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Brewis & Partners
Details about Brewis & Partners
Robert Brewis, son of a Sunderland shipbuilder, began his working life as a painter and glazier. He must have been successful in his trade as he began purchasing shares in sailing vessels in 1837. By 1845 he owned ships outright and had shares in partnership with others. His partners included: two of his brothers James Collins Brewis (grocer died 1873) and William Brewis (clothier died 1869) both of Newcastle-on-Tyne; George Black of Felling; James Finlay (engineer) of Wigton; Robert Walker (ironmonger) of Hartlepool; John Wilcher (master mariner) of Hartlepool, George Graham (shipbroker and coal exporter) of Hartlepool and George Blumer (shipbuilder) Hartlepool.
John Wilcher was master of the Hartlepool owned ships Ninus when she was wrecked in 1857 and Atlas from 1865.
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Robert Walker was born at Sedgefield in 1821 to parents Margaret and John Walker. He became a silversmith and ironmonger and married Mary Ann. In 1851 and 1861 the couple were living at Southgate Street, Hartlepool. By 1871 they were living at High Street. In 1881 Robert was listed in the census as a retired ironmonger and widower living at Fern Villas, Stranton. By 1891 he had moved to 2 Rowell Street.
Robert died aged 71 at Rowell Street on 11th January 1892 leaving effects of £1,099.
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Robert purchased two Hartlepool built ships, the Queen of Commerce and the British Empire. These are listed below as ships. Vessels that were built elsewhere are listed under " - a general history".
Location
Related items :
Atlas - a general history
Atlas 1817-1877
Aberdeen: Official No. 2427: Code Letters HPCS: one deck with beams; square rigged; wood brig; 193g; 84.4 x 23.4 x 12.3; repairs to damage 1822; lengthened 1833; some repairs 1847; large repairs 1848; repairs to damage 1839 & 1850; 25 June 1874 altered to a brigantine.
Owners: 1818 Gibbon & Co, Aberdeen; 1823 C Walton; 1831 Brown & Co; 1834 R Johnson, Berwick; 1835 J & G Carr, Berwick; 1841 T & W Smith (Blyth) Newcastle-on-Tyne; 1856 James Colin Brewis & John March, Hartlepool; December 1858 Robert Brewis, Hartlepool; June 1874 Robert Brewis mortgaged to John Wilcher, Hartlepool; May 1876 discharge of mortgage to John Wilcher, Hartlepool.
Masters: 1818-19 J Struthers; 1819-22 Harrison; 1823-26 J Walton; 1827-30 J Flett; 1830 Dixon; 1831 H Dinon; 1834-38 J Trotter; 1839-41 T Crow; 1841-50 T Smith; 1850-56 George Ferrow (b. 1820 County Durham); 1858 Clausten; 1865-68 J Wilcher.
Voyages: 1818-19 Leith for Sunderland; 1820 London for Rio de Janeiro; 1821 Liverpool for Jamaica; 1824 Liverpool for Lima; 1830 London for Newfoundland
Atlas was broken up in May 1877.
More detail »Brothock -a general history
Brothock 1809-1845
Berwick-on-Tweed: one deck; two masts; square stern; carvel built wood snow; part sheathed with copper; 341g; 79.5 x 19.3 x 11.0; rebuilt & enlarged at Arbroath 1813; some repairs 1821; lengthened 1826; Lloyds Registers of 1811 to 1816 records the vessel as having six guns.
Owners: 1811-27 T Fleming; May 1835 Edward Heron (Blythe) (bankrupt) Newcastle-on-Tyne; 1844 Robert Brewis (painter & glazier) Hartlepool.
Masters: 1811-18 Thompson; 1818-19 W Peters; 1820 G Porter; 1821-27 J Scott; 1834-36 T Hall; 1844-45 George Cooper.
On a voyage from Hartlepool for Rouen Brothock was lost on the Scroby Sands, Great Yarmouth on 26 January 1845. All lives lost, including seven crew of the yawl Phoenix, who went to their assistance.
More detail »Carausius - a general history
Carausius 1856-1870
William Harkes, Sunderland: Official No. 12371: Code Letters LBNR: one deck; three masts; wood barque sheathed in yellow metal; 510g; 128.5 x 28.7 x 19.3; some repairs 1867.
Owners: March 1856 Edward Oliver, North Shields; September 1858 George Harford (canvas maker) Thomas Gibson (sail maker) George Cleugh (baker) & John Morrison (sail maker) North Shields; November 1859 Robert Brewis, Hartlepool; April 1866 John Thompson, William Snowball & Hill Parker, Sunderland; 1867 Hill Parker & Co, Sunderland.
Masters: 1856-59 J Fulthorp; 1860-65 S Milburn; 1865-66 Baird; 1867 R Bell; 1867-70 Manning.
Voyages: 1857 Shields for Aden; 1860-63 Hartlepool for China.
On a voyage from Lisbon for Boston Carausius was fallen in with in a sinking condition in the Atlantic Ocean 38N/64W by the Althea in February 1870. Crew were taken off by the Althea.
More detail »Dawson - a general history
Dawson 1826-1869
Brocklebank, Whitehaven, Lancaster: Official No. 5256: Code Letters JGVK: one deck with beams; two masts; square stern; carvel built wood brig; coppered; 233g; 84.6 x 21.8 x 15.0; male bust figurehead; in need of repair 1836; some repairs 1845, 1852, 1853, 1856 & 1858; repairs to damage 1846 & 1859.
Owners: 1826 Dawson & Co, Blyth; 1835 Weeding, London; 1845 Robert Brewis, Hartlepool; 1857 Benjamin Young (North Shields) William Torrance (Hebburn) Robert Watson & William Swann, Newcastle-on-Tyne; 1858 James Clouston (South Shields) William Torrance (Hebburn) Robert Watson & William Swann, Newcastle-on-Tyne; June 1866 William Swann (died August 1867) Newcastle-on-Tyne; Decmber 1867 William Torrance & William Barnfather, Hebburn; March 1869 William Barnfather; 1869 John Coulson & Co, Redcar.
Masters: 1826-29 T Dawson; 1829 L Pearce; 1829-37 T Dawson; 1845 George Graham; December 1847-50 Edmund Stevenson; April 1850 John S Clinton; January 1852-57 George Angell Fordham (b. 1821 London); 1857 B Young; 1858-65 J Clonsten.
Voyages: 1845 Hartlepool for Hamburg
On a voyage from Gluckstadt for Newcastle-on-Tyne in ballast & with a crew of eight Dawsonstranded on Redcar Rocks & was lost on 23 November 1869. Six of the crew were rescued by the lifeboat Burton-on-Trent. Two lives lost when trying to reach shore in the ship’s boat. The wreck was sold for £300 to be broken up.
Lives lost November 1869;
Rook, John, Yarmouth
Cabin boy
More detail »Elizabeth - a general history
Elizabeth 1825-1865
Hylton, Sunderland: Official No. 5128: Code Letters JGKT: one deck; two masts; square rigged; square stern; carvel built wood brig; 161g; 75.9 x 18.8 x 13.5; female bust figurehead; enlarged 1837 by William Reay, Walker; repairs to damage 1853.
Owners: 1830 Rye; James Breed, Hastings; March 1836 William Reay, Walker; June 1837 George Black (Felling) Robert Brewis & James Finlay (Hartlepool) Walker; 1839 Robert Brewis (Hartlepool), George Black (Felling) James Findlay (engineer, Port Patrick, Wigton); 1845 Robert Brewis (painter & glazier) Hartlepool.
Masters: 1843 T Lower; 1845 John Wilson; October 1847 William Pearson (Shoreham); March 1849 George Angell Fordham; September 1849 Thomas Innes (Blyth); March 1850 George Angell Fordham; January 1853 James Smith; January 1854 Thomas Smales; 1854 James Smith; 1855 George Lines; April 1855 James Edward Brewis (C.N. 9860 Sunderland 1854); 1856 W Smales; 1862-65 James Rayner.
Voyages: 1844 Hartlepool coaster.
On a voyage from the Tyne for London with a cargo of coal & a crew of seven Elizabeth, locally known as the Paint Pot, was wrecked during a gale on Wildfire Rock at Tyne Water mouth between Dunbar & North Berwick on March 20 1865 with the loss of all the crew. Three of the bodies were found lashed to the vessel. This would have been in the hope they would not be washed overboard. The body of James Robb did not come ashore until rough seas in May. The bodies were buried at St Mary’s Churchyard, Whitekirk with a memorial stone erected by the Earl of Huntingdon which reads:
To the memory of James Rayner, Captain, John Terry, Mate, Robert Bell, James Boyle, Charles Zollier, John Berry. Crew of the Brig Elizabeth Hartlepool wrecked off Tyninghame March 19 1865, when all on board perished their bodies are interred at this spot. May God have mercy on their souls through Christ our Lord.
The stone lists six crew but the newspapers of the day named seven. There are also some discrepencies between the names given on the memorial & in the newspapers.
Lives lost March 1865;
Bell, Robert, seaman, Baltic St. Hartlepool
Bell, William, seaman, Baltic St. Hartlepool
Boyle, James, seaman
James Rayner, master, William St. Hartlepool
James Robb (married only two months)
Terry, John, mate, Baltic St. Hartlepool
Zollier, Charles, seaman
George Gordon - a general history
George Gordon 1826-1855
St Andrews, New Brunswick: Official No. 34895: Code Letters RMJG: one & quarter deck; three masts; square stern; pine & spruce carvel built wood barque; 263g; 92.6 x 21.5 x 16.0; lengthened, new deck & large repairs 1838 sheathed in yellow metal in 1844; some repairs 1847; repairs to damage 1849 & 1851.
Owners: 1834-36 Tarleton & Co, Liverpool; 1837 W & J Burks, Grangemouth; 1848 William Brooks (merchant Glasgow) & Alexander Auchie (upholsterer Edinburgh) Grangemouth; 1849-55 Robert Brewis, Hartlepool.
Masters: 1834 W Walsh; 1835-36 Mirorman; 1837 Primrose; 1848 J Smith; 1849 Thomas Innes; February 1851 David Blacklaw Burns; 1851 Thomas Innes; May 1851-52 John Purvis; April 1853-55 Joseph Dodds.
George Gordon was lost on the coast of Newfoundland on 19 October 1855.
More detail »Henrietta Brewis - a general history
Henrietta Brewis 1855-1868
John Petree, South Hylton, Sunderland: completed 5 January 1855: Official No. 26546: Code Letters PLNR: one & a break deck; three masts; carvel built wood barque felt sheathed in yellow metal; 308g; 103.1 x 23.2 x 16.0; female bust figurehead; repairs to damage 1858; some repairs 1866.
Owners: 1855 Robert Brewis, Hartlepool; 1868 James Heatley, Blyth.
Masters: 1855-57 Timothy Laing (C.N. 2300 Cork 1851); 1858-63 Jackson; 1864-66 James Edward Brewis (C.N. 9860 Sunderland 1854); 1866-67 W Colding; 1867 Rowe; 1868 Thomas Middleton.
Voyages; 1863 Hartlepool for the Mediterranean; 1864 Newcastle for the Black Sea.
On a voyage from Swansea for Bahia with a cargo of coal Henrietta Brewis was struck in the Atlantic Ocean by heavy seas causing a lot of damage & starting a leak which the crew could not get under control. The Liverpool barque Sharston took the crew off with difficulty on 12 December 1868 before their vessel foundered in 44.45N by 14.9 W. Crew were landed at Madeira.
More detail »Indian Empire - a general history
Indian Empire 1865-1879 sold foreign
Built by Robinson, Deptford, Sunderland: Official No. 29477: Code Letters HJPR: wood barque felt sheathed in yellow metal; 520g; 144.2 x 29.8 x 18.5.
Owners: 1865 Robert Brewis, Hartlepool; December 1876 William Gray, Hartlepool; 8 August 1879 Jonas Kirki, Nyburg, Finland, Russia.
Masters: 1866-77 Thomas Baird.
Voyages: Liverpool for Singapore.
More detail »John - a general history
John 1824-1856
Chepstow, Monmouthshire: previously Chepstow: Official No. 2587: Code Letters HPSK: one deck with beams; standing bowsprit; square stern; carvel built wood barque; 273g; 97.5 x 25 4 x 17.0; new deck 1843; large repairs 1845; some repairs 1849; repairs to damage 1851, 1852 & 1856.
Owners: 1824 I Chubb & Co; 1827-39 Davidson & Co, London; Ferguson; September 1849 Edwards & Shield, South Shields; September 1849 Robert Craggs, John Laidler & Richard Hunter, Stockton-on-Tees; January 29 January 1850 Union Shipping Co, Stockton-on-Tees; 17 March 1853 purchased for £1455 by Robert Brewis, Hartlepool; 9 January 1855 Joseph & Edward Binnsden, Sunderland; March 1855 Henry Apthorpe Bentham, Sunderland.
Masters: 1824-25 J Fisher; 1826 Headon; 1827-34 C Munro; 1836 Fisher; 1837 Forrest; 7 September 1849 William Train; 1 October 1849-52 George Bell; 19 March 1853 Richard Fishwick; 21 October 1853 George Lines; April 1854 James Smith; 1855 Silvester Curran (C.N. 13510 Sunderland 1855); 1856 Gibson.
Insured with Hartlepool Mutual Marine Association after 1852.
Voyages: 1835 London for Jamaica; 1853 Hartlepool for France; 16 September 1854 from Quebec for Grimsby she developed a leak at sea & had to put in at Lerwick to discharge.
On a voyage from Bordeaux for Cardiff John was wrecked at the mouth of the Gironde on 10 January 1856. Crew saved.
More detail »Ken - a general history
Ken 1850-1867
Douglas, Isle of Man: Official No. 24323: Code Letters NWHL: one & a half poop deck; three masts; oak & greenheart wood barque sheathed in yellow metal 1855; 221g; 92.0 x 21.5 x 14.0; female bust figurehead; coppered & repairs 1855; part new keelson & some repairs 1860; female bust figurehead-removed September 1863.
Owners: 1850 James Aikin, Liverpool; 1857 DeWitte, London; 1858 Nicholson, Sunderland; 1860 A Brown, A Unthank & M Hodgson, West Hartlepool; 1862 Sherinton Foster (shipbroker, Town Wall) Hartlepool; July 1862 Peter Rutter, Hartlepool; March 1865 Robert Brewis (Albion Terrace) & Robert Walker (ironmonger) Hartlepool.
Masters: 1853 Robert Dickson; 1856-57 T Boulton; 1858-59 Thirkell; 1860-62 W Best; 1863-65 J Mills; 1865 Robson; 1865-66 J Mills; 1867 Lewis.
Voyages: July 1863 Alicante for Hamburg.
Ken left Hartlepool in May 1867 bound for Archangel & was abandoned after being wrecked by an ice floe near Cross Island in the White Sea on 18 July 1867. 64 vessels were abandoned at that time of which 50 were lost.
More detail »Maese - a general history
Maese 1841-1880
Built at Yarmouth, Norfolk: Official No. 23801: Code Letters NTDQ: one deck; two masts; carvel built wood brig sheathed in yellow metal; 223g; 87.0 x 21.4 x 15.0; female bust figurehead; some repairs 1846, 1852, 1858, 1862 & 1866; repairs to damage 1863 & 1873; new keelson 1865.
Owners: 1842 Ringrose, Hull; 1853 Daniel Ellwood, Hartlepool; 1861 Robert Brewis, Hartlepool; by 1867 John Punshon Denton & William Gray, Hartlepool; November 1869 Thomas Barnard (died 13 February 1872) West Hartlepool; 1872 James Granger & Matthew Storm (Robin Hood’s Bay) Hartlepool; March 1875 William Emmerson & William Granger Barnard, Hartlepool.
Masters: 1842-53 Lawson; 1853-53 Timothy Maloney; January 1854 James Stewart; July 1854-57 Christopher Dagliesh; 1858-60 J Burch; 1861 J Cleet; 1861-63 J Brewis; 1863-65 A Harold; 1865 J Oats; 1865 McIntosh; 1866 Softley; 1866-70 J Brewis; 1870 W Moorsom; 1871-80 William Emmerson.
Voyages: 1842 Hull for Rotterdam; 1865 Hartlepool for the Mediterranian; 1866 Hartlepool for the Baltic; 1 June 1863 On a voyage from Sunderland for Galatz with a cargo of coal she was in distress off Cape Trafalgar. The Belgian steamer Lion grounded her off Puntales to prevent her sinking; 1872-73 Newcastle-on-Tyne coaster.
On a voyage from Gefle for Sunderland with a cargo of iron & deals & a crew of six Maese caught fire on the morning of 28 September 1880. The fire was thought to be extinguished but flared up again the same afternoon. With her sails on fire the vessel became unmanageable, grounded & was totally lost to the north of Hasle on the Island of B.holm. No lives lost.
Crew 1878; Pearson, Richardson, able seaman
More detail »Mary Hudson - a general history
Mary Hudson 1832-1856
Hylton, Sunderland: Official No. 23092: Code Letters NQFK: one deck; two & trysail masts; square rigged; square stern; carvel built snow felt sheathed in zinc; 304g; 88.9 x 28.2 x 15.9; some repairs 1846; lengthened & large repairs 1851.
Owners: September 1832 Matthew Hudson (Whitehill Point) Newcastle-on-Tyne; 1847 Mary Hudson (widow) Whitehill Point, Newcastle-on-Tyne; 1847 James (grocer) & William Brewis (clothier) Newcastle-on-Tyne & Robert Brewis, Hartlepool.
Masters: 1832-37 William Johnson; 1842 William Bengall; 1844 James Fallock; 1847 John Hansell Wison; 1848 J Tillock; 1848-52 George Graham; February 1852 Francis Walter; January 1853-56 John Purvis.
Voyages: On 19 September 1849 there was an auction of damaged stores etc from Mary Hudson; from Newcastle-on-Tyne arriving at Boston 21 June 1852.
Mary Hudson was lost during fierce storms in the Black Sea at Kustenje on the coast of Bulgaria on 14 March 1856. No lives lost.
More detail »Peru - a general history
Peru 1840-1849
Kouchibouguac, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia; one deck; two masts; square rigged; square stern; black birch, hackmatek, red pine & yellow pine carvel built wood brig; 205g; 86.1 x 20.5 x 13.5; female bust figurehead; some repairs 1848.
Owners: 1841 registered at Miramachi, New Brunswick Official No. 9024205; Smith & Co, Glasgow; 1848 Robert Brewis, Hartlepool.
Masters: 1847 H Miller; 1848 John Egin; August 1849 John Angell Fordham.
On a voyage from Hamburg for Blyth Peru was stranded & wrecked on the island of Juist near Norden, east of Friesland, Germany on 9 October 1849. Crew saved. Loss recorded by letter from Robert Brewis, owner, to Hartlepool Customs House.
More detail »
Saint Hilda - a general history
Built at Middlesbrough: Official No. 5170: Code Letters JGNQ.
Owners: 1838 Stockton-on-Tees; 1845 Robert Brewis (Hartlepool) & James Finlay (engineer, Port Patrick, Wigton) Hartlepool; 14 October 1845 James Finlay (Port Patrick, Wigton) Hartlepool; 14 October 1845 Thomas Sanderson, Hartlepool; 15 October 1845 James Finlay (Port Patrick, Wigton) Hartlepool; 1846 William Merryweather (Hartlepool) & Moses Merryweather (Longacre, Middlesex) Hartlepool.
Masters: 1842-44 T Brewis; 1845 George Graham; 1845 John Wallace; 1847 Thomas Reid; June 1848 John Dagleish; 1851 Edgley; 1851-56 John Dalgleish; 1859 Hoare.
Bound from London for Hartlepool with a cargo of coal Saint Hilda was totally wrecked on the Stony Binks outside Spurn Point on 25 November 1859. The crew were saved by the Hull lifeboat. On 5 December a quantity of wreckage from Saint Hilda was washed ashore at Donna Nook.
More detail »Saxon Queen - a general history
Saxon Queen 1857-1859
North Hylton: Official No. 18193: Code Letters MKST: one deck; three masts; wood barque felt sheathed in yellow metal; 406t; 124.2 x 28.2 x 18.7; 3/4 woman figurehead.
Owners: 1857 Robert Brewis, Hartlepool.
Masters: 1857-59 James Purvis.
Voyages: 1858 Sunderland for Aden.
Saxon Queen was thought to have been run down off Brixton on 26 or 27 April 1859. On 30 April 1859 her longboat washed ashore at Brixton. Inside the stern was the name Jas Purvis.
More detail »
