Atheniana Gallery

Christopher Furness was born at New Stranton, West Hartlepool, in 1852, the youngest of seven children. He became a very astute businessman, and by the age of eighteen was playing a major role in his older brother Thomas’ wholesale grocery business, being made partner in 1872.

In 1882 the two brothers decided to go their separate ways, allowing Thomas to concentrate on the grocery business, while Christopher took over the ownership and management of the four steamships their company was then operating.

This was the beginning of what would eventually become the huge Furness Withy & Co. Ltd. empire. As many books have been written detailing the history of this company, its ships and its many subsidiaries, this section will only feature those ships with direct Hartlepool connections.

Some of the ships that were not built at Hartlepool but owned by Furness are listed below as 'a general history'

Masters: 1904-05 E Evans: 1907 GC Tweedy: 1908 D Cole: 1909-11 D Prangios: 1913 J Gorthon: 1915 EB Borjesson: 1917 P Hogfeldt.

On a voyage from London for Methil & St John’s, Newfoundland in ballast with a crew of 44 Alida Gorthon was a straggler from convoy OA-204 when she was hit by a G7e torpedo from German submarine (U-100 Joachim Schepke) & sank 250 miles NW of Tory Island in 56.09N/12.14W on 29 August 1940. Earlier she had picked up 20 of the crew of the Dalblair which had been attacked by the same U-boat. These were all lost along with 11 of the crew from the Alida Gorthon.

Lives lost crew of Dalblair August 1940: Bruton, JH, master; Craig, JA; Eaton, PAO; Gallimore, M; Harkus, TP; Ismail, M; Jacobson, JG; Khan, D; Khan, M; Kinsey, JI; McKinlay, TC; Majid, A; Nathu, M; Oxley, RW; Reid, J; Smith, BJ; Stanley, J; Thompson, CAW; Thorn, LJS; Tyler, EE; Warren, GA; Whittaker, J; Wise, N.

Lives lost crew of Alida Gorthon August 1940: Olsen, Johan Berg, seaman, Norway.