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Hesper Gallery
Related items :
Hesper (1881) - a general history
Completed August 1881; Official No. 81658; Code Letters WBHN.
Owners: 1881 G Horsley, West Hartlepool (original shareholders: George Horsley, 57 shares; William Loutit, Master Mariner, 1 share; Edmund Farrar, Timber Merchant, Eccles, 2 shares; Samuel Bjorg, Cotton Manufacturer, Accrington, 4 shares): 1889 G Horsley & Son, West Hartlepool.
Masters: 1881-82 J Watson: 1883-90 W Wilson: 1890 George Davies.
Voyages: sailed from Chittagong 16 November 1893 with a cargo of 16,227 bales of jute. After a stormy passage arrived Dundee 16 November 1893.
The Hesper left Cardiff on 20th January 1890, bound for Genoa with a cargo of coal but was not heard of again. The vessel was officially declared missing and her Register closed on 1st March, 1890. She carried a crew of 21:
Buckley, M.A., second mate, Belfast; Christian, T, able seaman; Davies, George, master, Swansea; Fisher, H, able seaman; Gay, Joseph, steward; Jones, A, able seaman; Kendall, Harry, fireman; Lewis, C, donkeyman; Marney, T, able seaman; McAteer, WK, first mate, Belfast; McAustland, J, first engineer, Saltcoats; McDonald, J, fireman; McGill, S, third engineer; McGlonic, Dan, boatswain; Milne, Alex, able seaman; Mitchael, H, mess steward; Mitchell, William, second engineer, Bridge End; Munro, D, fireman; Newton, Thomas, fireman; Sturgeon, F, able seaman; Trump, James, cook.
Stockton, Durham & Cleveland Mercury 22 February 1890.
‘We regret to announce that Messrs. George Horsley & Son, West Hartlepool, the owners of the steamship Hesper have still no tidings of that vessel which, as already reported in the Northern Echo, left Cardiff on 20 January with a cargo of coals for Genoa. It is generally believed in local shipping circles that she must have foundered in the channel, especially as certain wreckage has been picked up which points to this conclusion.
The vessel, which was built in 1881 by Messrs. E. Withy & Co, Hartlepool, & was of the well-deck type, having a gross carrying capacity of 2350 tons, took the highest class at Lloyds of 100 A1. She was in command of Captain Davies, an able and experienced officer, enjoying the full confidence of her owners, in whose employ he had been for several years. There was a crew of 21 hands all told.’
Horsley Line Ltd.
George Horsley was born on 22 June 1836, the eldest of three sons of Matthew Horsley. On leaving school he was apprenticed to E.S. Jobson and later became a partner in the company. The third partner was Ludwig August Stahle. George became an Alderman and was Mayor in 1875 and 1876. He was also Swedish Consul and a member of the Hartlepool's Shipowner Society along with William Maclean.
George married Alethia Ann Berry in 1866 and Matthew Henry, who became known as Harry, was born in June 1867.
On the death of Ebenezer Jobson in April 1877 at his home in Cliff Terrace George took over the company and it became George Horsley & Co. His son, Harry, eventually became a partner in his father’s company and by 1889 it had become George Horsley & Son. George died suddenly at his residence, Claremont House, in December 1895 leaving effects of £83,157.
Harry married Clara Maclean in April 1893. He died on 17 February 1925 at Sidmouth, Devon leaving effects of £274,009. Harry was interred at Stranton Grange Cemetery.
By 1900 the company had become the Horsley Line Ltd., with Harry as managing director. The company ceased trading in 1915.
The following information was compiled by Bert Spaldin and appeared in the 'Tees Packet' No.89, November 1986:
George Horsley was the son of Mathew Horsley, a local pilot who bought shares in sailing vessels and then branched out becoming a steamship owner, firstly in a partnership and then on his own. The company were also timber merchants, shipbrokers and coal exporters, and branches were opened at Hull, Manchester and Gothenburg.
