Rose Middleton Gallery

R.M. Middleton founded Middleton & Co. with the purchase of the steamship Rose Middleton from William Gray in 1874. All of the company’s eight ships were built in Hartlepool, four by William Gray and four by Withy. When the first Alverton was wrecked in 1879 they gave the name to another ship purchased in 1880.

The last of the ships were sold in 1886 and 1887, although Robert continued as a shipbroker and shipowner.

'Notice is hereby given that the partnership heretofore subsisting between us, the undersigned, Robert Hayes Carrick, of Bute Docks, Cardiff, in the county of Glamorgan; Otto Kramer Trechmann, of West Hartlepool, in the county of Durham; Albert Frederick Trechmann, of West Hartlepool aforesaid; and Robert Morton Middleton (the younger), formerly of West Hartlepool aforesaid, but now of Ealing, in the county of Middlesex, carrying on business as Ship and Steamship Owners, Ship and Steamship Managers, Ship and Insurance Brokers, Coal Exporters, and Commission Agents, at Cardiff and Barry Dock, in the county of Glamorgan, and Newport, in the county of Monmouth, under the style of "Trechmann, Carrick & Company," has by mutual consent been dissolved by the retirement of the said Robert Morton Middleton from the said Partnership, as from the 12th day of November, 1897. All debts due to and owing by the said late firm will be received and paid by the said Robert Hayes Carrick, Otto Kramer Trechmann, and Albert Frederick Trechmann, who will continue to carry on the said partnership business of Trechmann, Carrick, and Company" at Cardiff, Barry Dock, and Newport aforesaid. 12th November, 1897.'

Family History:

Robert Morton Middleton was born on 25^th January 1846 at Sowerby, Yorkshire to parents Robert Morton (banker’s agent for Backhouse Bank) and Mary Ann (nee Hutton) Middleton.  He grew up in Northallerton and also went into banking as a clerk for Backhouse Bank. Robert moved to Hartlepool and married Rose Helen Meredith on 7^th July 1870 at Christ Church. During their marriage they had five daughters and a son.

On the 1871 census Robert was listed as a banking accountant living at York Road, Stranton with his wife. By 1881 he was listed as a shipowner living at Hudworth Cottage, Castle Eden with his wife and five daughters. On the 1891 census Robert was listed as a shipowner and investment agent living at Ealing, Middlesex with his wife, four daughters and their son.

Robert was a keen botanist and a collector of natural history specimens and became a fellow of the Linnean Society. He stayed for a short while in Tennessee and then in Valparaiso, Chile. In 1890 he donated a large number of specimens to McGill University in Canada. He returned to England, probably in 1891 as he is listed in the census as living at Ealing, and was a temporary assistant at the Natural History Museum until his death.

Correspondence to and from Robert regarding natural history can be found on the internet.

 Robert died of appendicitis aged 63 on 9^th August 1909 at Carshalton, Surrey leaving effects of £9,268. His wife, Rose, died in 1923.

Official No. 72641: Code Letters NQFV: Code Letters JVRG.

Owners: 1874 Robert Morton Middleton & Co. West Hartlepool: 1883 Jacob R. Olsen, Bergen, Norway-renamed Niord.

Masters: 1876 H Dew: 1877 Dowey: 1878-80 Higgins/Higgon: 1880-81 J Millard (West Hartlepool): 1881 WH Middleton: 1881-83 J Millard (Hartlepool): 1884-96 N Lovold.

Lloyd’s List, Tuesday, January 14^th, 1879:
CARDIFF Jan. 11; The Rose Middleton steamer, Higgon, from Havre, struck the dock and broke her stem while docking here to-day in charge of a pilot.

On a voyage from Hull to Burntisland in ballast with a total crew of 16 to load for the Baltic Rose Middleton was driven by the force of a gale on to the Redheugh 13 miles east of Dunbar where she stranded on 14 October 1881. The crew were saved using rocket apparatus. The vessel was refloated on 21 January 1882 & taken by 4 tugs to Leith for repairs. One life lost.
Falkirk Herald, Thursday, October 20^th, 1881:
LOSS OF THE ROSE MIDDLETON. A steamer that want ashore at Redheugh, about 13 miles from Dunbar, is the Rose Middleton, of West Hartlepool, bound from Hull to Burntisland in ballast. Just as she struck one of the crew, a Norwegian, was washed overboard. The other 15 members of the crew and the Captain’s wife were rescued by the rocket apparatus. The hull of the vessel is badly damaged, and the machinery started.

Shields Daily News, Thursday, February 2^nd, 1882:
THE STEAMER ROSE MIDDLETON. This steamer, which stranded at Redheugh near Dunbar, during the storm on 14^th October last, and was lately floated off, was surveyed in the Commercial Dry Dock, Leith yesterday. The steamer was found to have sustained damage to the extent of several thousand pounds, a number of her plates having been smashed completely in. A new keel will also be required.

Dundee Evening Telegraph, Thursday, March 16^th, 1882:
The steamer Rose Middleton, of West Hartlepool, which was purchased some weeks ago by Mr W. B. Thompson, arrived in the Tay on Wednesday night from Leith.

Dundee Advertiser, Friday, April 6^th, 1883:
THE REPAIRS OF THE ROSE MIDDLETON. THE EDITOR OF THE DUNDEE ADVERTISER. Sir,— Are the Harbour Trustees justified in setting aside the recognised rules of the Graving Docks and acting as they have done in the case of the Rose Middleton referred to in your report of the Trustees’ meeting of yesterday? What has the Harbour Trust to do with any private dispute between one of their number and his workmen? During repairs a dispute between employer and employees occurs, the former finds it is his interest to delay operations and allow his vessel occupy the Slip a much longer time than should have been the case. Had it been one of the Graving Docks instead of the Patent Slip—which was very nearly the case—dues would not have compensated for the serious consequences that would have resulted to vessels frequenting the port. Under the new rules framed by the Trustees the other day the following was adopted from the Liverpool and Greenock rules: Should the vessel not be capable of being removed at the expiration the time regulated for, until she shall be chargeable with double dock dues from the expiry of the time regulated for until she shall be in a condition to be so removed from the dock or slip.
In the face of this the Trustees resolved by a sweeping majority on returning the owner 25 per cent of the lower rates charged under the old rules. Have they power to charge one party less than another?  The largeness of the amount incurred as compared with the estimated amount (which would have been nearly doubled under the new byelaws) has nothing to do with the question. If the dues are a lawfully earned asset of the Harbour, the Trustees must account for same; and if in consideration of the Trust being a prosperous concern they must exercise munificence at the expense the ratepayers, let them snow some discretion in their actings without breaking through their rules, which are alike binding on themselves andthe different parties engaging the Slip - without establishing a dangerous precedent, and without mixing themselves with private affairs, and altogether putting themselves in a false position. - I am, &etc., Ratepayer, Dundee, 3d April.

Dundee Advertiser, Monday, April 9^th, 1883:
THE ROSE MIDDLETON S.S. THE EDITOR OF THE DUNDEE ADVERTISER. Sir, —From “Ratepayer’s” letter to-day it evident the Harbour Trustees, by their action in this matter, have laid themselves open to challenge.
I am a party to the Graving Dock and Slip, having entered my vessel under the rules and byelaws—confirmed by the Sheriff—under which the Rose Middleton was entered. So long these rules remain in force—and they are still in force— I protest against this vessel paying three-fourths only of the authorised dues, whilst I and other interested parties are charged and have to pay in full. The risk of repairing the Rose Middleton was alone a matter of the owners; and it certainly looks like an untenable position for the Trustees of a public Trust to address one of their own number in as many words:—“We know this, but as your speculation might have turned out better if you had not had this dispute with your men, we shall make you a grant equal to 25 per cent on the dues incurred by you. —I am, &c., Fairplay, Dundee, 5th April 1883.

Life lost October 1881: Harliverson/Huliorson, Norway.

Niord was loading timber when she & her cargo were damaged by fire at Drammen 15 May 1897. She was sold for breaking.