Woodford (1790 EIC ship)
The East Indiaman Woodford near Plymouth, Samuel Atkins
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.svg){kind=small} .svg){kind=small} United Kingdom
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| Name: | Woodford |
| Owner: |
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| Builder: | Perry, Blackwall, |
| Launched: | 22 November 1790 |
| Fate: | Sold 1812 |
| General characteristics | |
| Tons burthen: | 1,180, or 1,206, or 1,206 13⁄94, or 1,210, (bm) |
| Length: | 163 ft 7 in (49.9 m) (overall), 132 ft 5 1⁄2 in (40.4 m) (keel) |
| Beam: | 41 ft 4 1⁄2 in (12.6 m) |
| Depth of hold: | 17 ft 3 in (5.3 m) |
| Sail plan: | Full rigged ship |
| Complement: |
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| Armament: |
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| Notes: | Three decks |
Woodford was launched in 1790 and made nine voyages as an East Indiaman for the British East India Company (EIC). In 1797 her captain was commodore of a small group of East Indiamen that managed to bluff a French squadron of warships into sailing away to avoid an engagement. In 1812 Woodford was sold for breaking up.
Captain Charles Lennox sailed from the Downs on 27 March 1791, bound for Bencoolen and China. Woodford reached Bencoolen on 25 July and arrived at Whampoa Anchorage on 6 October. Homeward bound, she crossed the Second Bar on 13 January 1792, reached St Helena on 3 April, and arrived at the Downs on 17 May.
Captain Charles Lennox received a letter of marque on 20 February 1794.
He sailed from Portsmouth on 2 May 1794 bound for Bombay and China. Woodford reached Bombay on 4 September and arrived at Whampoa on 26 February 1795. Homeward bound, she crossed the Second Bar on 19 May and reached Batavia on 5 August. She reached St Helena on 16 October, and arrived at the Downs on 21 December.
Captain Lennox sailed from Portsmouth on 17 May 1796 bound for Bombay and China. Woodford reached Bombay on 5 September and Colombo on 9 December.
At Colombo Woodford met up with five other East Indiamen,: [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]Alfred|190 EIC ship|2}}, Ocean, Taunton Castle, Canton, and Boddam. The fleet sailed towards China under the command of Captain James Farquahrson in Alfred, who was the senior captain and so commodore of the fleet. On 28 January 1797 the Indiamen were off Java when they encountered six French frigates.
Farquharson proceeded to organize a bluff. To give the impression that the convoy consisted of the powerful ships of the line that the Indiamen resembled, Farquharson ordered his ships to advance in line of battle, and the French retreated, convinced they were facing a superior force. The Indiamen sailed east and then up towards China. Ocean wrecked in a storm the next day, but Woodford and the other four Indiamen arrived at Whampoa on 8 or 9 April.
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Wikipedia