What Ship Did Bradford Sail On?

The Mayflower, an English sailing ship, was the first to transport a group of Pilgrims from England to North America in 1620 CE. The ship was a carrack with three masts and carried 102 passengers, including William Bradford, who would later become the first governor of Plymouth Colony. The Leiden Separatists bought a small ship, the Speedwell, in Holland and embarked from Delftshaven on July 22, 1620. They sailed to Southampton, England, to meet the Pilgrims.

On September 16, 1620, the Mayflower set sail from Plymouth, UK, bound for the Americas with 102 passengers. The ship was headed towards Plymouth Colony, where William and Dorothy Bradford left their three-year-old son with her parents in Amsterdam. They boarded the Speedwell in 1620 before transferring to the Mayflower when the Speedwell was deemed unseaworthy.

The Mayflower’s history and story began long before that. On July 16, 1620, the ship had to turn back twice due to leakage in the Speedwell. After deciding to leave, the ship was the first to sail from Great Britain to America. William Bradford, who sailed on the Mayflower and later became the leader of the Pilgrims, was among the passengers.

On September 6, 1620, Captain Jones, along with 102 passengers and approximately 30 crew members, set sail from Plymouth on what William Bradford described as “Cape Cod.” The Pilgrims’ joy and relief on catching sight of Cape Cod on November 9, 1620, was recorded by their leader William Bradford.