On Saturday 25 November 1809, His Majesty’s Ship Formidable, a rather elderly ship-of-the-line, arrived in Plymouth harbour, having escorted an East India Company convoy through the dangerous waters of the Mediterranean and the Bay of Biscay. The Formidable was not only protecting merchant ships from French predators; she was also carrying Mirza Abul Hassan Khan, his eight servants, and his interpreter and minder, James Morier.In this episode we learn about Abul Hassan's voyage to London and get some first hand experiences on his culture shocks! Our website: https://www.sidestreets.co.uk/Support us on Patreon: patreon.com/user?u=84135705