The Wreck of the Admiral Gardner

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Wreck Illustration

The Admiral Gardner and the Britannia East Indiamen on the Goodwin Sands, 24 Jan 1809. (From a contemporary pamphlet, author unknown, London, published by Thomas Tegg, Feb 11th 1809). click here to see this illustration full size

The English East India Company sent a fleet of ships to India and China once a year.

They were fitted and equipped with great care, and often escorted by Royal Navy ships through unfriendly waters, usually because of a seemingly never-ending war with the French.

However, the weather was also an enemy. In the case of the Admiral Gardner, and her sister ship the Britannia, it was to prove fatal in the year 1809.

The captain's report to his employers at East India House explains in detail what happened.

1809 was an unlucky year.
Not only was the ship lost,  but later Admiral Gardner (the man after whom the ship was named) also died, as did Matthew Boulton, whose cargo the ship carried.