Hartlepool History Then & Now

Person - J.E. Guthe

Julius Ernst Guthe was born in 1857 at Leipzic, Saxony. His early history is sketchy but he was thought to be a member of the Prussian Army and was known as an Uhlan. The story went that there was a ‘difference’ of some sort on the parade ground and an Uhlan went missing. It was thought that he probably arrived on British soil having been a stowaway. Whatever his mode of travel in 1875 a German youth turned up at the offices of Cory, Lohden & Co., at West Hartlepool. Eventually branching out with his own shipping company he became an extremely successful businessman. Julius married Ann Sharper, daughter of Dixon Taylor Sharper, at Hartlepool in 1878. They had six children during their 38 years of marriage. In 1881 the family were living at Birds Field in Seaton Carew with Julius listed as a Foreign Correspondent. He became a naturalised British subject in August 1887. Julius left the country sometime after that but he returned in 1892. From about 1900 the family were living at Dinsdale Hall on Station Lane, Seaton Carew until moving to Kepwick Hall, Thirsk, Yorkshire around 1915.

One of their sons became a Major in the Royal Horse Artllery and Royal Field Artillery and died of wounds during WW1 in January 1916 at Le Touquet, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.

Julius died aged 60 on 27^th June 1917 at Thirsk and was interred in Holy Trinity Churchyard, Seaton Carew. This was just two months after the death of his wife. He left effects of £577,136.

Obituary in the Newcastle Journal – Thursday 28 June 1917.

‘By the death of Mr J. E. Guthe, J.P., which took place yesterday at Kepwick Hall, in the North Riding Yorks, loses one who for many years past has been a prominent figure in the commercial life of the town. Born at Leipzic 60 years ago, the late Mr Guthe went to West Hartlepool in 1875, entering the office of Messrs Cory, Lohden and Co. Later he established a business for himself as coal shipper and shipowner, and gradually acquired a large fleet of steamers. About 1899 an important amalgamation took place between Mr Guthe and the West Hartlepool Steam Navigation Co., and in addition to the control of a large fleet of steamers, with a line running between West Hartlepool and Hamburg and Gothenburg (in pre-war times), an extensive coal business was carried on. Mr Guthe was a director of several shipping insurance companies, and was chairman of the Hebburn Rope and Sail Co,, Ltd. In 1901 he was returned unopposed represent the Seaton Carew Ward on the West Hartlepool Town Council, but only served that body for a few years. He was also on the Hartlepool Port and Harbour Commission and was Justice the Peace for the county Durham and sat at West Hartlepool and Castle Eden. Two his sons are serving with the British Army. Major Guthe, R.G.A., another son, was killed in France 18 months ago. Mr Guthe's wife predeceased him by only a few months.’

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Guthe & Co.

The following appeared in an issue of the Tees Packet, Journal of the Teesside Branch of the World Ship Society:

Julius Ernst Guthe was born at Leipzig, Saxony, in 1856. He came to West Hartlepool in 1875 and joined the local shipping and coal exporting firm of Cory, Lohden & Co., where he gained invaluable experience.

In 1889 he formed, with Mr. Murdoch, Guthe, Murdoch & Co., shipowners, agents and coal exporters. They purchased the steamships Brunswick, 1389 gross tons, built by W. Pickersgill in 1881, from C. Furness, and the Sara, 1642 gross tons, built by E. Withy in 1883, from W. Hamilton of Glasgow. However, this venture did not last very long, for the company was disbanded and the ships sold the following year.

At this time Mr. Guthe left the country, rumour has it to South America, but he returned in 1892 and formed J.E. Guthe & Co., purchasing the steamship Belair from Cardiff owners. In 1894 he acquired the May, also from Cardiff owners, the Croesus and Cyrus from owners in Sunderland. Christopher Furness sold him the Inchulva in the same year and also held shares in Mr. Guthe’s ships. By the end of 1895 Mr. Guthe had acquired the Agenoria from local owners Rickinsons, and the Harlyn, from London owners. In 1896 he acquired the Heighington, Ashlands and Kirkstall, all from local owners, and had also acquired shares in the Killingworth, owned by J. Sinclair of Church Street, West Hartlepool.

From 1897 until the Guthe fleet was amalgamated with the West Hartlepool Steam Navigation Co. to form the West Hartlepool Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., a succession of newbuildings were added to the fleet. Miss Barbara Guthe launched the Barbara from Furness Withy’s yard and later Miss Annie Guthe launched the Annie from the same shipyard, both girls being daughters of Mr. Guthe. The Edenhall was built by Irvines Shipbuilding and Drydock Co. in 1898, the first ship to be launched after the yard had been extended and modernised. At this time there were two ships building on the Tyne for owners in Spain. Through the intervention and brokerage of of Christopher Furness they were acquired by Mr. Guthe and named Guildhall and Haddonhall. Again, C. Furness took a number of shares in each ship. The Whitehall had been delivered in 1897 by Craig Taylor as a further unit of the fleet.

In 1899 Mr. Guthe’s fleet was amalgamated with that of the West Hartlepool Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., with Christopher Furness as Chairman of the new company and Mr. Guthe as Managing Director.

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