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.