''Boddington'', sometimes referred to as ''Boddingtons'', was a merchant ship launched in 1781 on the
River Thames. For the first decade of her career she sailed as a
West Indiaman. She made one voyage in 1792 transporting
convicts from
Ireland to
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
. For her return trip she also made one voyage for the
East India Company from Asia to Britain. She wrecked in 1805 on the
River Thames off
Blackwall,
Middlesex.
Career
''Boddington'' was launched on the Thames for Boddington, who employed her sailing between London and Nevis. She first appeared in ''
Lloyd's Register'' (''LR'') in 1781.
Under the command of Captain Robert Chalmers, ''Boddington'' sailed from
Cork, Ireland, on 15 February 1792, with 125 male and 20 female convicts. During the voyage Chalmers suppressed a mutiny by the convicts. She arrived at
Port Jackson,
New South Wales on 7 August 1793. One male convict died on the voyage. She left Port Jackson in October 1793 for Bengal, in company with
''Sugar Cane''.
Between 1793 and 1795 ''Boddington'' made one trip for the
East India Company from Penang to Britain.
[British Library: ''Boddington''.]
/ref> She apparently was in Bengal prior to arriving at Penang. ''Lloyd's List'' reported that "The Boddingtons, Chalmers, from Bengal to London, met with bad weather which obliged her to put into Prince of Wales Island, where she has been refitted, and was to proceed under Convoy of the Bombay frigate." ''Boddington'' left Penang
Penang ( ms, Pulau Pinang, is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Malacca Strait. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay ...
on 11 November 1794 and reached St Helena
Saint Helena () is a British overseas territory located in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is a remote volcanic tropical island west of the coast of south-western Africa, and east of Rio de Janeiro in South America. It is one of three constitu ...
on 27 February 1795. The East India fleet left ''Boddington'' and , from the South Seas, at "the Line". She then arrived at Long Reach Long Reach or Longreach may refer to:
Places
*Long Reach, Columbia, Maryland, United States
* Long Reach, Kent, UK
*Long Reach, at Gravesend, Kent, UK
*Long Reach, West Virginia, United States
* Longreach, Queensland, Australia
*Long Reach, Tasmani ...
on 5 August.[
]
Fate
The ''Register of Shipping'' for 1805 gave the name of ''Boddington''s master as Wright, and her trade as London—Jamaica.[
During the night of 11 September 1805, ''Boddington'' was one of a number of ships that came adrift from the mooring chain whilst waiting to enter the West India Dock. She stranded in the Thames off Blackwall on a sandbank, sank, and was wrecked. On 13 September 1805, ''Lloyd's List'' reported that "The Bodingtons, Wright, from Jamaica, is on Shore near Blackwall, and full of Water."''Lloyd's List'', no.4253.]
/ref>
Notes
Citations
References
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{{1805 shipwrecks
1781 ships
Ships built on the River Thames
Ships of the British East India Company
Shipwrecks of the River Thames
Maritime incidents in 1805
Convict ships to New South Wales
Age of Sail merchant ships
Merchant ships of the United Kingdom