Acacia Technical Specification

Official No. 4379; Code Letters JCGV.

Owners: JP Denton, William Shaw Lindsay (London), William Lisle, Robert Elstob Hutton, William Ord, Thomas Bell Ord, Errington Bell Ord & Robert Ord (Sunderland) Hartlepool; by 1859 William Gray (draper) John Callender (draper) & Phillip Howard (master mariner) Hartlepool; 1861 William Gray, Hartlepool; 1863 William Gray & James McBeath (master mariner) Hartlepool; 1866 Robert Lawn (Catherine Street) Hartlepool; April 1881 James Young, South Shields; April 1884 John Matthew Adams, South Shields.

Masters: 1847-51 William Reed (C.N.1931 South Shields); 14 July 1851-52 William Triggs; 15 February 1853-57 Lawrence Tulloch (C.N. 5056 Shields 1851); 1864-65 James McBeath; 1866 Chapman; 1866-67 MacLean; 1875-80 Robert Lawn; 1880 Mogg; 1881-84 T Jones; 1884-85 John Matthew Adams.

Miscellaneous: November 1880 she was docked at Leith discharging her cargo of Esparto grass when a fire broke out in the master’s cabin. A seaman, Johnson, saw the flames & dragged the unconscious master out. Mogg, the master, was severely burned & died a week later in Leith Hospital. Johnson received minor burns to his hands & feet. The cabin was completely destroyed but the fire was brought under control before it took hold elsewhere. It was thought that the fire must have started from a coal falling from the hearth.

Voyages: 1848 Hartlepool for the Mediterranean; arrived Adelaide on 24 September 1848 from Hartlepool via Mauritius; 1850-55 Swansea to Coquimbo, Chile; 26 January 1853 spoken with bound from Sunderland for Point de Galle; 1856-57 Hartlepool for South America; 14 July 1858 arrived Gravesend from Wyborg, Russia; December 1878 from Oran for Berwick with Esparto grass while in the River Tweed in tow of a tug the Acacia grounded & stuck fast; 1883 bound from Oran for the Tyne she encountered severe weather in the Bay of Biscay which threw her on her beam ends.

Acacia left the Tyne bound for Torre del Mar with a cargo of coal. On her return voyage from Almeria for Leith with a cargo of esparto grass she went ashore near Lagos, Portugal & became a wreck on 21 January 1885.

Acacia - custom registration document 1847.

Callender, White, & Hunter owned four ships between 1878 and 1888 although one, Harlsey, was only owned for a very short period. John Callender ‘s business speculations were unsuccessful and by 1886 the company was in financial difficulties and was dissolved in 1889.

Included in the list of ships below are the sailing vessels in which John Callender had shares.

Family History:

John Callender was born in 1829 at Greenside, Ryton to parents John (surgeon) and Amelia Hannah (nee Watts) Callender.  John arrived in Hartlepool as a young man and became an assistant in the firm of William Gray (later Sir William Gray). He became a partner in the drapery firm Gray, Callender & Co. who also had a considerable interest in shipping at Hartlepool at that time. He then had an interest in the shipping firm of Callender, White & Hunter. John never recovered from the financial problems he incurred whilst involved in this company and possessed only moderate means to care for his large family.

He married Hannah Maria Jackson (daughter of W.G. Jackson, chemist) in 1860 at Hartlepool. The couple started off their married life living at Southgate Street, Hartlepool. John became a town councillor in 1874 and was a director of the Hartlepools Fishery Co. Ltd.  By 1871 the couple were living at Moor Terrace, Hartlepool with their three daughters and three sons. In 1881 the couple occupied Nos. 13 and 14 Moor Terrace with their seven daughters and three sons. In 1886 the family were living at ‘Gainford House’, Henry Smith Terrace which went up for sale in December 1886. By 1891 the family had moved to 9 Groves Street, Hartlepool.

John died aged 64 at Groves Street, Hartlepool on 29^th July 1893 leaving effects of just £5.00. His widow, Hannah, died aged 83 in 1922.

John White was born on 6^th June 1822 at Yarm to parents John and Frances White. He moved to Hartlepool as a child. He was apprenticed to Thomas Bird, currier, to whose business he succeeded. His first wife, Jane, died between 1861 and 1868. His second wife was Anna Jane Robinson whom he married at Hartlepool in 1869. From his two marriages John had two sons and seven daughters. By 1871 the family was living at 92 Brougham Street with John listed as a magistrate and currier.

John was elected to the council in 1860 and became an Alderman and J.P. From 1873 to 74 he was the elected Mayor of Hartlepool. He was a Governor of Smith’s Charity and a manager of the Hartlepools Hospital. John was also a vice-chairman and director of the Hartlepool Gas and Water Company.

John White died aged 78 on 6^th March 1900 at Hartlepool leaving effects of £9,319.

John Hunter was born c 1847 at Hartlepool to parents John (coal fitter) and Barbara (nee Benson) Hunter. John attended Bathurst Academy and then went to work as a clerk in his father’s office. He married Mary Pearson in 1874 at Durham. By 1881 the couple were living at 16 Cliff Terrace with their three daughters with John listed as a merchant. By 1891 the couple had four daughters and John was listed as a steamship manager and shipbroker. John then became an auctioneer with premises in High Street, Hartlepool and Scarborough Street, West Hartlepool. On the 1911 census the couple were living at ‘Beechgrove’ Castle Eden. John later moved to West Hartlepool.

John was elected to the Hartlepool Town Council in 1875 and in 1881 was made a Justice of the Peace. He later became an Alderman retiring from the council in 1823. For a long time he was secretary of the Hartlepools Chamber of Commerce and was also chairman of the Hartlepool Liberal Association. He was a talented singer and took part in operas put on by the Hartlepool Operatic Society. At the age of 71, while in London, he had a record made of his singing.

John Hunter died aged 79 at Hartlepool in January 1926.

As well as being a shipbuilder John Punshon Denton kept ownership of some of the ships he built and also owned and had shares in ships that were registered but not built in Hartlepool. Records that survive show vessels he at least partly owned from 1839. Some would have been for repair which he would then have sold on.

Other shareholders included: George Denton (John’s brother) Robert Elstob Hutton (master mariner & shipowner); John Elstob Hutton (insurance agent); George Wilkinson; Robert Wilson; Edward Lowden; James Winks; William Gray; Robert Gray; Thomas Rowell (bank agent); Thomas Sanderson (grocer); William Garrick (shipowner); Henry and James Proctor (master mariners); John Meldrum; (sailmaker); Jane Eden; Thomas Appleby; Robert Ropner; George Moon (shipowner, Sunderland); Thomas Belk; Robert Lawson Watson; William Huntingdon & Thomas Bell (Sunderland); Robert & William Ord (Sunderland); Elizabeth Hutton Wilkinson &  John Wilkinson (Craythorne); William Marsingdale Wilkinson (Manchester)

Brief Family Histories of some of the above mentioned shipowners:

George Denton was born on 6th September 1804 at Bishopwearmouth to parents Barbara (nee Punshon) and Richard Copeland Denton. He married Susanna Robinson (daughter of John Robinson) at Great Driffield, Yorkshire on 16^th October 1849 and they had five children:  George Robinson born 16^th August 1852; Arthur Copeland born c1853; Alfred born c1855; Ida Preston born c1857; Ernest born c1859. By 1861 the family were living at St Hilda Street, Hartlepool and by 1871 Victoria Place, Hartlepool.

George died aged 73 at Hartlepool on 30^th December 1877 leaving effects of under £300. His widow, Susanna, died in 1908.

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James Winks was born on 19^th April 1800 at North Shields to parents Margaret (nee Fenwick) and John Winks.  He married Alice Allen at Tynemouth in 1824 and they had one daughter. James was a shipwright and the family lived at Middleton.

James died aged 66 at Hartlepool on 28^th July 1866 leaving effects of under £300. His widow, Alice, died in 1888.

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Edward Lowden (also spelt Lowdon) was born in 1810 at Gosforth, Northumberland to parents Elizabeth (nee Nicholson) and Edward Lowden. He became a butcher and was also a lay-preacher.  By 1851 he was recorded as being a widower and in that year and 1861 he was boarding with James Winks and his wife at Middleton. In 1881 he was retired and living at Hanover Street, Stranton. Alice, James Winks widow, was living with him as a servant.

Edward died aged 78 on 28^th August 1888 at Farndale Terrace, Hartlepool.

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George Moon was born 21^st January 1812 at Sunderland to parents Elizabeth (nee Yule) and Henry Moon. He married Mary Ann Ord at Sunderland in 1842 and they had three daughters. In 1849 the family were living at Marine Terrace, Hartlepool. By 1861 they had moved to Hampstead.

George died age 81 at Windsor on 4^th November 1893 leaving effects of £19,676.

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Thomas Rowell was born c1808 at Weetslade, Northumberland to parents William and Catherine Rowell. He married Elizabeth Rowley and they had one daughter, Catherine, born in 1837. Thomas was a bank agent and was mayor of Hartlepool from 1842 to 1843. In 1851 the couple and their daughter were living at Southgate, Hartlepool with Thomas listed as a landed proprietor.

Thomas died aged 48 on 27^th March 1859 at Sedgewick House, Hartlepool leaving effects of under £100.

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John Meldrum was born on 10^th April 1794 at Sunderland to parents Mary (nee Pearson) and John Meldrum. He became a master sailmaker. John married Margaret White in 1842 at Sunderland and by 1851 the couple were living at Hartlepool.

John died aged 65 on 22^nd November 1859 at Hartlepool leaving effects of under £2,000.

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William Garrick was born on 17^th November 1798 at Orkney, Scotland to parents Margaret (nee Matteson) and John Garrick. He married Elizabeth Porteous on 14^th October 1828 at Sunderland. William became a shipping agent and shipowner.

William died on 1^st December 1847 at Hartlepool.

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Henry Proctor was born on 22^nd July 1822 at Lynn, Norfolk to parents Mary (nee Rudland) and James Proctor. He married Bell Watson on 31^st March 1846 at Bishopwearmouth. Henry first went to sea in 1836 and worked his way up to become a master mariner. He was mate of the Margaret of Hartlepool from 1843 to 1845 and was then master of several Sunderland registered ships.

Henry died aged 49 at Sunderland in 1871.

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Thomas Sanderson was born 21 January 1812 at Sunderland to parents Ann (nee Sandal) and Joseph Sanderson. He went to sea in 1823 as an apprentice and worked his way up to become a master mariner.  Thomas married Margaret Mary Sanderson in 1840 at Sunderland. Margaret died in 1847 and he married for the second time to Mary Wayman in 1854 at South Shields. When Thomas retired he became a grocer and provision Dealer.

Thomas died aged 66 on 24^th December 1878 at Sunderland.

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Joseph Nixon Eden was born 30^th April 1806 at South Shields to parents Jane Nixon and John Eden. He went to sea in 1819 as an apprentice and worked his way up to become a master mariner. Joseph married Jane Rennoldson on 1^st September 1831 at Devon.

Joseph died in 1855 at Stockton leaving his shares in the Voyager of Hartlepool to his widow, Jane Eden.

Robert E. Hutton owned and had shares in Hartlepool registered ships and in one Hartlepool built ship, the Acacia.

Other shareholders were: John Elstob Hutton; George Denton; George Wilkinson; John Wilkinson; John Punshon Denton; William and John Watson; William Wilson; William Lisle; John and Robert Lawn; William, Thomas Bell, Errington Bell and Robert Ord (Sunderland); Thomas Wilson Elstob (Camberwell); William Hodgson Elstob Cmberwell); Eli Kay (South Shields); Bostock Toller Whinney (South Shields); John Wilkinson (Craythorne, York); Elizabeth Hutton Wilkinson (Craythorne, York); William Marsingale Wikinson (Manchester); James Saville (Sunderland); John Halliday (butcher, Shields); Mary Ward (Wolviston.

Family History:

Robert Elstob Hutton was born on 29th November 1804 at Bishopwearmouth to parents Ann Donkin (nee Elstob) and Robert Hutton. He married Catherine Elstob on 27^th December 1828 at Bishopwearmouth. The couple had eleven children. By 1851 the couple were living at Cliff Terrace, Hartlepool with their two daughters and five sons.

Robert went to sea as an apprentice in January 1820 and from 1827 sailed on four Sunderland ships as master (C.N. 42414). He retired from the sea in December 1840 and in 1841 joined the General Shipping Company as a shareholder. When the company folded in 1844 Robert continued to own shares in ships.

 Robert died at Hartlepool aged 53 on 30^th April 1858 leaving effects of under £3,000. He was interred at Spion Kop Cemetery.

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John Elstob Hutton was born in November 1834 at Bishopwearmouth to parents Catherine (nee Elstob) and Robert Elstob Hutton.  He became an insurance agent and was in partnership with Robinson Thomas as shipbrokers and commission agents in West Hartlepool. The partnership became bankrupt and was dissolved on 6^th March 1857.

Shields Daily Gazette – Friday 30 November 1866:

ALLEGED DEFALCATIONS BY A HARTLEPOOL MARINE INSURANCE SECRETARY. Some excitement has been created at Hartlepool during the past few days in consequence of the disappearance of Mr. John Elstob Hutton, secretary to the North Star and Mutual Marine Insurance Clubs, whose offices are on the Town Wall, Hartlepool. Mr. Hutton is a young man, about thirty years of age, and has been secretary to these clubs for about seven years, having succeeded his deceased father, Mr. Robert E. Hutton. The family are highly respectable, and with good connections, and were formerly resident at Sunderland. Besides being secretary to the clubs, Mr. Hutton held the office of pilot-master to the port, at a salary of £30 per annum, and was also Vice-Consul for Portugal. For some time past some irregularities in the cash account have been suspected; and on Saturday last the chairman of the committee received a note from Mr. Hutton, stating that for certain reasons explained, he had been obliged to abscond. Whither he has betaken himself is not known, but it is presumed he has gone abroad. The accounts of the companies are undergoing investigation, and various sums of money ore alleged to have been misappropriated; but the loose and irregular manner in which Mr. Hutton is stated to have kept the books and accounts, precludes the possibility of the committee ascertaining the extent of the deficiency. From what has already transpired there is no doubt that the deficiency is serious. Previous to his absconding he had got some cheques cashed to the amount of between £100 and £200. One cheque given by Mr. Denton was for £120, which was cashed at Messrs. Backhouse's bank, and another cheque received from Shields was cashed by Mr. S. Armstrong the day on which Hutton absconded, all of which money he had, it is alleged, appropriated to himself, and not accounted for.  Independent of the clubs, Mr. Hutton has also borrowed sums of money from different parties in the town.

John married Jane Susannah Evans on 27^th January 1869 at Clifton, Gloucestershire.  The couple had two daughters, Caroline Vaughan born 1869 and Catherine Elizabeth born 1874.

John died aged 55 at Barton Regis in 1889.

William Lisle acquired shares in the early Hartlepool shipping companies. These included the Original Shipping Co.; Union Shipping Co.; General Shipping Co.; Commercial Shipping Co.; Phoenix Shipping Co. and West Hartlepool Shipping Co. As one company folded William and other Hartlepool and Stockton men purchased some of the ships as they were sold and, in many instances, set up another company.  William also had shares in ships along with William Kilvington, William George and Robert Henry Jackson, Robert Elstob Hutton, Thomas Rowell, Ninian Sheraton Tate, Gustavus Adolphus Tate, Peter Watt, Robert Hutchison (butcher), Mary Sheraton (Newton Bewley) and the Ord family of Sunderland.

Family Histories of the above mentioned Hartlepool shipowners:

William Kilvington was born in Yarm c1822. He married Charlotte Eleanor Cornforth at Stockton-on-Tees in 1851. By 1861 the couple were living at the Town Wall, Hartlepool with their five children. Charlotte died in 1880. In 1881 William his son, George, and daughter, Elizabeth, were living at No. 6 Thornton Street, West Hartlepool. He was Supt Registrar & Clerk to the Hartlepool Board of Guardians for about 25 years.

William died aged 63 on 16^th March 1885 at 5 Catherine Street, Hartlepool leaving effects of £4,847.

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Robert Elstob Hutton was born on 29th November 1804 at Bishopwearmouth to parents Ann Duncan/Donkin (nee Elstob) and Robert Hutton. He married Catherine Elstob on 27^th December 1828 at Bishopwearmouth. By 1851 the couple were living at Cliff Terrace, Hartlepool with their two daughters and five sons.

Robert went to sea as an apprentice in January 1820 and from 1827 sailed on four Sunderland ships as master (C.N. 42414). He retired from the sea in December 1840 and in 1841 joined the General Shipping Company as a shareholder. When the company folded in 1844 Robert continued to own shares in ships.

 Robert died at Hartlepool aged 53 on 30^th April 1858 leaving effects of under £3,000. He was interred at Spion Kop Cemetery.

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Thomas Rowell was born about 1808 at Weetslade, Northumberland to parents William and Catherine Rowell. He married Elizabeth Rowley and they had one daughter, Catherine, born in 1837. Thomas was a bank agent and was mayor of Hartlepool from 1842 to 1843. In 1851 the couple and their daughter were living at Southgate, Hartlepool with Thomas listed as a landed proprietor.

Thomas died aged 48 on 27^th March 1859 at Sedgewick House, Hartlepool leaving effects of under £100.

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Ninian Sheraton Tate was born at Stranton, Hartlepool on 18^th August 1800 to parents Lucy (nee Sheraton) and William Tate. He married Sarah Gibson in 1837 at Stranton, Hartlepool and they had two children, William and Dorothy. On ships from the year 1813 as an apprentice Ninian worked his way up to a seaman, mate then master. After 38 years at sea, he gained his master’s certificate No. 47880 at Llanelly in 1851. His widow, Sarah, died aged 96 in 1898.

Ninian died aged 93 at Hartlepool on 31^st January 1894 leaving effects of £1,222.

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Gustavus Adolphus Tate was born at Hartlepool on 10^th July 1808 to parents Lucy (nee Sheraton) and William Tate. He became a ship agent and married Marianne Sotheran at Greatham in 1839. The couple had five children.

Gustavus died aged 41 at Hartlepool on 7^th August 1849.

William Gray established a woollen & linen drapery business in Hartlepool in 1843. Also having an interest in shipping he acquired shares in sailing vessels from 1844.

Some of the other shareholders included: Robert (draper) & John Gray (Blyth); Matthew Gray (North Blyth); James Robson (Newcastle-on-Tyne); Henry Taylor (Liverpool); James Monks (Durham); Alexander Robertson (solicitor, Peterhead.

Henry Taylor Purvis; John Callender (draper); Phillip Howard (master mariner); James McBeath (master mariner); James Smith (master mariner); Jane Hall; John Fothergill; Jens Christian Nielsen; William Coward; William Horner; Frederick & Joseph Edward Murrell; all of Hartlepool.

William also had shares in sailing vessels along with John Punshon Denton. Eventually the two formed a partnership in shipbuilding with their first ship, Dalhousie, laid down on 4 July 1863. In December 1871 John Denton died. A dispute arose over the company’s profits which was eventually resolved in 1874 with the firm becoming William Gray & Company. In August 1874 the company’s first ship, Sexta, was launched.

William Gray was born on 18 January 1823 at Blyth, Northumberland to parents Anne Jane (nee Bryham) & Matthew Gray. He married Dorothy Wilson Hall on 15 May 1849 at St. Mary, Lewisham, Kent. In the 1851 census the couple were living at 2 Marine Terrace, Hartlepool. By 1861 the census recorded William as being a linen & woollen draper & shipowner & by 1871 as a shipbuilder. The couple had five daughters and two sons. Their eldest son, Matthew, died suddenly of pneumonia in June 1896 aged just 41.

William died aged 76 on 12 September 1898 leaving effects of £1500422. His widow, Dorothy died aged 81 on 7 September 1906.

William Cresswell Gray was born in 1867 at Tunstall Manor to parents Dorothy (nee Hall) & William Gray. He married Kate Casebourne in 1891 and they had four daughters and one son.

William took over as chairman of the company after the death of his father. He was created a baronet in 1917 and was given the freedom of Hartlepool and West Hartlepool in 1920.

William died aged 57 on 1 November 1924 at Bedale, Yorkshire leaving effects of £417347.

William Gray (3^rd generation) was born on 18 August 1895 at Hartlepool to parents Kate (nee Casebourne) & William Cresswell Gray. He was educated at Loretto School in Scotland, and passed direct from the school in 1914 to the Green Howards, where he rose to the rank of captain. He was several times mentioned in despatches, but was subsequently wounded and taken prisoner in 1915. He returned safely in 1918 following the Armistice. He married Mary Leigh at London in 1929.

Following the death of his father William took over the company in 1925. The recession and interest on money borrowed for development had left the company in financial difficulties but this was overcome and shipbuilding continued. The company made a substantial contribution to the war effort during WW2. After the war the company held its own with shipbuilding and repair work. In 1956 William Talbot Gray, the third William Gray’s son, became a joint managing director. He was killed in a car accident in 1971 aged 40. The company went into voluntary liquidation in 1962 and closed completely in 1963. William retired to Orchard Cottage, The Drive, Egglestone, Barnard Castle.

William died aged 82 on 28 January 1978 at Barnard Castle leaving effects of £116121.

Ships owned by William Gray & Co. that were not built in Hartlepool are recorded below under 'a general history'.