildford, while under his command, to engage in offensive, and not just defensive, action against the French. Lloyd's Register for 1810 lists her trade as London-Jamaica.
On her first convict voyage, Guildford left London on 3 September 1811 in company with General Graham. She reached Rio de Janeiro on 27 October, and arrived at Port Jackson on 18 January 1812. Guildford carried 200 male convicts, one of whom died during the voyage.
Guildford departed Port Jackson bound for Bengal on 29 March 1812. By 6 June Guildford had arrived at Calcutta. Homeward bound and under charter to the EIC, on 24 August she passed Saugor. She reached the Cape on 9 December and St Helena on 1 January 1813, and arrived at the Downs on 14 May.
On her second convict voyage, Guildford left Ireland in 1815 and arrived at Port Jackson on 8 April 1816. She embarked with 228 male convicts, one of whom died on the voyage. Guildford left on 23 June, bound for Batavia.
On her third convict voyage, Guildford left Cork on 14 November 1817. She travelled via Rio de Janeiro and arrived at Port Jackson on 1 April 1818. She embarked 200 male convicts, one of whom died during the voyage.
On her fourth convict voyage, Guildford left Portsmouth on 14 May 1820, with 190 male convicts (Surgeon Superintendent, Dr. Hugh Walker). She travelled via Simon's Town (Cape Town's winter naval base at the time), where she picked up four additional convicts (making a total of 194 convicts transported), and arrived at Port Jackson on 30 September. Only five convicts were taken off in Sydney; she landed the other 188 in Van Diemen's Land after she arrived at Hobart on 28 October 1820. No convicts died on Guildford's fourth journey.
On her fifth convict voyage, Guildford left London on 7 April 1822, arrived at Port Jackson on 15 July. She embarked 190 male convicts, one of whom died during the voyage.
On her sixth convict voyage, Guildford left Portsmouth on 18 August 1823, and arrived at Port Jackson on 5 March 1824. Guildford sprang a leak after leaving Teneriffe. When she arrived at Rio de Janeiro she had to be repaired. During the work, which took some two months, a hulk that the Brazilian government provided housed the convicts and their guards. Guildford embarked with 160 male convicts, one of whom died an accidental death during the voyage.
On her return to England, Guildford underwent a thorough repair. The EIC required that before she sailed for the Company she undergo a dry-dock survey, which she passed. At this time, Magnus Johnson and James Mangles acquired Guildford.
Next, Guildford made a voyage to Madras and Bengal for the EIC. Magnus Johnson was still her captain and he left Torbay on 26 May 1825. Guildford reached Madras on 5 September and then went on to Calcutta. On her return voyage she reached Madras on 11 January 1826 and St Helena on 23 March, and arrived at the Downs on 30 May.
On her seventh convict voyage, Guildford left Plymouth on 31 March 1827, arrived at Port Jackson on 25 July. She embarked 190 male convicts, one of whom died during the voyage. Guildford then sailed to China, arriving at Whampoa on 13 November 1827. For her homeward voyage for the EIC she crossed the Second Bar, about 20 miles downriver from Whampoa, on 5 December, reached St Helena on 18 February 1828, and arrived at the Downs on 12 April.
Although the 1829 Lloyd's Register still shows Mangles as Guildford's owner, the 1830 edition shows her new owner as T. Ward, and her master as "Harrison".
Under the command of Robert Harrison, Guildford left Dublin, Ireland on 12 July 1829, on her eighth convict voyage, She arrived at Port Jackson on 4 November. She embarked 200 male convicts, four of whom died during the voyage. Guildford left Port Jackson on 19 January 1830, bound for Bombay. She was carrying a detachment of soldiers for India, and she delivered them on 14 April 1830. Harrison then sailed for China.
Fate
Guildford left China on 14 November 1830 and Singapore on 29 December homeward bound to England. She was wrecked in the Indian Ocean (approximately 7°N 80°E) in late April or early May 1831 with the ultimate loss of all on board. On 8 May, Margaret sighted the wreck of the ship. A raft constructed from the ship's rigging was also sighted, but nobody was on board.