Calcutta City

The following appeared in the Northern Daily Mail on Tuesday, April 22^nd, 1890:

Launch at West Hartlepool

This afternoon, Messrs. Wm. Gray and Co. Ltd., launched a fine steel screw steamer of the following dimensions, viz. Length overall ???ft; breadth, 38ft; depth, 22ft 2ins; built to the order of Mr. Christopher Furness, West Hartlepool. She will carry 100 A1 at Lloyd’s and has large internal and deadweight capacities. Her deck erections consist of a poop, raised quarter-deck, long bridge of extra strength, and open topgallant forecastle. A handsome saloon and state rooms for the captain, officers, and a few passengers will be fitted up aft, the engineers rooms will be in the after part of the bridge, and the crew’s berths in the fore part of the same.

The hull is built on the web-frame system and gives clear holds for stowing cargo of the bulkiest description. Large hatchways are fitted, four steam winches, steam steering gear amidships and screw gear aft, Emerson, Walker and Co.’s patent windlass, large donkey boiler and double-bottom under each hold for water ballast. The boats will be carried on beams overhead and the vessel in every respect thoroughly equipped for general trading. First-class engines on the three-cylinder triple-expansion principle are being supplied by the Central Marine Engine Works of Messrs. W. Gray and Co. Ltd.

Working on three cranks they will develop over 950 h.p. The cylinders are 21½ins, 35ins and 58ins diameter, with a piston stroke of 39ins, and a constant supply of steam at a working pressure of 150lbs per square inch will be maintained by fine large steel boilers.

The vessel was gracefully christened Calcutta City by Miss Furness, niece of the owner. The hull and machinery have been constructed under the superintendence of Capt. King and Mr. E.S. Booth respectively, on behalf of the owner. This is the fifteenth vessel built for the same owner by Messrs. W. Gray and Co. Ltd.

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'