Oaklands

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.

Official No. 81519: Code Letters TPBG

Owners: 1880 Hardy, Wilson & Co, West Hartlepool.

Masters: 1882 Holman: 1883 J Payne: 1884 O Davies: 1885 JB Sellars: 1885 W Tose.

19 September 1885 Oaklands left Blyth bound for Stockholm with a cargo of coal & a crew of 17 all told. On 10 September 1885 she collided with the German despatch boat Blitzof Koppergrund, Kattegat. The survivors stated that the master had realised a collision was imminent & had ordered the engine  full speed astern but it was too late & the Blitz, going at the rate of sixteen knots, struck Oaklands with her ram on the port side aft. All hands were called on deck & ordered to get out the boats. Before this could be done the vessel began to founder & it was every man for himself. The chief mate managed to jump clear & the boatswain had managed to get hold of a lifebuoy which kept him afloat. Both men were picked up by a boat from the Blitz after ten minutes or so. 15 lives lost; two survivors.

Lives lost September 1885:

Bailey, W, able seaman

Curry, H, able seaman

Davidson, C, 2^nd mate

Elgy, J, donkeyman

Gallagher, D, fireman

Holroyd, H, fireman

Joy, J, chief engineer

Murray, JG, 2nd engineer

Sadler, SW, able seaman

Smith, T, able seaman

Stokes, J, fireman

Soulsby, T, steward

Tose, W, master, South Shields

Wanless, TW, assistant steward

Young, S, able seaman

Survivors September 1885:

Batty, Charles, boatswain

Napier, C, chief mate