In 1842 a man called H. Wright Esquire received a letter from his proud and excited son, Frank Edward Wright:
“Southampton September 17, 1842
My dear Papa,
We went to London in the holidays with mamma and stayed there three weeks. I hope you are quite well and I send my love to you.
On Friday we had a ride on the common. When we went to London we went to the Polytechnic, the Surrey Gardens and to the Vauxhall. Some new docks have been made and some of the largest ships can come in here. The Hindoostan is come in the docks and is going out to Calcutta in a week. So goodbye dear papa.
I remain your affectionate son.
Frank Edward Wright”
Frank had seen the “Hindustan” just days before it set sail on it’s first trip. The “Hindustan”, 2,018 tons left Southampton on her maiden voyage, 24th September 1842, to Calcutta where she set up a regular service from there to Aden and Suez to link up with passengers travelling from Southampton to Alexandria, who then travelled overland to Suez. It sank in a cyclone in Calcutta in 1864 while employed as a store ship.
I acquired Frank’s letter to his father and have been trying to trace his family history.
