Rose
Rose was a British East Indiaman launched in 1786 that completed seven voyages connected with the British East India Company before becoming a general trader and later being broken up.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Rose was an eighteenth-century British East Indiaman launched in 1786 for long-distance commercial and imperial transportation. The vessel operated primarily in the service of, or under arrangements with, the British East India Company, whose ships carried cargo and passengers between Britain, India, China, and other strategic ports. Rose made six standard East India Company voyages between 1787 and 1800, generally sailing from British waters to Madras and Bengal and returning through St Helena. She also undertook a military transport role during the British expedition to the West Indies in 1795–1796, supporting the campaign that resulted in the capture of St Lucia, St Vincent, and Grenada. In 1801–1802 she completed an additional Company-related voyage to bring rice from Bengal to England, part of a wider effort to secure food imports. After that voyage, Rose was sold into private ownership and worked as a general trader. Her later activities included a seal-hunting voyage to the Isle of Desolation, now generally identified with the Kerguelen Islands, from which she returned in 1808. The ship was last recorded in the Register of Shipping in 1820, while customs records indicate that she had been broken up by 1821. Rose was therefore not a modern consumer brand but a named commercial sailing vessel whose historical significance lies in its participation in East India trade, wartime transport, colonial expeditions, food-supply logistics, and later private maritime commerce.
History
Rose was launched in 1786 as an East Indiaman, a merchant ship designed for long-distance voyages between Britain and Asian trading ports. Her career began in British East India Company service. Under Captain John H. Dempster, she departed The Downs in February 1787 for Madras and China, reaching Madras in June and Whampoa in September. She returned to England in June 1788 after calling at St Helena. Her second voyage, from 1789 to 1790, again included Madras and Bengal, with the ship returning to Britain in April 1790. A third voyage followed in 1792–1793, taking Rose to Madras and Diamond Harbour before her return to The Downs in August 1793. The outbreak of war with France changed the circumstances of Rose's fourth Company voyage. She obtained a letter of marque in August 1793, permitting defensive or offensive action against enemy shipping, but the British government retained her at Portsmouth with numerous other East Indiamen while considering their use as transports for an attack on Île de France, now Mauritius. The proposed operation was abandoned in May 1794. Rose was released after the delay and received compensation recorded as £456 6s 8d for 22 days held at Portsmouth. She then sailed under Captain Alexander Gray for Madras and Bengal, returning to England in July 1795. Rather than immediately resume ordinary Company trade, Rose was chartered by the Admiralty as a transport for the British expedition to the West Indies in 1795–1796. The fleet experienced repeated delays caused by unfavorable weather and initially returned to England. It eventually sailed in April 1796 with troops commanded by Lieutenant-General Sir Ralph Abercromby. The expedition captured St Lucia in May and subsequently took Saint Vincent and Grenada. Rose returned to Gravesend from St Vincent in July 1796. Rose resumed East India Company service for two further standard voyages. From 1797 to 1798, she sailed to Madras and Bengal under Captain Gray, returning through St Helena and Cork. From 1799 to 1800, Captain Wemyss Orrok commanded another voyage to Madras and Bengal. Rose then undertook a final Company-related mission. John Kymer tendered the ship to the Company for a rice-transport operation, one of a large group of vessels dispatched from Britain between late 1800 and early 1801. Under Captain Christopher Kymer, Rose reached Diamond Harbour in May 1801 and returned to The Downs in February 1802 with her Bengal cargo. In 1802 Rose was sold and ceased to operate as an East India Company vessel. She became a general trader under private ownership. A large repair was recorded around the time of the sale. In 1805, with John Leith as master and M'Taggert identified as owner in the shipping register, Rose sailed to the Isle of Desolation to gather seal skins. The voyage lasted several years, and the vessel returned on 13 May 1808. Her later commercial movements are less fully documented. Rose remained in shipping records until 1820, while customs records indicate that she had been broken up by 1821. Her career illustrates the changing uses of large sailing ships in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries: she served commercial routes, wartime logistics, food-supply transport, and resource extraction before being dismantled.
- 1821
Breakup indicated by customs records
[1]Although last listed in 1820, customs records indicate that Rose had been broken up by 1821.
- 1808
Return from seal-hunting voyage
[1]Rose returned from the Isle of Desolation after collecting seal skins.
- 1802
Sale into private ownership
[1]Rose was sold and began a later career as a privately operated general trader.
- 1801
Bengal rice mission
[1]Rose sailed on a Company-related mission to transport rice from Bengal to England.
- 1796
Return from West Indies expedition
[1]Rose returned to Gravesend from St Vincent after supporting the British capture of several Caribbean islands.
- 1795
West Indies transport service
[1]The Admiralty chartered Rose as a transport for the British West Indies expedition.
- 1794
Portsmouth detention and release
[1]The government released Rose after abandoning a proposed expedition against Île de France and compensated the vessel for the delay.
- 1793
Letter of marque acquired
[1]Rose received a letter of marque during the war with France, although the ship was subsequently held for possible government transport use.
- 1787
First East India Company voyage begins
[1]Rose sailed from The Downs to Madras and China under Captain John H. Dempster.
- 1786
Launch as an East Indiaman
[1]Rose was launched for long-distance British maritime commerce and entered the East Indiaman trade.
Products and positioning
A large ocean-going merchant vessel used across British imperial commerce, military logistics, and later private trading ventures.
Long-distance merchant shipping · 1787
East India Company voyages
Rose completed six standard voyages for the British East India Company between 1787 and 1800. These voyages connected British ports with Madras, Bengal, China, St Helena, and intermediate maritime stations. Her cargo and exact commercial manifests are not fully specified in the supplied material, but the routes place her within the Company's organized Asian trade network.
Military transport · 1795
West Indies expedition transport
In 1795–1796, Rose was chartered by the Admiralty to support the British expedition to the West Indies. Her role was transport rather than combat command, carrying logistical support for a fleet and army whose operations resulted in the capture of St Lucia, Saint Vincent, and Grenada.
Food-supply shipping · 1801
Bengal rice transport
Rose's 1801–1802 voyage was arranged to bring rice from Bengal to England. The mission formed part of a broader Company effort involving numerous vessels and demonstrated the ship's use in commodity and food-supply logistics rather than only routine East India trade.
Private merchant shipping · 1802
General trading and seal-hunting service
After her sale in 1802, Rose served various private owners in general trade. One documented voyage took her to the Isle of Desolation to gather seal skins. This later phase reflects the flexible redeployment of large sailing ships after their Company careers ended.
Brand decisions
1802
Sale and transition to private tradeStrategyBackground
Following her final East India Company-related voyage, Rose was no longer retained in Company service.
Action taken
The vessel was sold to private interests and redeployed as a general trader.
Aftermath
Rose later undertook a seal-hunting voyage and remained recorded in maritime registers until 1820.
1795
Charter for West Indies military expeditionStrategyBackground
The Admiralty required transport capacity for the British expedition to the West Indies.
Action taken
Rose was chartered as a transport and joined the expedition fleet.
Aftermath
The expedition captured St Lucia, Saint Vincent, and Grenada, and Rose returned to England in 1796.
1794
Temporary conversion to government transport readinessStrategyBackground
During the war with France, the British government considered using Rose and other East Indiamen for an expedition against Île de France.
Action taken
Rose was detained at Portsmouth with other vessels while the proposed operation was evaluated, then released when the plan was abandoned.
Aftermath
Rose resumed her East India voyage after receiving recorded compensation for the delay.
Compensation for detention. £456 6s 8d (1794)
Recent events
- 1820
Rose disappeared from shipping records[1]
Other
The vessel was last listed in the Register of Shipping in 1820; customs records indicate that she had been broken up by 1821.
- 1805
Rose undertook a seal-hunting voyage[1]
Other
Under master John Leith, Rose sailed to the Isle of Desolation to collect seal skins and returned in 1808.
- 1802
Rose entered private general trade[1]
Other
After her final Company-related voyage, Rose was sold and began operating under private owners in a range of trades.
- 1801
Rose carried rice from Bengal to England[1]
Other
Rose was tendered to the East India Company for a voyage intended to bring rice from Bengal to Britain.
- 1795
Rose served in the West Indies expedition[1]
Other
The Admiralty chartered Rose as a transport for the expedition commanded by Admiral Hugh Cloberry Christian and Lieutenant-General Sir Ralph Abercromby.
- 1794
Rose was delayed for possible military transport service[1]
Other
During wartime preparations, Rose was held at Portsmouth with other East Indiamen for a proposed expedition against Île de France. The planned operation was abandoned, and the vessel was released after a delay.
- 1788
Rose completed her first East India Company voyage[1]
Other
Her first recorded Company voyage took her from The Downs to Madras and Whampoa before returning to England.
- 1786
Rose launched as an East Indiaman[1]
Product launch
Rose entered service as a British East Indiaman, a class of vessel used for long-distance commerce with Asia.
Sources1 sources
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