Hildawell - a general history

South Wales Daily News – November 28^th, 1893
QUICK DESPATCH AT CARDIFF. The steamer Hildawell, Captain Wilkes, 1,879 tons gross—Messrs. Hardy, Wilson and Co., brokers; -docked at Roath, midnight, Friday, finished loading 3,500 tons cargo, and 500 bunkers, at 6.30 p.m. Saturday, the actual working hours being 18½, and sailed on Sunday morning's tide. The steamer Hildawell is owned by Messrs. G. B. Harland and Co., West Hartlepool, and the Cardiff charterers, Messrs. Arduser and Co., have beaten the record for despatch.

Western Times – November 24^th, 1896
On Friday at Dartmouth Sessions two seamen were brought up in custody, Thos. McPhillips was charged with being drunk and disorderly Jas. McPherson with simple drunkenness. The cases proved by P.S. Stentiford and P.C. Berry, and the magistrates imposed fines of 11s 5d on McPhillips and 9s 10d on the other man. Both belonged to the ss. Hildawell, steamer lying in Dartmouth Harbour.

Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail – February 22^nd, 1897
LAST NIGHT'S SHIPPING. DAMAGE TO A WEST HARTLEPOOL STEAMER. The steamer Hildawell (Capt. Witten), from Copenhagen, light, grounded in the Old Harbour, Hartlepool, whilst entering. The propeller was broken, but otherwise no damage was sustained. The steamer has been docked for repairs. She belongs to Messrs G. B. Harland and Co., West Hartlepool.

South Wales Daily News – March 10^th, 1900
A Liverpool telegram states that the steamer Hildawell, from Charleston, reports that she lost about 300 or 400 barrels of resin and received considerable damage to her deck fittings during heavy weather.

Shields Daily Gazette – March 2^nd, 1901
Hildawell, steamer, arrived at Philadelphia leaking badly; thought will have dock to for repairs.

Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette – November 1^st, 1901
COLLISION IN THE TYNE. South Shields telegraphs :—The steamer Hildawell, Hartlepool, inward bound, light, has been collision with the steamer Bjorn, of Lyngor, outward laden. The latter received much damage to stem and port bow. Former proceeded. Damage, if any, slight.

Dundee Courier – July 7^th, 1902
Dover, July 6.—The steamer Hildawell passed west this afternoon, and signalled having been oollision with a steamer (name unknown) off Cross Sand Light Vessel, damage is trluing[?]. 

Aberdeen Journal – May 30^th, 1910
FRENCH VESSEL FOUNDERED. CREW SAFE Lloyd's Penzance agent  telegraphed Saturday that the steamer Fort Louis, of La Rochelle, Cardiff for Tunis, foundered after collision with the steamer Hildawell, Selina for Glasgow, six miles west of Longship6 on Saturday morning. The captain and crew of the Fort Louis were landed at Falmouth.

Nottingham Evening Post – May 30^th, 1910
A Land's End Mystery. Messages which have been received from Lloyd's agents at Falmouth and Penzance report two collisions which occurred in the early hours of Saturday off small island 1¼ miles west of Land's End, on which stands a lighthouse visible for 16 miles. In each case an unknown steamer was concerned, of which nothing has since been heard. The two messages run: "Falmouth, Saturday.—The British steamer Hildawell, Sulina for Glasgow, with maize, arrived here with stem and bow-plates stove in and fore-peak full of water, having bean collision early this morning, during a dense fog, off Longships, with steamer name unknown. Hildawell cruised round the spot for several hours, but could not see anything of the other steamer.
Penzance, Saturday.—The steamer Fort Louis, Rochelle, Cardiff for Tunis, with patent fuel, foundered after collision with name unknown, six miles west, off Longships, at two o'clock this morning. Captain and crew of 24 landed here."

Newcastle Journal – January 21^st, 1915
LOST WEAR STEAMER. SEEN FROM A TYNE-BOUND VESSEL. The steamer Hildawell, of West Hartlepool, which has arrived in the Tyne from St. Nazaire, experienced very tempestuous weather on the passage. She lay in Yarmouth roads for shelter, and resumed her voyage Monday morning. Passing Sheringham on the Norfolk coast, the crew of the Hildawell observed the wrecked steamer George Royle, of Sunderland. The aftermast and funnel were gone, and only the framework of the bridge could be seen, the rest of the structure having disappeared. The foremast was still standing. Heavy seas were battering the wreck, which was evidently breaking up rapidly. There was no sign of any members of the crew. The Cromer lifeboat was also seen by the Hildawell. She had apparently gone to the assistance of the George Royle, and was returning in tow a fishing smack, both craft being under sail. The lifeboat's crew was discerned. but there did not appear to be anyone else on board.

Dundee Evening Telegraph – January 21^st, 1915
NO SIGN OF LIFE ON WRECK Members the crew of the West Hartlepool steamer Hildawell, who have arrived at Shields, state that when passing the Sheringham Sands they saw the ill-fated Sunderland steamer George Royle lying there wreck. The foremast of the George Royle was still standing, but the after mast and funnel had disappeared, while only the frame-work of the bridge was visible, the rest of the structure having been carried away. Huge waves were breaking over the ship, which appeared to be going pieces rapidly, and no sign of life could be seen on board."

Western Mail – 18^th January, 1917
The… following… are very much overdue:—Steamer Hildawell, of West Hartlepool, left Bilbao on December 12 for Middlesbrough, and dropped the Downs pilot off Yarmouth on December 19.

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