Albion (1813 ship)
Albion was a sailing ship of two decks and three masts, built at Bristol, England, and launched in 1813. She made three voyages transporting convicts to Van Diemen's Land and New South Wales. She also traded with Jamaica, India, and Quebec. For two of the voyages to India she was an "extra" ship (i.e. under charter) to the British East India Company (EIC). Career. Initially, "Albion" traded with Jamaica under the command of Captain William Buckham. Then on 3 November 1815, "Albion", Fisher, master, sailed to India, or more precisely, Madras and Bengal, under a license  from the EIC. Between August 1817 and 20 October 1818 "Albion", Buckham, master, sailed from Bristol to Calcutta and back. This was the first voyage to Calcutta from Bristol by any vessel. Her return leg took 167 days, including six days at Cape Town. In 1820 Samuel Grainger purchased "Albion". She then made a second voyage to India, this time her first voyage for the EIC. Under the command of Captain Charles Weller she left the City Canal on 17 April 1821. She spent 20 days in the Downs before sailing for Madras and Bengal. she reached Madras on 16  September and arrived at Calcutta on 11 November. Homeward-bound, she was at Kedgeree on 14 January 1822 and at Madras on 3 February. She reached St Helena on 1 July and arrived at Blackwall on 1 September. On her first convict voyage, under the command of William Rayner Best, she departed Spithead, England on 20 May 1823 and arrived at Hobart Town on 21 October 1823. She transported 202 male convicts, but off-loaded two convicts at Cape of Good Hope; no convicts died on the voyage. One of her convicts was the serial killer, cannibal, and bushranger Thomas  Jeffries. "Albion" left Hobart Town and arrived at Sydney in December 1823. "Albion" was blown ashore at Port Louis, Mauritius, on 23 February 1824 with the loss of her masts, but she was able to heave off. At some point Charles Weller purchased "Albion". Her third voyage to India, and second for the EIC, took place between 8 June 1825 and 23 June 1826. Captain Charles Weller sailed from West India Dock on 2 May 1825, bound for Bengal. She was at the Down on 8 June, and reached Calcutta on 21 October. Homeward-bound, she was at Kedgeree on  24 December and Madras on 11 January 1826. She reached St Helena on 8 April and arrived at East India Dock on 23 June. "Albion" departed Plymouth, England on her second convict voyage, under the command of James Ralph, on 4 October 1826 and arrived in Sydney on 14 February 1827. She carried 192 male convicts; no convicts died on the voyage. She left Sydney on 3 June 1826 for Batavia. On her third convict voyage, "Albion" was again under the command of James Ralph. She departed Sheerness, England on 1 June 1828 and arrived in Sydney on 3 November  1828. She transported 192 male convicts to Sydney; four convicts died during the voyage. She left Sydney on 1 January 1829 for London via Madras. In 1832 Brass & Co., London, purchased "Albion" and placed her on a regular run to Quebec and the United States. In 1840 John Lidgett & Co., London, purchased "Albion" for general trade. Fate. "Albion" ran ashore at Great Yarmouth on 24 January 1840 while on a voyage from Quebec City to Great Yarmouth. She was gotten off on the next day and brought into the roads. "Albion" was last listed in "Lloyd's Register" in 1851 . Citations and references. Citations References