Albion

Posted by Jon Miller on Tuesday 23rd of June 2026 08:51

London, 7 Ffebruary 1765: The divers have been very succesful in recovering a great quantity of goods that were lost in the Albion Indiaman. [Exeter Mercury, 15 February 1765]

Posted by Jon Miller on Monday 22nd of June 2026 19:20

London, 24 January 1765: Eight boxes with coral have been saved out of the Albion East-India ship. The India Company have ordered six sloops, with men on board, to the pace where she lies, to surround her, and prevent the wreck being plundered. [Exeter Mercury, 1 February 1765]

Posted by Jon Miller on Monday 22nd of June 2026 19:02

London, 21 January 1765: We are informed that a considerable quantity of private stores would have been saved when the Albion Indiaman was cast away, had not there been such a number of pilferers, who stole almost every-thing of private property. It is also said, that by the damage of the sea water there was hardly any powder to make signals of distress. Some of the fellows that put off from Margate with heir boats, to the sufferers assistance were so exorbitant as to demand ten guineas for each passenger, before they would bring them off from the wreck.
At the time when the Albion East-Indiaman struck on the North-Foreland, the soldiers, who had entered into the Company’s service, to the amount of about 150, broke into the store-room, drank up the liquors, and got all drunk; notwithstanding the ship had eight feet water. The people, in their distress, fired minute guns before any boats came came to their assistance; and when the soldiers got on shore, they all made the best of their way to London. [Exeter Mercury, 25 January 1765]

Posted by Jon Miller on Monday 22nd of June 2026 18:41

London, 19 January 1765: Yesterday the Purser of the Albion Indiaman, Capt Larkens, came to the India-House, with the melancholy news of that ship having been drove from her anchors in Margate-Roads, by the violence of the wind, Wednesday in the afternoon, and was run upon the sands off the North Foreland, where she soon went to pieces. The Captain, officers, and crew are all saved; and all the money, except one chest, (of which there were 63 in number) together with the dispatches and some valuable effects; and more would have been saved, had it not been for the violence of the wind , and the sea’s running exceeding high. [Exeter Mercury, 25 January 1765]