Primrose Technical Specification

Cory, Lohden & Co., was formed in 1869 by Ebenezer Cory and Jacob Lohden. They went into partnership with George and Walter Jackson of London as ship agents and ship insurance brokers. In December 1881 Jacob Lohden left the partnership and started up as J. Lohden & Co. Ebenezer started up as E. Cory & Co. By 1885 the company had become Jackson Bros. & Cory. Ebenezer was also part of the firm of Cory, Wilcocks & Co., colliery agents of Fenchurch Street, London. Jackson Bros. & Cory was broken up in 1923 and became Jackson Bros.

Cory, Lohden & Co., had nine ships between 1869 and 1881. E. Cory & Co., had three ships between 1881 and 1886.

Family History:

Ebenezer Cory was born in April 1841 at Cardiff to parents Richard and Sarah. He married Jane Pyman, daughter of George Pyman, in 1865 and they had three children. Jane died in 1870 and Ebenezer remarried in 1871 to Janet Gow Irvine, daughter of Robert Irvine, shipbuilder. The couple had five children. The family lived at Stranton, West Hartlepool before moving to Surrey.

Ebenezer shot himself on 7 October 1886 at Claremont Villa, Trewsbury Road, Penge at the age of just 45. Those close to him stated that he had been unwell for a time. The subsequent inquest found that he had committed suicide whilst of unsound mind. Ebenezer left a personal estate of £7,235.

Official No. 67547; Code Letters MHLB.

Owners: 1873 Cory, Lohden & Co. Hartlepool; 1882 E. Cory & Co. West Hartlepool; 1887 R. Irvine & Co. (Jackson Bros. & Cory) West Hartlepool; 1890 Jackson Bros. & Cory, West Hartlepool.

Masters: 1873-80 Hardcastle; 1880 Boyes; 1881 Hardcastle; 1881 Scoones; 1881 Vickers; 1882-86 Hardcastle; 1887-89 Smith; 1889-90 Svensden; 1890-91 Peacock; 1892 TH Lumsden; 1894 William Pyper Symons (b. Macduff, Scotland).

Voyages: arrived Hamburg 2 January 1881 (master severely injured); left Hamburg 7 January 1881 for Greenock; arrived Greenock 13 January 1881; arrived Glasgow 17 January 1881; left Glasgow 20 January 1881 for Bordeaux; arrived Bordeaux 25 January 1881; left Bordeaux 29 January 1881 for Bilbao; arrived Middlesbrough 8 February 1881; left Middlesbrough 16 February 1881 for Huelva; arrived Huelva 24 February 1881.

Primrose left Waterford on 7 February 1894 bound for Rouen with oats & a crew of 15 all told. At 1am on 9 February she struck on the Runnel Stone (or Rundleston) rocks of the coast of Cornwall & was wrecked. The crew landed at Mousehole in the ship’s boats. No lives were lost.

Northern Daily Mail 9 February 1894:

 ‘The crew of fifteen of the steamer Primrose were landed today at Mousehole near Penzance. They reported that owing to a fog which prevailed during the night their vessel struck the Runnel Stone Reef off Land’s End & sank. The Primrose, which was an 800 ton vessel, is registered at Hartlepool. The Primrose was on a passage from Waterford for Rouen with oats. Captain Symons says he ascribes the grounding of the vessel to the fog & to an error of judgement by the officers left in charge. Fireman, Hills, of Dartford, was badly scalded.’

The mate was found to blame for the casualty & his certificate was suspended for six months.