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Casper Edgar & Co.


Details about Casper Edgar & Co.

Hans and Harald Casper arrived in the North-East of England from Denmark in 1871 and 1872 respectively and went on to found shipbroking and agency businesses Casper, Edgar & Co., in Hartlepool and H. Casper & Co in Middlesbrough.

Harald W. Casper and Axel Casper were the first managers trading under E.A. Casper & Co. with offices at Commercial Terrace, West Hartlepool.

Some of their early ships that were registered at Hartlepool included:

The well-deck steamer Allie built in 1899 by William Harkess, Middlesbrough. In 1902 she was sold for £14,000 to Norway. She was eventually sunk by German submarine in 1917.

The steamer Holmewood built as Canadian Pathfinder in 1921 by Dominion Shipbuilders, Toronto. She was sold in 1934 to owners in New York and met her end in 1942 when she struck a mine.

The steamer Lizzie built in 1900 by Selby Ship Building. She was sold in 1901 to G.B. Wadsworth, West Hartlepool who sold her on in 1912 to Norway. She was posted as missing in 1918.

The steamer Minnie built in 1901 by Fevigs Jernskibsbyg, Arendal, Norway and sold in 1914 to Denmark. She was sunk by German submarine in 1916.

The Minnie Steamship Co. was registered In January 1901 when an agreement was adopted between Furness, Withy & Co. and E.A. Casper & Co. to carry on the business of shipowners with a capital of £24,000 in £50 shares. The subscribers were: Harold W. Casper, shipowner; Axel Casper, shipowner; T.W. Watson, shipowner; H. Tilly, solicitor; T. Furness, merchant; Mrs A. Casper and S.W. Furness.

The Minnie Steamship Co. ceased trading in June 1917.

Casper Shipping is still in existence today and published an extremely interesting book in 2005 which can be found on their website to download in PDF format as The Casper’s Heritage Book.

William Edgar was born in 1870 at Hartlepool to parents Archibald (sawmill storekeeper) and Agnes (nee Black) Edgar. William’s family lived at Stranton and by 1891 he was working as a shipbroker’s clerk. He married Annie Mabel Elliott in 1898 at Hartlepool.  In 1901 the couple were living at Stockton Road, West Hartlepool with their baby son and by 1911 at Linden Grove, West Hartlepool. He was elected mayor of West Hartlepool in 1917.

William was living at ‘Holmewood’ Kent Road Harrogate when he died aged 48 on 15th December 1918 leaving effects of £102, 783. He was interred at West Hartlepool.

Ole Peter Aarvold was born on 21st October 1877 at Tonsberg, Norway to parents Ole and Grethe Aarvold. He became a naturalised British subject in November 1910. He was Danish vice-consul and director of E.A. Casper & Co. shipbrokers and timber agents. Ole died in December 1935 whilst on a visit to Droitwich.


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