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Eskdale - a general history

Official No. 67544: Code Letters MFHW.

Owners: 1873 Groves, William Maclean & Co, West Hartlepool; 1888 Maclean, Doughty & Co, West Hartlepool.

Masters: 1874 Howell; 1875 Litten; 1877-82 WF Humble; 1883 Keeler; 1885-88 J Petersen; 1888 Burke.

1860 insured with the Hartlepool Mutual Marine Insurance Association for £400-value £1300; 1872 while the vessel was in Shields Harbour, a young Dutch ‘lad’ offered ‘himself’ as an apprentice.  The master & owner, thinking the ‘lad’ had a smart, sailor like appearance, bound him for three years. On the voyage from Tyne for Genoa the duties by the apprentice were performed extremely well. On the second day at Genoa ‘he’ was discovered to be a ‘she’. The indenture was cancelled but she was employed as a stewardess for the journey home; January 1881 Thomas Murrel, boatswain from Hull, was charged with hitting David Watkins, seaman, on the head with a hammer inflicting a severe wound. Murrel was found guilty & ordered to pay a penalty of £3 & costs.

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