Stepney Folk

East India Men

William Burrell (1583) of Ratcliffe, son of John, was considered to be the greatest shipbuilder of his day. In 1620 the Blackwall Yard was leased to Nicholas Andrew and Burrell sub-let it from him for a peppercorn rent. He was involved with the H.E.I.C. as their chief builder and they provided him with a house in the dockyard at Deptford. He was also involved with the North West Passage Company. In 1615 he was appointed Commissioner of the Royal Navy and built ships for them under the title Master Shipwright and he continued in their employ until his death in 1630.

Jeames Woodcot (1597-1601) was a servant of the H.E.I.C. Richard Hall (1597-98) was an anchorsmith of Ratcliffe employed by both the H.E.I.C. and the Royal Navy.

David Carpenter (1597-98) was the captain of the H.E.I.Cs. 'Samaritan'. In the vestry minutes of 1611 he is described as old and deaf but was to be kept on.

Christopher Browne (1633) was one of the leading captains of the East India Company. He remained in the East Indies for two years returning in 1625. He and his ship were impressed by the Royal Navy at Flushing the Company being assured this would only be for two years but in the event he was released before 14 December when he was appointed commander of the Company's Surat fleet. After nine years in the H.E.I.C. service he felt his salary of of 20 marks a month was too little. Many of the Company captains went in for a little private trading of which the Company disapproved. Christopher was accused of having a private venture of 500 ryalls and a 'Mr Leatt said his daughter had adventured with Captain Browne some silk stockings, garter, roses etc. to some value'.
The factors in Gambroon were not happy with him and complained to the East India Council at Surat that 'Captain Browne and his abettor will in time be called to account for their base proceedings; for it is a principle that he who knows not how to obey can worse govern'.

Captain William Bushell (1632) commanded the 'Neptune', 400 tons, 32 guns and 160 men) in 1635 and was employed in redeeming captives at Algiers. On his way home, with 30 freed captives, he and another captain, Thomas Scot of Ratcliffe, were fined at Dunkirk for 'presuming to wear their flags in full view of the Fleet.' This was apparently an open insult to the 200 ships. Relatives of other captives petitioned the Admiralty to send him again to redeem others and he and the 'Neptune' were employed for this purpose by the Navy.

Anthony Tutchin (1632) was a mariner of Limehouse and in command of a vessel lent to the French in 1625. In 1626 he was Master-assistant of the Navy and later Master of Trinity House. His son of the same name became a Commonwealth Naval Officer.

Thomas Best (1597) was a captain of the H.E.I.C.s Navy and a parishioner, of Limehouse. He had gone to sea in 1583 and was said, in 1598, to be 'a man of substance and repute well known in Ratcliffe and Limehouse'. In 1611-12 he sailed for India and defeated the Portuguese. He served in the Royal Navy and in 1633 became warden of Trinity House.

Robert Salmon a merchant of Whitehorse St, Ratcliffe was a prominent member and director of the H.E.I.C. and a Master of Trinity House during the Spanish Armada (1588).

Link to East India Company Website