Find out about life on board East India Company ships by listening to our podcast or by reading our blogs.

The project uses archival material from the British Library’s collections. They relate to the East India Company but are private accounts of life on board East Indiamen. Passengers and crew faced the challenges of rough weather, shipwreck, accidents and long periods of boredom. Various rituals and activities helped to pass the time. Some people enjoyed amateur dramatics, whilst others recorded the coastline or doodled the names of their loved ones at home. These very personal accounts illuminate what life must have been life at sea. The event held at the British Library (and available as podcast or video) brought together academic experts and actors to discuss the events on board ship.