Larkins
Larkins was a British merchant ship launched in 1808 that completed ten chartered East India Company voyages, transported convicts to Australia, traded between Britain and Asia, and later served as a coal hulk at Albany.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Larkins was an early nineteenth-century British merchant vessel rather than a modern consumer brand. She was launched in 1808 under the name Louisa and was purchased and renamed Larkins by John Pascal Larkins before completion. The ship operated primarily within the commercial and imperial trading networks linking Britain with India, China, southern Africa, and Australia. Her principal commercial role was as an extra ship chartered by the British East India Company. Between 1809 and 1834 she undertook ten EIC voyages under contract rather than belonging to the Company's permanent fleet. These voyages included calls at Calcutta, Madras, Bengal, China, St Helena, Madeira, Bencoolen, Quebec, and other ports. Her cargo and passenger duties reflected the mixed character of nineteenth-century maritime commerce: she carried trade goods, troops, stores, and, on several voyages, convicts transported by the British government to Australian colonies. Larkins's first convict voyage took place in 1817, when she carried 250 convicts from England to New South Wales; two died during the passage. On a later EIC charter in 1829 she carried 200 convicts to Sydney, with three deaths recorded during the voyage and one person landed before departure from Cork. Her 1831 voyage carried 280 convicts to Van Diemen's Land, all of whom survived the passage. After delivering convicts, the ship commonly continued to China to load tea for the return journey. Between 1821 and 1826 Larkins traded with India under an EIC licence. During this period the government in India hired her to move troops from Calcutta to Chittagong and then to proceed through Bencoolen before returning to Calcutta and England. The ship experienced several serious maritime incidents. In 1820 she grounded west of Borneo while returning from China, but the vessel Streatham pulled her free. In 1825 she returned to Calcutta after becoming leaky on a homeward voyage and required docking, coppering, and sheathing after continued water ingress was discovered. Following her EIC service, Larkins worked as a general merchantman. Her recorded trades included London to Calcutta, Madras, and Bombay. In 1843 a gale drove her ashore near Margate while she was returning from China with a cargo of tea. Her masts were cut away during the emergency, and she was subsequently refloated. In 1844 a cargo of cotton caught fire in Madras Roads. The crew contained the fire, although parts of the ship's internal structure were damaged. The Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company purchased Larkins in 1853 and sent her to Albany, Western Australia, with coal and stores. There she was stripped and converted into a coal hulk at Princess Royal Harbour. Changes in P&O's steamship services soon made the hulk redundant. Ownership briefly passed to the European and Australian Royal Mail Company, which later collapsed, after which the vessel returned to P&O. In addition to storing coal, Larkins served as a signal relay station for Albany and was temporarily used as a lazaretto in 1865 for a passenger exposed to scarlet fever. By the 1870s the vessel had deteriorated substantially, despite repairs and reduction to a single deck. P&O sold her for breaking up on 8 September 1876, and the harbour master required that no portion remain above the high-water mark. Some teak from the ship was reused locally, and her figurehead was eventually donated to the Albany Residence Museum in 1962. Larkins therefore survives primarily as a documented vessel in maritime and Australian colonial history, not as an active brand or ongoing commercial enterprise.
History
Larkins was launched in 1808 as Louisa and renamed before completion after John Pascal Larkins acquired her. Her career began with an East India Company voyage from Calcutta to England in 1809–1810. She then completed a series of contracted EIC voyages between Britain, India, China, St Helena, and other ports. Captain Thomas Dumbleton commanded four consecutive voyages during the 1810s, and the vessel carried both commercial cargo and personnel connected with Britain's overseas operations. In 1817 Larkins made her first convict voyage, sailing from England to Sydney with 250 convicts. Afterward she proceeded to China, linking the colonial transport system with the tea trade. She returned to EIC service in 1819 and suffered a grounding west of Borneo in 1820 while sailing home from China. The vessel was rescued by Streatham and reached England later that year. From 1821 to 1826 Larkins operated under an EIC licence rather than a standard voyage charter. The Indian government employed her for troop transport between Calcutta and Chittagong, with a planned route through Bencoolen. Her condition became a serious concern in 1825 when she had to return from Calcutta after developing leaks. Docking, coppering, and sheathing were required before she could resume service. The ship returned to formal EIC chartering from 1827 through 1834. One voyage went to China and Quebec. Two subsequent charters combined convict transport with tea carriage: in 1829 Larkins carried convicts to Sydney, and in 1831 she carried convicts to Van Diemen's Land before proceeding to China. A final EIC voyage visited Madras, Bengal, and China. These voyages made Larkins part of the integrated commercial and penal transportation system that connected Britain, Asia, and Australia. After 1834 Larkins became a general merchant vessel. Registers associated her with the London–Calcutta, London–Madras, and London–Bombay trades. In 1842 ownership passed to Haviside & Co. The ship suffered a major grounding near Margate in February 1843 after a gale prevented tugs from towing her up the Thames. She was carrying tea from China and was refloated within days. In 1844 a cotton cargo caught fire at Madras, but the crew contained the blaze. P&O purchased Larkins in March 1853 and sailed her to Albany, Western Australia, carrying coal, stores, and passengers. At Princess Royal Harbour she was converted into a coal hulk for P&O's coaling depot. The vessel became redundant when P&O curtailed its Singapore–Sydney service. She was sold to the European and Australian Royal Mail Company in 1857, but that company collapsed in 1858 and Larkins returned to P&O ownership. During her final decades at Albany, Larkins served several harbour functions. She was used as a signal relay station, repeating lighthouse signals and firing a gun or launching a rocket to announce arriving ships. In 1865 she temporarily served as a lazaretto for a passenger with scarlet fever. Continued deterioration led to repairs and the removal of much of her structure. P&O sold her for breaking up in September 1876. Her timber was reused locally, while her figurehead later entered the collection of the Albany Residence Museum.
- 1962
Figurehead donated to museum
[1]The ship's figurehead was donated to the Albany Residence Museum.
- 1876
Break-up
[1]P&O sold the deteriorated vessel for breaking up.
- 1853
Conversion to an Albany coal hulk
[1]P&O purchased Larkins and sent her to Western Australia, where she was stripped and used to store coal.
- 1843
Wrecking incident near Margate
[1]A gale drove Larkins ashore near Margate after her masts were cut away; she was later refloated.
- 1831
Third convict voyage
[1]She transported 280 convicts to Van Diemen's Land, with all surviving the voyage.
- 1829
Second convict voyage
[1]Larkins carried convicts to Sydney under an EIC charter and then proceeded to China for tea.
- 1825
Major leak and repairs
[1]She returned to Calcutta after becoming leaky and underwent docking, coppering, and sheathing.
- 1820
Grounding west of Borneo
[1]Larkins grounded while returning from China but was pulled free by Streatham.
- 1817
First convict voyage
[1]She transported 250 convicts from England to New South Wales.
- 1809
First East India Company voyage
[1]Larkins began her series of ten contracted EIC voyages, sailing from Calcutta to England.
Products and positioning
A contracted British merchant vessel serving long-distance trade, colonial transport, and later port-support functions.
Maritime transport · 1808
Merchant shipping services
Larkins carried commercial cargo between Britain, India, China, and other ports under East India Company charters and later as an independent general merchantman. Her recorded trades included tea, cotton, stores, and other colonial and international cargoes.
Colonial transportation · 1817
Convict transport
The vessel made three documented convict-transport voyages to Australian colonies: to New South Wales in 1817 and 1829, and to Van Diemen's Land in 1831.
Port services · 1853
Coal-hulk service
From 1853 Larkins was stripped and moored at Albany, Western Australia, as a floating coal store supporting P&O's coaling operations.
Brand decisions
1876
Sale for breaking upOtherBackground
Larkins had deteriorated despite repairs and had been reduced to a single deck.
Action taken
P&O sold the vessel for dismantling and the harbour master required removal of any remains above the high-water mark.
Aftermath
Some teak was reused locally, while the figurehead survived in a museum collection.
1853
Conversion into a coal hulkStrategyBackground
P&O acquired Larkins for use at its Albany coaling depot after her active long-distance trading career.
Action taken
The company sailed her to Albany, removed her upper masts, and converted her into a stationary coal hulk.
Aftermath
The hulk later became redundant after P&O discontinued its Singapore–Sydney steamer service, changed ownership briefly, and ultimately returned to P&O.
Sources1 sources
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