Mennythorpe Gallery

John Coverdale purchased shares in sailing vessels from about 1852 and by the 1860’s had become the sole owner of a fleet of sailing vessels.

John entered into partnership with Charles Scotson Todd under the company name of Coverdale, Todd & Co. On 30 June 1882 this partnership was dissolved and on the same day John went into business with his son, Robert Hauxwell Coverdale, as his partner. The company became Coverdale & Son with their business premises at Victoria Terrace, West Hartlepool.

Robert took over the company when his father died and it became R.H. Coverdale. When Robert died the company reverted back to John Coverdale & Son which eventually ceased trading in 1914. The company of Coverdale Bros. carried on until 1917.

Family History:

John Coverdale was born in 1814 at Sneaton, near Whitby, in Yorkshire. John became a master mariner and in the early 1850's he moved to Hartlepool from Sneaton already part owner and master of the sailing vessel Madonna in which he had invested in October 1852. In 1854 he was part owner and master of the Schofield. John had married Mary Hauxwell at Stockton-on-Tees in 1852 and by the 1860's the couple were living at Radcliffe Terrace with their two children Jane and Robert. He retired from the sea and became owner and manager of a fleet of sailing vessels. When iron constructed ships became the new revolution he sold his wooden vessels and went into steam shipping.

During his lifetime he took an active interest in municipal life and was the people’s warden at St Hilda’s Church, a member and then chairman of the Hartlepool Pilotage Commissioners, a lifetime trustee of Henry Smith’s charity, a member of the Hartlepool School Board and one of the governors of the Hartlepools Hospital.

John died aged 70 at his residence, South Crescent, Hartlepool, on 15th February 1885 leaving effects of £21,330.

Robert Coverdale was born in December 1858 to parents John and Mary (nee Hauxwell) Coverdale. He married Catherine Sanderson in 1878 and they lived at 18 Cliff Terrace, Hartlepool.

Robert died aged 47 on 20th February 1906 at Hartlepool leaving effects of £101,046. He was interred at Spion Kop Cemetery.

Wooden vessels in John’s fleet other than those listed below were; brig Albion built 1811 owned from about 1855 to 1857; snow Come On built 1854 owned from 1866 to 1872; barque Sarepta built 1856 owned from 1866 to 1872.

Steamships owned by the Coverdale companies other than those listed below were; Muriel Coverdale built 1905 owned from 1905 to 1913; Frank Coverdale built 1903 owned from 1903 to August 1912; Gladys built 1890 owned from 1890 to 1906.

"MENNYTHORPE" (S.S.)

FINDING of a Naval Court of Inquiry convened at the British Consulate, Corunna, on the 13th day of June 1881, to investigate as to the cause of the stranding of the British steamship "MENNYTHORPE," of Hartlepool, O.N. 81,651, on the rocks near Baldayo, on the morning of Sunday the 5th instant.

The Court, composed of Edward Henry Walker, Esq., Her Britannic Majesty's Consul for the Provinces of Galicia and Asturias; Mr. Alexander Scott, master of the British barkentine "Lottie," of Halifax, O.N. 74,077; Mr. Joseph Hill, master of the British schooner "Sam Slick," of Plymouth, O.N. 28,162; Mr. Thomas Guyatt, British merchant, residence, Corunna; and Mr. Ricardo de Wrioste, clerk to the Court.

We, the undersigned, after a careful and impartial investigation of the evidence taken from that portion of the crew that composed the watch on deck when the steamship "Mennythorpe" struck on the Baldayo's Rocks, and after a careful examination of the ship's log, and, moreover, having worked out the said steamer's course from the entries in the said log from the time of her departure from "Start Point" and from the last observation made on Saturday, the 11th instant, at noon, are of opinion that the said steamer struck on the aforesaid rocks owing to an error in the navigation, which we consider in our opinion could have been avoided. On Saturday afternoon, the 4th instant, by observation, the steamer was in latitude 45° 30', longitude 7° 38'W., and from which position the course given to steer was S.W. 1/4 S., the said course given undoubtedly was not sufficient to the westward to clear the aforesaid steamer from the land which she was quickly approaching. Whereas had the course been given S.W. 1/2 W. instead of S.W. 1/4 S., the steamer would have passed to the westward of all the land, taking her between 10 to 12 miles to the westward, and in range of the lights. We, moreover, consider when there was an uncertainty as to the light observed by the look-out, the steamer ought to have at once been eased down and a cast of the lead taken. We therefore suspend the master's certificate for six months, but recommend that he should have the right of sailing under a first mate's certificate during that period, if he is desirous of availing himself thereof.

Lastly, in returning the chief mate's certificate, we do so with the remark that we hold him deserving of censure in not having at once stopped the steamer when he, the said mate, observed the light on the port bow referred to in the evidence.

(Signed)

ALEXANDER SCOTT, Master, Barkentine "Lottie."

Assessors.
JOSEPH HILL, Master, "Sam Slick."
THOMAS GUYATT, Merchant.
E. H. WALKER, H.B.M.'s Consul, President of Court.
R. DE WRIOSTE, Clerk to the Court.

C.S. Todd went into business with John Coverdale under the company name Coverdale, Todd & Co. On 30 June 1882 the partnership was dissolved and Charles continued a business of steamship owners, brokers and commission agents under C.S. Todd & Co., with his premises at 74 Church Street, West Hartlepool. In 1887 Charles went bankrupt. At the time he owed, amongst other debts, around £13,000 to the shipbuilders William Gray & Co.

Family History:

Charles Scotson Todd was born in 1837 at Hartlepool to parents John and Mary (nee Scotson) Todd. He was indentured on the vessel Briton's Pride at the age of 17 in 1854. He gained his second mate's certificate  in January 1859, his first mate's certificate in January 1862 and his master's certificate in January 1864, all at Hartlepool. (Certificate No. 19833). Charles married Mary Grace Kearlsey at Hartlepool in January 1866 and they had three sons and a daughter. Charles had shares in ships from 1871. By the late 1870s the family were living at Greatham.

Charles died aged 66 in July 1903 at Stockton-on-Tees.