LIVERPOOL MERCURY.

Jan 18th 1913

ROMANCE OF THE LUTINE BELL

TOLLING GOOD TIDINGS AT LLOYD’S

Two strokes reverberating from the LUTINE BELL at LLOYD’S on Wednesday set all the underwriters cheering with the enthusiasm of school boys.

Few old ships bells have attached to them even a spice of the romance, which clusters around the somewhat chipped and damaged relic, whose tonnage brings such welcome news. It always means intelligence of the safety of a vessel, hopes of which have almost been abandoned.

The romance of the LUTINE BELL goes back to the latter end of the eighteenth century, for somewhere in France the bell was then shapen prior to use on the 32 gun frigate LA LUTINE, It is a very ordinary bell of the period, with just a wreathe of laurel on one side and a cross on the other. In due course both bell and Frigate came into the possession of the English, and on the morning of, October, 9th, 1799, the LUTINE set sail from Yarmouth Roads with a large amount of specie on board, estimated at nearly a million sterling, the property of London Merchants trading with Germany.

She was wrecked on the same night off Vlieland at the entrance of the Zayder Zee and with one exception all hands were lost. Efforts to salvage her precious burden have intermittently continued to this day, and considerable sums have been realised, but the sands of the Zee still hold the bulk of the treasure.

In 1858 an expedition recovered the bell and part of the rudder, together with some coins, and the bell found its way to the committee-room at Lloyds.

Precisely how long it remained there would seem to be no record, but many years ago it was placed in its present position on the screen at the entry to the underwriters room. Enshrined in a heavy metal framework of classic design, it is a companion to the enscrolled clock on the opposite side part on the screen. Immediately behind the bell is the rostrum.

As soon as definite news reaches Lloyds of the safety and position of a steamer or sailing-vessel long overdue the bell is twice solemnly sounded and the, “Caller” immediately announces the facts concerned, giving all the available particulars.

The Bell’s last voice heralded the statement that the SNOWDON RANGE a 3,000 ton iron vessel, of West Hartlepool, which had been 52 days out of Philadelphia on a voyage to Leith, had been towed to Queenstown.

Ship and Cargo valued at somewhere near £100,000. Hence the cheers.

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Liverpool Mercury, Dec 18th, 1858

THE LUTINE BRITSH FRIGATE LOST IN 1799

Mr John Mavor STILL, agent for Lloyd's at Amsterdam has sent to the committee for managing affairs of Lloyd's the bell and part of the rudder of the Lutine frigate sunk off Vlieland in 1799, recovered by the Terschelling Commission. Further attempts for the salvage of this wreck will be made next year at convenient and favourable seasons. The Lutine sailed from Yarmouth on the morning of the 9th October 1799, and was lost in a gale of wind on the evening of the same day off Vlieland, on the coast of Holland, when only two persons were saved, one of whom died in Holland, and the other immediately after his return to Yarmouth. She was commanded by Captain SKINNER, and had on board some specie.

LIVERPOOL WEEKLY MERCURY

THE LOG BOOK

Jan 11th 1913

Has Liverpool a single shipping firm now carrying on business by partners whose ancestry can be traced back to the district alone?

BROCKLEBANK’S, no they came from Whitehaven.

BOWRING’S, no they came from Devonshire.

A tough puzzle take a few more.

Samuel CUNARD, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

BIBBY’S, Shropshire

INMAN, Leicester

ISMAY, Maryport

HARLAND, Scarborough

WOLFF, Hamburg

BURNS and MC IVER, Glasgow

GLYNN’S, South of England

The P. S. N. C. William WHEELRIGHT, a round, merry, jolly faced, American.

Is there such a thing as a genuine, proper Liverpool born Shipping firm. I doubt if we have a single firm, which complies. Liverpool seems to have begun with a castle, a tower, a fort and a prison.

Most of the streets were named after prime old citizens, Benn’s gardens in South Castle St after Alderman BENN.

Where is the BENN Line of steamers today?

Hackins Hey, from John HACKIN, and ATHERTON and KING, and HARRINGTON and ENTWISLE? [Drury Lane was called Entwisle St, before our first theatre was built in it ].

James St, after Robert JAMES, a merchant, where are his ships today?

The old firm trading in the Mersey by steam alone and between the same ports without a break is the, City of Dublin Steam Packet Company, from 1823, followed by the I. O. M. Steam Packet Company 1830, neither began in Liverpool.

The earliest all powerful steam alone was the, St GEORGE Steam Packet Company, the little I. O. M. Steam Packet Company ran them off.

Liverpool’s P. S. N. C. Fleet of steam traders stood unique in the world from 1840 – 1860, trading over 10.000 miles away. The difficulties dealing with the coal question were enormous and the government gave them a Royal Charter, The governments of the universe allowed them to issue their own postage stamps.

January 18th, 1913

Among my books is a battered, but original copy of Enfield’s, “Essay towards the History of Liverpool.” There are indications it was brought up to date around 1773. He enumerates the fact that in 1565, there were,138 Householders and Cottagers in Leverpool, 12 Barks of a total tonnage of 223, employing 75 men.

The earlier information of streets named after at that time, living men, Enfield gives some later ones. FENWICK, BROOK, BUTTON, FAZAKERLEY, BATH, DICKENSON, DRINKWATER, HARGREAVE, JORDAN, MARSDEN, SPARLING and TYRER, Streets.

All these were Merchants or Ship owners and SPARLING a Ship builder as well. Now Messers H. TYRER and Co are ship owners today in the Royal Liver Buildings.

The names MOSS is venerably respected, we now have the MOSS Steamship Company. Enfield says that West Derby, Everton and Wavertree were in possession of the Crown till Charles 1, sold them to sundry citizens of London.

Francis MOSSE, being among them. In the Liverpool Journal of July 7th 1849, Rev H. M. MOSSE of Christ Church, Hunter St, married a Mr WOOD to Jane ASHCROFT of St Lukes Place. So MOSSES had remained in Liverpool for such a long time.

Have Messers RANKIN GILMOUR and Co, or the SINGLEHURSTS, BOOTH’S, good claims?

What about Messers CHAMBERS and Co, LOWDEN and Co, all these highly respected shipping names, but how far are they real Liverpool.?

Refering back to Enfield our first Infirmary was established in 1772 supported by a monthly allowance of 6d which every seaman sailing from the port of Liverpool was obliged to pay by act of Parliament out of his wages.

Near St NICHOLAS Church stood a statue of St Nicholas to which sailors would present an offering before going to sea.

The theatre Royal in Williamson Square [now the Union cold storage] opened in June 1772 to celebrate George COLEMAN Esq wrote a prologue.

Extracts

Long to, has Mersey rolled her golden tide;

And seen proud vessels in her harbours ride;

Oft on her banks the muse’s sons would roam;

And wished to settle there in a certain home

Where Mersey’s stream, long winding o’er the plain;

Pours his full tribute to the arding main;

A hand full of fishers chose their humble feat;

Contented labour blessed the far retreat.

At length fair commerce found the chosen place

And smiled approving on the industrious race.

JANUARY 25th, 1913

A friend has given me a copy of the Liverpool Mercury May 2nd, 1854, this is the information contained in it relating to shipping lines:-

CUNARD and COLLINS Line ran steamers to New York

FERNIE Brothers and Co, Orange Court, Castle St had 8 fine packets from and to St Johns New Brunswick, from the DAVID FLEMING, 1428 tons to the LIBERIA of 870 tons.

To South America there was only the clipper schooner ALARM, Com Capt GRACE.

Mr Joseph WHITAKER of Lancaster Buildings had the fine British built PONS AEIU, Capt William ROBINSON, “coppered and copper fastened” of 467 tons.

COASTWISE

Alfred HOLT, India Buildings the screw steamer DUMBARTON YOUTH, every 10 days to Whitehaven and Cardiff

PRINCESS ROYAL to Glasgow

I.O.M, Co, Royal Mail, MONA’S QUEEN, ran daily except Weds and Sat to Douglas, apply Thomas ORFORD, 24 James St.

MANX FAIRY, ran in opposition to Ramsey, Commander Isaac DIXON, was built by LAIRD at Birkenhead and owned by a Ramsey syndicate of drapers and grocers.

HERCULES Steam Tug Co, intended to despatch from Princes Pier, the sailing steamer AYRSHIRE LASSIE, every Mon, Wed and Fri, for Beaumaris, Bangor and Menai Bridge, she was a funny little ship which had been trading on the upper reaches of the Clyde, imported when the City of Dublin Co, stopped sailing to North Wales.

The most famous Ships Master coming into Liverpool at that time was Capt William BELL of the I. O. M, Steam Pkt, Co, who discovered the new channel into the Mersey.

The AYRSHIRE LASSIE, collided outside the bar with the KING ORRY, [Commanded by GILL] carrying away the latters, “imposing figurehead of a warrior armed cap-a-pie”.

The COLLINS Line an American enterprise, got up to run the CUNARD Line off the route.

Why should New York not have its own ships?

Mr E. K. COLLINS, belonged to Truro Massachusetts, an amiable person, loved by all. He had been a Clerk, Purser, Super cargo, Sailing Ship Manager and others. American Capitalists found him money to build four wooden Steamships, larger, faster, more powerful and much more luxurious than the CUNARD Ships. They where the, ATLANTIC, ARCTIC, BALTIC and PACIFIC, starting in 1848, 8 yrs after CUNARD.

In Sept 1854 the COLLINS Liner ARCTIC, collided in dense fog with the French steamer VESTA, near Cape Race. She sank at once with the loss of 300 lives, including the Wife, Daughter and Son of Mr COLLINS.

A passenger shortly after the incident twitted a Steward on the ASIA, that there was no napkins on the dinner table. He got a reply that became historic, “The CUNARD have no napkins Sir, but they have never lost a life.”

In 1856 the PACIFIC became one of those liners to become never heard of again and at the end of December 1857, the COLLINS opposition ceased.

Those old ships made fast in the mud of the Mersey, where do their bones lie now?

In 1854 the grand old GREAT BRITIAN, came here, she is the last survivor of the most famous and is now in service in Port Stanley on the Falkland Islands.

LIVERPOOL WEEKLY MERCURY

FEBUARY 1913

Mr Walter CHAMBERS has just presided at the annual dinner of the Liverpool Shipping Staff’s Association. He made a remarkable speech and pointed out the many ownership changes that had taken place over the years.

He gave one an idea that most of the present day men are rather new. Which is what we have been hinting at over the recent Log Books

We have been searching the past to find names still actively used by us in shipping commerce. Mr CHAMBERS supplies one of the most finest examples we have.

I had the pleasure of reading a couple of years ago a thick, stiff, enormous parchment, still preserved. It set forth that the Post Master General would pay so much a year to Messers H. T. WILSON and CHAMBERS, who coolly undertook to carry mails [in sailing ships] under an appalling penalty of 70 days.

The names of several vessels set forth, one the WHITE STAR. Messers WILSON and CHAMBERS had no fewer than 15 crack packets the fleet being the WHITE STAR LINE.. Neither, an ISMAY or an IRMIE had anything what ever to do with them. It was a tremendous undertaking to carry mails so quickly, but it was done.

Were the audience at the shipping staff’s banquet aware of the great feats accomplished under the name and flag of CHAMBERS.

50 years ago our sailing ships did not fear the steamers in the least. The Sailers often beat the Steamers in speed.

From a newspaper.

The LIGHTENING has arrived in the Mersey, making the passage from Melbourne in the record time of 63 days, distance, 439 nautical miles, 501 statute miles. This was 18 knots per hour.

The average speed of the fastest Cunarder was 13.1/2.

The ROYAL CHARTER and the GREAT BRITIAN were really full rigged ships, more than steamers, engine power and all, none ever equalled the LIGHTENING.

There were two BLACK BALL Lines, one owned by BARING Bros [present Bankers] and the other by the firm of James BAINES.

On March 1st 1871 was the first announcement of the present WHITE STAR LINE, issued by ISMAY IRMIE and Co.

They paid to the successors of H. T. WILSON and CHAMBERS, £1000 for a flag with a white star, the late Mr T. H. ISMAY remarking, as a flag, “It seemed rather dear” but it carried the power and influence of the old WHITE STAR.

Most of the old ships had nicknames. The R. W. LEYLAND SHIPS, “Relieve the wheel and lookout company”. The flag, “Four biscuits and a marmalade tin”.

Speaking of sailing ships the Americans had some splendid clippers.

The HOUQUA built in 1884, went from Shanghai to New York in 80 days, best run 398 miles. The earlier vessels did better even if it appears beating the LIGHTENING.

The FLYING SCUD, built 1851 went from Frisco to New York in 84 days, including a run of 488.1/2 miles.

The SOVEREIGN OF THE SEAS, built 1851 went from New York to Liverpool in 13.1/2 days

LIVERPOOL MERCURY, Feb 15th, 1913

THE LOG BOOK

Mr W. HEATON of Wakefield has very aptly come to the rescue of very early ship .owners. The EARLES would have been a case most perfect had they been Ship owners still. I fancy that they may well own shares in shipping companies, and, if this is so their claim should be allowed to pass. Mr WAKEFIELD says they came from Warrington in 1688, Squire BLUNDELL of Crosby Hall kept a diary extending from 1702-1728. In it I find the following entry:-

“Coz, John GELIBOND went to Leverp: and put in a clame for a debt owing to him by Mr EARLE.”

It shows that the EARLES were important enough to contract debts with important people. EARLES should indeed be among the earlies.

The case of the MARWOODS is wholly different. They are ship owners today and have been for 118 years or more.

Here they would be running a race with the BROCKLEBANKS who came from Whitehaven. When I do not know but would imagine it was more than 118 years ago.

Squire BLUNDELL seems to have been perpetually, walking, riding or driving into the old town of “Leverp: He appears to have gone on board various ships and partaking in many glasses of wine with both Captains and owners.

On Aug 15th, 1702:-

“I went to Liverp: with Coz: Edm BUTLER, we hailed ye MARY with a Hand Kerchaf, but she answered not, we went on board ye HARINGTON, for Dublin.”

The Squire was thick enough with the Liverpool ship owners he mentions the, HARRINGTONS, HOUGHTONS, BRANCKERS, POOLES, BOLDS, TARLETONS, CLAYTONS and others and on Dec 10th, 1702 he, “payed Mrs PLUCKINGTON for frute trees.” This is the family from whence that old worry of ours, PLUCKINGTON Bank got its name. He shipped goods for his brother, then in Virginia, [then a British Colony], by Mr HOUGHTON’S Ship LOYALTY and, “writ.” Him a letter to go with them. Once he came here to, “Assist.” Mr WORTHINGTON in binding Jos WODS to sea.”

Another time he,

“discoursed with ye gunner of ye ELIZABETH, and visited Mr POOL’S Wife of Lever.” The LOYALTY and ELIZABETH were both slavers.

Here is another case:-

“I bound John BLUND apprentice for Virginia. I paid £5 to Cap TARLETON for his passage.” In 1708 he, “made a visit to Mr BROUNBILL at his New hous in John St.” BROUNBILLS are merchants still, but not living in John st.

He, “Was at ye sale of timber at Mr BOOTLE’S in Melling it belongs to Thomas HURST, Ships Carpinder of Leverp”.

We may possibly have HURST with us yet, and here is another old shipping name TYRER. Sept 1st, 1710, “Young Mr TYRER and Mr James TIDESLEY called here they had ben a Parliamenteering.”

Another question from his books.

“Aug 31st, 1715 I went to Leverp: and saw the MULBURY, the BATCHLOR and the ROBERT all in ye dock, they came in this morning and were ye first ships as ever went into it; the MULBURY was ye first I breakfasted at Mr OWENS, he went with me to a Smithy a ye lower end of Red-Cross-Street where I saw an ox roasting.”

The dock marked one of Liverpool’s proudest achievements ever made. It was the first enclosed docks ever made.

A wide V shaped arm of the river turned inwards, its North side commencing a little beyond the bottom of Redcross St. It covered Canning Place, quickly narrowed and turned left into Whitechapel, passed across Lord St, and was even tidal as far as the old Haymarket. There were bridges over Lord St and Whitechapel and cellars flooded at high tide..

South Castle St was then Pool Lane, lane leading to the pool, as the aforsaid arm of the river was called. If you go down it now you come to the Custom House then to the water, should you desire to get to were Park Lane is today you would have required a boat or ferry.

Merchants and Bankers lived in Hanover St then. The end of the pool was a nuisance to them. A famous engineer built masonry and gates across the mouth, formed a dock inside, and filled up the channel behind.

Squire BLUNDELL duly attended the completion of the enterprise, the first cause of our so marvellously outstripping every competitor, London included.

THE SKIPPER