Glenroy Gallery

Robert Livingston and George Steel traded as managers and shipbrokers under the title of G. Steel & Co. The partnership was dissolved  in April 1889 with George carrying on trading as G. Steel & Co. In the same year Robert Livingston and Leonard Richard Conner went into partnership as Livingston, Conner & Co. R. Livingston & Co., and L.R. Conner & Co., were founded in 1899 with  offices at Church Street, West Hartlepool with the partnership of Livingston, Conner & Co., officially dissolved in July 1900. L.R. Conner & Co. ceased trading in 1916.

Family History:

Leonard Richard Conner was born in c1842 at Greenwich. He married Sarah in 1865 and, by 1881, was living at Stranton with his wife & six children. By the following decade the family were living in Clifton Avenue, West Hartlepool. He died at Hartlepool on 25 July 1918. In his will he left £63, 792.

Steamship Glenroy.

Northern Daily Mail, February 29^th, 1916: 
“Captain Stokewell and 22 members of the crew of the West Hartlepool steamer Glenroy, which was recently wrecked on the north coast of Africa, were landed in the Tyne yesterday by the steamer Hunbridge, From an account of the occurrence given by the men, it appears that the Glenroy went to Bougis Bay to load iron ore, and she was lying at a place called Fenning Sounina when bad weather suddenly came away on February 10^th. So severe was the gale that the steamer’s anchors failed to hold her and she was driven on the shore.

The position was a serious one, and the crew were in much danger, when Mr. Blake Thomas, the manager, and seven British officials of the ironstone mimes fortunately came to the rescue. At considerable risk they descended the steep rocks for a distance of about 150 feet until a safe spot was reached from which they could throw a rope to the vessel which had washed up well. In this way communication was established and the crew with great difficulty managed by means of the rope to reach the cliffs. The men expressed their admiration of the efforts of their rescuers, and intimated that it was their intention to forward a gift to Mr. Blake Thomas as an expression of their appreciation.”

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.

Robert Livingston and George Steel traded as managers and shipbrokers under the title of G. Steel & Co. The partnership was dissolved in April 1889 with George continuing to trade under G. Steel & Co. In the same year Robert went into partnership with Leonard Richard Conner under the title of Livingston, Conner & Co. Both partners set up their own companies in 1899 and the partnership of Livingston, Conner & Co. was officially dissolved in July 1900.

R. Livingston & Co. ceased trading in 1916 when Robert retired.

Family History:

Robert Livingston was born in 1858 at West Hartlepool. He married Bessie Robinson in 1890. By 1891 to at least 1901 he lived at Glencairn Villa, Hutton Avenue.  By 1911 the family had moved to The Gables, Eaglescliffe, Preston-on-Tees.

Robert died aged 81 at Eaglescliffe in January 1939 leaving effects of £120,120. He was interred at Eaglescliffe.