Rockcliff Technical Specification

George Horsley was born on 22 June 1836, the eldest of three sons of Matthew Horsley. On leaving school he was apprenticed to E.S. Jobson and later became a partner in the company. The third partner was Ludwig August Stahle. George became an Alderman and was Mayor in 1875 and 1876. He was also Swedish Consul and a member of the Hartlepool's Shipowner Society along with William Maclean.

George married Alethia Ann Berry in 1866 and Matthew Henry, who became known as Harry, was born in June 1867.

On the death of Ebenezer Jobson in April 1877 at his home in Cliff Terrace George took over the company and it became George Horsley & Co. His son, Harry, eventually became a partner in his father’s company and by 1889 it had become George Horsley & Son. George died suddenly at his residence, Claremont House, in December 1895 leaving effects of £83,157.

Harry married Clara Maclean in April 1893. He died on 17 February 1925 at Sidmouth, Devon leaving effects of £274,009. Harry was interred at Stranton Grange Cemetery.

By 1900 the company had become the Horsley Line Ltd., with Harry as managing director. The company ceased trading in 1915.

The following information was compiled by Bert Spaldin and appeared in the 'Tees Packet' No.89, November 1986:
George Horsley was the son of Mathew Horsley, a local pilot who bought shares in sailing vessels and then branched out becoming a steamship owner, firstly in a partnership and then on his own. The company were also timber merchants, shipbrokers and coal exporters, and branches were opened at Hull, Manchester and Gothenburg.

Completed May 1887; Official No. 92913: Code Letters KLSR.

Owners: 1887 G Horsley, West Hartlepool: 1889 G Horsley & Son, West Hartlepool: 1900 Horsley Line Ltd (MTD Horsley) West Hartlepool: 1906 Antwerpsche Zeevart Mij (JD’Haene & Co) Antwerp-renamed Schelde

Masters: 1887-88 JL Baxter: 1888-89 J Borwick: 1891 J Donovan: 1892 J Lewis: 1894 JL Baxter: 1895-98 T Whittingham: 1898-99 J Hogg: 1900-04 T Scantlebury: 1905 W Cliff: 1906 TH Webber: 1907 A Pavot.

On 10th May, 1889 the Rockcliff of Hartlepool went ashore at Ashrafi lighthouse in the Suez. The British steamer Discovery assisted her to discharge her cargo. She was eventually assisted off & proceeded for Suez for a survey on the damage.The certificates of the master, Borwick, & the mate, Thompson were suspended for twelve months for gross negligence. They had both been drunk for several days before the casualty.

Notes: 10th May, 1889, at about 01.00 whilst on a voyage from Middlesborough to Madras with a cargo of about 3,000 tons of Railway materials the Rockcliff stranded near the Ashrafi Lighthouse on Shab Ashrafi reef, Staits of Jubal, Gulf of Suez.

The British steamer Discovery assisted her to discharge her cargo. She was eventually assisted off and proceeded for Suez for a survey on the damage. The certificates of the master, James Borwick, and the mate, Thompson were suspended for twelve months for gross negligence. They had both been drunk for several days before the casualty.

On the Morning of Saturday, November 4^th,  1893, the Rockcliff(in ballast) ran aground on the Longsand, the weather was squally and threatening, the Ramsgate smack Annie stood by the vessel all day and at 9.00pm, with the help of a Harwich tug succeeded in getting the vessel off. The Rockcliff was apparently undamaged and proceeded on her way.

On September 4^th, 1895, Charles Stobstand fell from the gangway of the Rockcliff into the Hartlepool dry dock fracturing his arm and sustaining cuts & bruises. The Rockcliff left Hartlepool on Saturday, 7th September, 1895, for Cardiff in ballast.

Shields Daily News, Monday, December 31^st, 1900:
WEST HARTLEPOOL STEAMER IN THE GALE. CAPTAIN AND CREW BADLY INJURED. The steamer Rockcliff, of West Hartlepool, has arrived at Queenstown in a crippled condition. She was on a voyage from Barry to Philadelphia, and had proceeded about two hundred miles west of Queenstown when she encountered fearful seas and had to put back. All boats save the skeleton one were carried away, and the men were lashed to the wheel for fifteen hours. Some of them were badly hurt, the captain sustaining injuries to his ribs.