John Mowlem - a general history

The following information was received from Mr. Geoffrey Fowler:-
The John Mowlem is mentioned in the Swanage diaries of John Mowlem (founder of the Mowlem Construction Group).
The first vessel to be named the John Mowlem was built in St. Sampson’s in Guernsey in September 1842 by John Sauvery and Son….. The vessel was christened by Suzy Burt, who was then thirteen years old. One January 4th 1846 John Mowlem was handed the Shipping Gazette by Mr Vacher, which had a report of the loss of the boat on Cosy Sands. Fortunately all the crew were saved. He described her as “…….. A beautiful schooner, she would carry 245 tons with a good bold side, she was an excellent sea-boat and in a breeze not one vessel in five hundred would beat her.”

The boat went aground on Cosy Sands (in the Kentish Knock at the mouth of the Thames estuary) on the first day of 1846 at about 8 o’clock in the evening. Captain Fowler was the vessel’s master; he and his crew were picked up by a collier after 12 hours waiting in the boat and landed at Ramsgate.

The Hartlepool-built John Mowlem was a replacement for this vessel and was also captained by Simon Fowler, and owned by Fowler & Co. of which John Mowlem and Simon Fowler were partners. She was used to transport granite from Geurnsey to London and Stone from Swanage to Guernsey.

Below is an extract from John Mowlem's diary:
Thursday 19th March 1846:
“Left Darlington at half past 9 a.m. for Stockton, where I arrived 20 minutes before eleven in the morning of the same day. Waited until 12 o’clock, as there was no engine, the road being blocked with snow. Half-way to Hartlepool the passengers had to find shelter where they could. I arrived at Hartlepool at the King’s Head at 1 p.m. where I sent for Captain Fowler, cold with wet feet from the snow at each station. I went to see the new ship through snow and mud as black as ink. I must confess this appeared the dirtiest place I ever saw – filth of every description. Was pleased with the frame of the ship and have no doubt but she will be a fine vessel but she will never sail like the ‘John Mowlem’ built in Guernsey by Sauvery. It appeared to me the new ship would be hollow by the bow. I got very wet in my feet looking at this ship and was more cold than I have been for a long time. The wind was blowing very strong and not a single person at work at any place.”

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