Katherine Technical Specification

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.

Jacob Allison purchased his first ship, Atalanta, in 1888 and founded J.S. Allison & Company in 1889. In 1906 the company became the Seaton Shipping Company Co. Ltd.

In 1911 the management of the Seaton Shipping Co. Ltd. was  transferred to Sydney Hogg & Co.

Jacob Shepherd Allison was born c1863 at Stranton. He was married in the Tower Street Congregational Church on 22 October 1889 to Elizabeth Pyman Cory, eldest daughter of Ebenezer Cory & granddaughter of George Pyman. Having served on the Town Council for ten years he became Mayor in 1906.

Living on the Green at Seaton Carew Jacob had been having strychnine injections administered by a nurse for insomnia. He did not like the injections and had asked if the strychnine could be taken in liquid form and the nurse had told him it could under a doctor’s orders.

On the afternoon of Tuesday 10 April 1910 the clerk went into the office and Jacob asked him to phone the doctor as he thought he was poisoned. Just before he died Jacob told the doctor he had drunk from a bottle of strychnine that he had purchased to kill rats.

At the inquest held the following day a verdict of ‘Death by Misadventure’ was given as there was no motive for suicide. Jacob was just 47 years old.