Alleghany

Shields Daily Gazette, Monday, August 26^th, 1901:
"WEST HARTLEPOOL STEAMER IN COLLISION. A Lloyd's telegram from Roches Point says the barque R. Morrow, of Maitland, N.S., Parrsborough for Barrow, arrived off there yesterday with damage to port quarter rail, etc., having apparently been in collision, presumed with steamer Alleghany, of West Hartlepool, London for Newport News, which vessel escorted the R. Morrow to Daunts Rock Lightship and resumed her voyage, apparently undamaged."

Masters: 1904 C Martin: 1905-11 FJ Harnden: 1918 T Yamaguchi: 1919 S Tondo.

On 16 November 1906, H Sydenham was swept overboard from Alleghany during a heavy gale in the Atlantic Ocean. His brother, Seaward Sydenham, took a lifebuoy & jumped into the sea & kept his brother afloat for half an hour. The lifeboat was launched & using oil to smooth the heavy seas the boat picked the 2 men up about half a mile astern of the ship. Seaward Sydenham was awarded the bronze medal from the Royal Humane Society; Lloyds silver Medal for Saving Life at Sea & the silver Sea Gallantry Medal.

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'