Welbury Gallery

This section will, in time, contain the stories of more than 450 merchant ships built or owned in the Hartlepools, and which were lost during the First World War. As an illustration of the truly global nature of shipbuilding, these ships were owned by companies from 22 different countries, including more than 30 sailing under the German flag at the outbreak of war.

In 1911, after the death of J.S. Allison, Sydney Hogg & Co. took over the management of Seaton Shipping Co. Ltd. They also managed ships for Merryweather Shipping Co. Ltd.

In 1911, on purchase of the steamship Brierton, the company used the name Brierton Shipping Co. Ltd., and in 1913, on purchase of the steamship Welbury, the company used the name Bury Shipping Co.Ltd.

By 1917 the last ship had been sold and in January and February 1918 all the companies were dissolved.

Family History:

Sydney Hogg was born in 1874 at Ethelbert House, West Hartlepool to parents George Joseph Henry (East Coast Insurance Co. agent) and Ada (nee Allison) Hogg. In 1881 the family were living at Stranton, West Hartlepool and by 1891 at Station Lane, Seaton Carew. He married Katherine Coverdale in 1899 and their residence was 16 Victoria Road, West Hartlepool, two doors along from Mary Ann Pyman, the widow of Thomas E. Pyman.

They had one son, Robert Coverdale, and two daughters, Ada Katherine and Clarissa Ann Share. By 1915 the family were living at Wilton Grange, Grange Road, West Hartlepool and by 1901 Victoria Road, West Hartlepool.

Sydney was a town councillor and became a J.P. He was also president of the Hartlepools Chamber of Commerce and the Shipbrokers’ Association. He was admitted into the Freedom of the City of London in the Painters Company on 5^th January 1921.

Sydney was living at ‘Grey Friars’ 61 Kent Road, Harrogate when he died aged 63 on 7 October 1936 leaving effects of £207,469. His widow, Katherine died in 1961 aged 83.  They were interred at St John the Baptist churchyard at Egglescliffe.

A shipping company which was formed through a long connection of family shipowners which included William, Richard, Joseph Benjamin Lister and William Scott Merryweather. William Merryweather was an auctioneer and purchased shares in his first sailing vessel soon after the Victoria Dock opened in Hartlepool in 1840. His son, Joseph Benjamin Lister Merryweather formed a partnership with Robert Coverdale & Charles Scotson Todd in 1873. On 31 August 1878 the partnership was dissolved by mutual consent and Joseph and his son, William Scott, became partners. Their first ship was the Sarah Ann named after Joseph’s wife.  

William added ships to the company after his father’s death. The last ship was sold in 1915 and he carried on a business as a shipbroker.

Family History:

Richard Merryweather was born in 1815 at Welbury, Yorkshire to parents William and Elizabeth. He became an auctioneer and in the late 1850s and early 1860s had shares in sailing vessels. Richard was married to Elizabeth Mould at Buckingham in 1841. By 1851 the couple were living at Southgate, Hartlepool and by 1861 at Cleveland, House, High Street, Hartlepool with their five children.  Richard died on 3 October 1891 aged 76 at Hartlepool leaving effects of £72.

William Merryweather was born in April 1791 at Welbury, Yorkshire to parents Richard and Margaret (nee Snaith). He married Elizabeth (nee Lister) in October 1813 at Welbury. Elizabeth died in 1854. William was remarried in February 1860 to Eleanor Forster. He died in February 1866 and is buried in St Hilda’s Churchyard alongside his first wife. On his death his effects were less than £1,500.

William and Elizabeth’s first son, also William, was born at Welbury in 1815. He became a porter merchant and then a shipowner. In June 1844 he married Margaret Ann Hauxwell at Hartlepool. William died in July 1853 at Stockton-on-Tees.

Joseph Benjamin Lister Merryweather was born to William and Elizabeth in 1836 at Hartlepool. In June 1859 he married Sarah Ann Scott at Wakefield. By 1881 the family were living at Alverthorpe, Wakefield. Joseph died on 22 December 1902 at Welbury Grange near Northallerton leaving effects of £38,173.

William Scott Merryweather was born in January 1860 at Hartlepool to Joseph and Sarah. He married Emily Elizabeth Wattley in 1885. At this time he was living at ‘Ethelbert’, Victoria Road. He was a member of the Town Council for many years and a J.P. By 1911 he was living at ‘Wrenwood’, Park Avenue, West Hartlepool. William died in July 1930 at Welbury leaving just £40 to his widow.

1907 Merryweather Shipping Co Ltd, West Hartlepool: 1912 Merryweather Shipping Co Ltd (Sydney Hogg & Co) West Hartlepool: 1913 Bury Shipping Co Ltd (Sydney Hogg & Co) West Hartlepool

Masters: 1907-15 J Peterson: 1915 R Newton.

Sailing from Kingston, Jamaica for Queenstown with a crgo of sugar for orders, she was proceeding at 7 knots. The U.24 (Rudolf Schneider) was sighted in the vicinity. A signal was given to abandon ship immediately, but the Welbury turned away, The U.24 steered to cut her off, fired a warning shot, then opened a steady fire until one shell went through the engine-room. The ship stopped and was abandoned. The U-24 finished her off by gunfire 40 miles west of Fastnet off Castletown, Berehaven 15 miles west of Bull Rock on 1 July 1915. No lives were lost.
The ship’s papers were burnt by the Master in the galley fire.

Belfast News-Letter, Saturday, July 3^rd, 1915:
A WEST HARTLEPOOL STEAMER. A Cargo of 5,400 Tons of Sugar. THE SUBMARINE COMMANDER'S DELIGHT. The steamer Welbury, 3,599 tons, of West Hartlepool, was sunk by gunfire from a German submarine while off Castletown, Berehaven, on Thursday night, when on a voyage from Cuba to Queenstown for orders, with cargo of 5,400 tons of sugar. The crew were landed by a trawler.
The commander of the submarine expressed delight finding that the cargo was sugar. Someone had painted in white on the inside of the ship’s forehold before she left Cuba: “You have cargo of sugar for England, you will never get there.”
Another telegram says the Welbury was torpedoed fifteen miles west of Bull Rock. The crew of 28 were all saved.

Welbury Yardbook pages.