This talk explores how people actually got to India at a time when the East India Company (EIC) was actively trying to control, and restrict, who could travel there. Richard Morgan will explain the authorised routes to India aboard EIC ships, as well as the less official (and often illegal) alternatives using vessels from other nations.

Drawing on the remarkable survival of East India Company ship logs, known as Journals, from the mid-18th century to around 1830, the talk will show what these records can reveal and how they can be used for research. You will also learn about the careers and lives of EIC maritime service personnel, from officers to ordinary crewmen. In addition, the talk will introduce “Country Ships”: privately owned British vessels that operated feeder routes around the Far East and played a crucial role in regional trade and travel.

This is a richly informative session for those interested in maritime history, travel to India, and the practical sources that bring these journeys and careers to life.  

• You can attend in-person at our Resource Hub in London where the presenter will be live or watch online via Zoom. The option to choose either online or in-person appears before checkout
• £10 to attend this event
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