Breeze Gallery

In 1866, Thomas Appleby and Robert Ropner founded the shipping company of Appleby, Ropner & Co. This partnership was dissolved in 1874, with each partner establishing their own companies: T. Appleby & Co., and R. Ropner & Co.

The vessels listed below under ship are those that were built at West Hartlepool and those that were built elsewhere are listed under a general history.

Family History:

Thomas Appleby was born at Garmondsway, Durham in 1839 to parents John (farmer) and Elizabeth Davison (nee Richardson) Appleby. He married Harriet Wearmouth at Pittington on 9^th December 1868. In 1871 the family were living at Seaton Carew. By 1881 the couple were living at Ashfield House, Greatham with their five children. Harriet died in December 1904.

Thomas was chairman of the Hartlepool Gas Company, president of the South East Durham Conservative Association and a J.P.

Thomas died at Greatham aged 69 on 24^th November 1909 leaving effects of £116,954.

Completed January 1875;  Official No. 67557: Code Letters WSRN:

Owners: 1874 Thomas Appleby & Co. (Commercial Buildings) West Hartlepool: 1892 C.A. Forslind, Norway; 1892 Acties Bris (F. Ohlsen) Laurvig, Norway-renamed Bris

Masters: 1874-77 John Robert Holman (CC No. 90620): 1880 W Holman: 1881 Reynolds: 1882 W Holman: 1883 I Lewis: 1884-85 TR Keen: 1886-92 TH Allen: 1895-97 J Hummel: 1899-1903 C Horgen: 1904 E Tronsen.

Voyages: On her trial trip with about 30 people aboard, some putting the finishing touches to the vessel, under the command of masters Bowden & John Holman during heavy snow squalls Breeze struck the South Pier causing thousands of pounds worth of damage. She was then driven onto the Black Middens at Tynemouth & stranded on 11 December 1874. No lives lost: In December 1877 Breeze was in two collisions. Passing Lowestoft from Antwerp she collided with the Hanoverian galliot, Orient, which was bound for London with potatoes. Before the latter vessel sank the crew were taken off by the Breeze. On the same night she collided with the Seaham of Goole which also sank but not before her crew were taken off.

On a voyage from Swansea for Stettin with a cargo of coal Bris sank after a collision with the Swedish steamer Emma Hammar off Paternoster Rocks on the west coast of Sweden on 17 April 1904.

Crew trial trip 1874:

Anderson, George, chief engineer; Bowden, master; Burns, John, Tyne pilot; Holman, John, master; Lambert, Samuel, boatswain; Lawer, William, seaman; Moore, Thomas, rigger; Storey, John, able seaman.

The following appeared in the Northern Daily Mail,  March 25^th, 1890

Collision in the Tees
West Hartlepool Steamers seriously damaged
Shortly after half past seven o’clock this morning, during the prevalence of a dense fog, a collision of disastrous character occurred in the River Tees between the screw-steamers Blenheim and Breeze, both of which belong to West Hartlepool. The Blenheim it appears, under the command of Captain Sanderson, was bound from Middlesbrough to Boca (River Plate), and the Breeze was entering with a cargo of iron ore. The vessels collided with terrific force, the former being literally burst open amidships on the port side. Water rushed into the breach in large volumes and the captain decided to run for Hartlepool, which he fortunately reached in safety, and the vessel now lies in the Old Harbour. The Breeze was also badly damaged, but proceeded to Middlesbrough. The latter vessel is owned by Messrs. T. Appleby and Co., whilst the Blenheim, which is a new boat, belongs to Messrs. Steel, Young and Co.

26^th March
The S.S. Blenheim
This vessel, damaged by collision with the s.s. Breeze in the Tees yesterday, under circumstances reported in yesterday’s Mail, is now lying in the Central Dock, West Hartlepool, discharging her cargo, after which she will be placed in the North-Eastern Dry Dock for repairs by Messrs. E. Withy and Co. At the point of collision the after end of the bridge house, on the starboard side, the main and bridge decks and the shell-plating, show the immense force of the collision, as the steel plates are bent and buckled very considerably, and although there are a few fractures, yet on the whole the structure, except locally, is undisturbed and clearly illustrates the superior qualities of steel for shipbuilding purposes. We believe the steel used in this vessel was manufactured by Messrs. Gray and Gladstone, of the West Hartlepool Steel Works.

When the wood snow Safeguard, owned by Joseph Hill of Hartlepool, was wrecked on Seaton Sands in March 1879 she was broken up by C.A. Forslind.

C.A. Forslind was in partnership with John Rex. The company, in which Charles was a sleeping partner, was known as Forslind & Rex Timber Merchants of Bernard Street, Leith. The partnership was dissolved on 1^st November 1900.

C.A. Forslind & Son was established about 1902 and was dissolved on 31^st October 1916 and re-registered in February 1917. It was finally wound up in November 1931.

Although some of their ships were Hartlepool built they were registered in Sweden and Norway.

Family History:

Charles (Carl) Albert Forslind was born in 1849 in Arboga, Sweden. He travelled from Sweden to France in November 1867 and from there to England. Charles married Harriett Humphreys in 1872 at Hartlepool. In 1881 the couple were living at 20 Archer Street, Stranton. Harriett died aged 40 in January 1890 leaving Charles living at Thomas Street, Stranton with their two sons, Thomas and William. Charles then married Jane Maria Baker on 12^th October 1891 at Hartlepool. By 1901 the family were living at Wooler Road, Hartlepool. They had two daughters and a son.

Charles died aged 83 on 11th February 1932 leaving effects of £6073.

Obituary in Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail – Friday 12 February 1932.

A prominent figure in the commercial life of West Hartlepool has been removed by the death of Mr. Carl Albert Forslind. Mr. Forslind, who possessed a marvellously strong constitution, had reached the age of 83 years, and retained his robust health until about the middle of last year, when he had a severe illness, from which he never really recovered, though he attended to his business affairs until about three months ago. He passed away at about 10 o'clock last night at his residence, Greystone. Born at the old historic town of Arboga, Sweden, in 1849, Mr. Forslind was the son of the late Mr. John Erick Forslind, of Findla Arboga, Sweden. He was educated at Arboga, and 67 years ago came to West Hartlepool, where he, from a very humble beginning, built up the firm of Messrs C. A. Forslind and Son, timber merchants and steamship owners. He received his naturalization papers and took the oath of allegiance to her late Majesty Queen Victoria before the first Sir William Gray (then Mr. William Gray). At the age of 20 he joined the British navy, and served for six years. After his discharge he continued at sea in the merchant service for four years and then started his business career at West Hartlepool, which lasted 60 years. Mr. Forslind’s only hobby was shooting, a sport of which he was exceedingly fond. Mr Forslind was twice married. He leaves a widow, three sons, and two daughters- Mr. T. A. Forslind, Mr W. H. Forslind, Mr. C. V. Forslind, Mrs. Johnson Sinclair (Taplow), and Mrs. Deacon (London).

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Thomas Albert Forslind was born at Hartlepool in 1873 to parents Charles Albert and Harriett (nee Humphreys) Forslind. By 1891 he was a clerk in his father’s company. Thomas married May Owen at Hartlepool in 1897. By 1901 the couple were living in Grange Road and Thomas was listed as a timber merchant and employer. In 1911 the couple were living at 89 Clifton Avenue with their two daughters.

Thomas died aged 95 at Hartlepool in March 1969.