Roumelia Gallery

Robert Hardy and Joseph Forster Wilson founded Hardy, Wilson & Co., owning 20 ships from 1879 to 1894. The company was dissolved on 30 June 1894 and Robert Hardy continued trading as R. Hardy & Co., owning 11 ships until the company ceased trading in 1913. Joseph Forster Wilson continued trading as J.F. Wilson (Wilson Shipping Co. Ltd.) owning 15 ships between 1894 and 1919.

R. Hardy & Co., also owned the steamer Uplands built by Ropner in 1890. she was sold in 1912 to Stettin owners and renamed Belgravia. In May 1918 she struck a mine and sank.

Family History:

Robert Hardy was born 1853 at Trimdon to parents Robert and Elizabeth (nee Appleby). In 1871 he was boarding at Stranton. By 1881 he was listed on the census as married and boarding at Roath, Glamorgan and by 1901 he was living at St Martin in the Fields. In 1911 he was a widower staying at Earls Court Hotel, Tunbridge Wells.

Robert died aged 81 on 6 September 1934 at Northbrook, West Hartlepool leaving effects of £129,979.

This section will, in time, contain the stories of more than 450 merchant ships built or owned in the Hartlepools, and which were lost during the First World War. As an illustration of the truly global nature of shipbuilding, these ships were owned by companies from 22 different countries, including more than 30 sailing under the German flag at the outbreak of war.

Official No. 92905: Code Letters KFPC: launched as Roumelia.

Owners: 1885 Hardy Wilson & Co, West Hartlepool: 1894 Robert Hardy & Co, West Hartlepool: 1913 Fernlands SS Co (J Mitchell & Sons) Dundee: 1914 Admiralty, London.

Masters: 1885-95 J Sellers: 1895 EJ Doherty: 1896-98 R Smith: 1899-1904 JJ Carter: 1905-06 JS Allan: 1908-12 JJ Carter: 1913 R Sargent.

Voyages: 8 November 1888 she left Port Said bound for Constantinople: July 1895 Genoa for Constantinople.