Raymond
Raymond was a British East Indiaman launched in 1782 that completed six East India Company voyages before being captured by France in 1798 and later renamed Orion.
Last updated October 27, 2026
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Overview
Raymond was an armed merchant ship of the British East India Company, launched in 1782 for long-distance trade and transport between Britain, India, Southeast Asia, China, and the Atlantic. Although the supplied subject is formatted as a brand name, Raymond was not a consumer brand or food company; it was an individual historical sailing vessel and should be classified as a maritime transport asset. The ship was named after Charles Raymond, 1st Baronet, an influential East India Company captain who later became a manager of the company's voyages. Raymond's career illustrates the overlapping commercial and military roles of late eighteenth-century East Indiamen. These vessels carried valuable cargoes and passengers, but they could also transport troops, stores, and military equipment during periods of war. Raymond made six recorded voyages for the East India Company. Her first voyage, from 1783 to 1784, took her from Portsmouth to St Helena and Bombay before returning to Britain. Her second voyage, from 1784 to 1786, included St Helena, Batavia, Bengkulu, and Manna. The third voyage, from 1788 to 1789, connected Britain with Bombay and China, including Batavia and Whampoa. Her fourth voyage, from 1791 to 1792, focused on Bombay and ports along the western coast of India. Her fifth voyage took place during the French Revolutionary Wars. Captain Henry Smedley obtained a letter of marque in March 1794, allowing the vessel to operate with authorization to defend itself and potentially take enemy shipping. The British government temporarily detained Raymond at Portsmouth while considering the use of East Indiamen in an expedition against Île de France, now Mauritius. The proposed operation was abandoned, and Raymond resumed her commercial voyage to Bombay. She returned to Britain in July 1795. Raymond was then requisitioned as a transport for Admiral Hugh Cloberry Christian's 1795–1796 West Indies expedition. She carried hospital tents, bedding, and other stores. After repeated weather-related delays, the expedition reached Barbados in April 1796. The British forces captured St Lucia, Saint Vincent, and Grenada, and Raymond returned to Deal in August. The ship's sixth EIC voyage ended in capture. After leaving Portsmouth in June 1797 for Bombay, Raymond was intercepted by the French frigate Preneuse on 20 April 1798 near Tellicherry Roads on India's Malabar Coast. Raymond resisted for about an hour, but the French concentrated their fire on her masts and rigging, forcing her surrender. Three people aboard Raymond were killed and four or five wounded. The East India Company valued the cargo lost at £8,963, although this historical valuation is not a modern brand financial figure. Following her capture, Raymond was reportedly taken to Île de France and sold to American owners. They renamed her Orion. In February 1799, Orion sailed from the island toward Boston carrying the French intendant general, his family, and settlers concerned about instability in the colony. The available reference material does not establish her subsequent career. Raymond therefore ended as a historical vessel rather than an enduring commercial brand.
History
Raymond was launched in 1782 as an East Indiaman operating for the British East India Company. The vessel took her name from Charles Raymond, 1st Baronet, a prominent EIC captain who later managed company voyages. Her role combined commercial navigation with the strategic functions commonly assigned to large company ships during wartime. Under Captain Joseph Hall, Raymond began her first voyage from Portsmouth on 16 March 1783. She sailed to St Helena and Bombay and returned to Britain in June 1784. Captain Henry Smedley commanded the next several voyages. The second voyage, beginning in December 1784, included St Helena, Batavia, Bengkulu, and Manna before the ship returned to the Downs in September 1786. Raymond's third voyage began in April 1788 and included Madagascar, Bombay, Batavia, and Whampoa in China. She returned to the Downs in August 1789. Her fourth voyage began in March 1791 and concentrated on Bombay and several ports on India's western and southwestern coasts, including Cannanore, Tellicherry, Onore, Anjengo, and the Cape of Good Hope. She returned to Britain in August 1792. The outbreak of war with France changed the character of Raymond's operations. In March 1794, Smedley obtained a letter of marque. The British government also held Raymond at Portsmouth for 22 days while preparing an intended expedition against Île de France. The plan was abandoned in May, and the government compensated the ship's interests for the delay. Raymond then sailed to Bombay, visited multiple Malabar Coast ports, and returned to Britain in July 1795. Soon afterward, the government requisitioned Raymond and other East Indiamen and transports for Admiral Hugh Cloberry Christian's West Indies expedition. The fleet suffered repeated delays and reversals because of severe weather. Raymond carried hospital tents, bedding, and stores. After the expedition finally departed in March 1796, the force reached Barbados, captured St Lucia in May, and subsequently took Saint Vincent and Grenada. Raymond returned to Deal in August. Raymond's final EIC voyage started from Portsmouth on 5 June 1797, again under Captain Smedley, with Bombay as the destination. On 20 April 1798, after reaching the Malabar Coast, Raymond came to anchor in Tellicherry Roads and was attacked by the French frigate Preneuse. Another East Indiaman, Woodcot, was also present and was captured. Raymond fought for approximately an hour before surrendering. The French attack focused heavily on the ship's masts and rigging. Three people aboard Raymond died and four or five were wounded, including a female passenger injured by splintering. The East India Company recorded the value of the lost Raymond cargo as £8,963. The French apparently sold the vessel at Île de France to American owners, who renamed her Orion. On 25 February 1799, Orion departed for Boston with the French intendant general, his family, and settlers leaving amid uncertainty in the colony. The supplied sources do not document the vessel's later fate. Raymond's recorded history therefore concludes with its transformation from a British EIC ship into the American-owned Orion.
- 1799
Sails as Orion
[1]Under American ownership and the name Orion, the former Raymond sailed from Île de France to Boston.
- 1798
Captured by France
[1]The French frigate Preneuse captured Raymond at Tellicherry Roads during her sixth EIC voyage.
- 1796
Returns from the West Indies campaign
[1]Raymond returned to Deal after supporting operations associated with the British captures of St Lucia, Saint Vincent, and Grenada.
- 1795
Requisitioned for the West Indies expedition
[1]The British government used Raymond as a transport carrying medical and logistical stores for Admiral Christian's expedition.
- 1794
Letter of marque issued
[1]During the war with France, Captain Henry Smedley obtained a letter of marque for Raymond.
- 1788
Third EIC voyage reaches China
[1]Raymond sailed via Bombay and Batavia to Whampoa, expanding her recorded trading itinerary beyond India.
- 1783
First EIC voyage begins
[1]The ship sailed from Portsmouth to St Helena and Bombay under Captain Joseph Hall.
- 1782
Launch as an East Indiaman
[1]Raymond was launched for service with the British East India Company and named after Charles Raymond, 1st Baronet.
Products and positioning
A late-eighteenth-century British East Indiaman serving both commercial trade routes and government transport requirements.
East Indiaman · 1782
Raymond
Raymond was a large British East India Company merchant vessel used for long-distance voyages between Britain, India, Southeast Asia, and China. In addition to carrying commercial cargoes, she transported passengers and could be adapted for military logistics. Her wartime service included a letter of marque and transport work for a British expedition to the West Indies.
American-owned merchant vessel
Orion
After French capture and a reported sale at Île de France, Raymond was renamed Orion by American owners. The renamed vessel sailed for Boston in February 1799 with officials, family members, and settlers departing the colony. The available reference does not record her later service.
Controversies
2020
SEBI fines Raymond over JK House lease transactions
In a regulatory action, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) imposed a fine of ₹7 lakh on Raymond Ltd. The penalty concerned the company's failure to obtain prior approval for related-party transactions involving the lease of JK House. According to the regulator, Raymond did not adhere to corporate-governance best practices in connection with these transactions. The event was reported on 20 November 2020.
Brand decisions
1798
Transfer to American ownership and renamingM&ABackground
After French forces captured the ship, Raymond was reportedly sold at Île de France.
Action taken
American owners acquired the vessel and renamed it Orion.
Aftermath
Orion sailed for Boston in February 1799, but later ownership and service are not established by the supplied material.
1795
Conversion to expeditionary transport serviceStrategyBackground
The British government assembled commercial ships and other transports for Admiral Christian's West Indies expedition.
Action taken
Raymond was taken up as a transport and assigned to carry hospital tents, bedding, and stores.
Aftermath
The ship supported the expedition that captured St Lucia, Saint Vincent, and Grenada, then returned to Deal.
1794
Armed wartime operation under a letter of marqueStrategyBackground
The French Revolutionary Wars created a more dangerous operating environment for East India Company shipping.
Action taken
Captain Henry Smedley obtained a letter of marque for Raymond, permitting authorized defensive and privateering-related operations.
Aftermath
Raymond continued to Bombay and returned to Britain before later being requisitioned as a military transport.
Recent events
Raymond launches wedding collection campaign[3]
Reported:
Raymond launched its latest ad campaign, “Think Weddings, Think Raymond,” showcasing its wedding collection for grooms, friends and families.
SBI announces second YONO Super Saving Days carnival[4]
Reported:
State Bank of India announced the second edition of YONO Super Saving Days, a four-day shopping carnival scheduled for March 4–7, 2021, with discounts and cashback offers for YONO users.
SEBI fines Raymond over JK House lease transactions[2]
Reported:
SEBI imposed a ₹7 lakh fine on Raymond Ltd for failing to obtain prior approval for related-party transactions involving the lease of JK House. The regulator said Raymond failed to adhere to corporate-governance best practices.
Raymond Lifestyle appoints Joe Kuruvilla as CEO[5]
Reported:
Raymond announced that Joe Kuruvilla was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Raymond Lifestyle.
Raymond appoints Amit Agarwal as CFO[6]
Reported:
Raymond appointed Amit Agarwal as Chief Financial Officer, replacing Sanjay Bahl. The appointment took effect July 2, 2020; Bahl will continue as an advisor for six months.
Raymond lifestyle business CEO to step down[7]
Reported:
Raymond said Sanjay Behl, CEO for its lifestyle business, had decided to step down after seven years and would assist with the transition while the company appoints a successor.
Raymond announced a spin-off of its core lifestyle business[8]
Raymond announced the restructuring of its core lifestyle business into a separate entity. Each Raymond Ltd shareholder was to receive shares in the new company in a 1:1 ratio.
Sources11 sources
- 1Raymond (1782 EIC ship)en.wikipedia.org
- 2SEBI fines Raymond over JK House lease transactionsthehindubusinessline.com
- 3Raymond推出婚礼系列广告活动indiantelevision.com
- 4SBI宣布举办第二届YONO Super Saving Days购物节indiatvnews.com
- 5Raymond Lifestyle 任命 Joe Kuruvilla 为首席执行官retail.economictimes.indiatimes.com
- 6Raymond任命Amit Agarwal为首席财务官retail.economictimes.indiatimes.com
- 7Raymond生活业务首席执行官将卸任archive.siasat.com
- 8Raymond 宣布分拆其核心生活方式业务moneycontrol.com
- 9Raymond appoints Amit Agarwal as Chief Financial Officer- Moneycontrol.commoneycontrol.com
- 10Raymond fined for violations, SEBI finds governance failuremoneylife.in
- 11Raymond's CEO for lifestyle business steps down, stock down by 4.3 pcretail.economictimes.indiatimes.com
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