Wathfield Gallery

In 1889/1900 the partnership of Maclean, Doughty & Co., was dissolved with Henry Doughty taking four steamers with him. He formed Doughty & Co,. in 1900 and changed the name to Doughty Shipping Co. Ltd. in 1901. Doughty also managed ships for the British Government during WW1. The company lost four steamers during WW1 and went out of business in 1919.

Family History:

Henry Doughty was born in 1859 at Middlesbrough. In the early 1890’s he volunteered and became captain in the 4^th Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry and reached the rank of major. In 1881 Henry was living at Stranton and was listed as a commercial clerk in a shipping office. By 1891 He was living at Seaton Carew. In April 1908 he was given command of the newly organised Durham Royal Garrison Artillery and retired with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in May 1909. Henry joined the Board of Directors of Hartlepool Gas and Water Company in 1916.  He moved to Harrogate, probably after 1919.

Henry died on 13 July 1927 at Harrogate and was interred at Harlow Cemetery. In his will, apart from £12,000 in bequests, the majority of £315,855 was given to various charities.

In this section you will find information, photographs and stories relating to more than 260 Hartlepool seamen who lost their lives during during the First World War, and of the ships they served on.
To find a particular crewman, simply type his Surname in the Search Box at the top of the page.

This section will, in time, contain the stories of more than 450 merchant ships built or owned in the Hartlepools, and which were lost during the First World War. As an illustration of the truly global nature of shipbuilding, these ships were owned by companies from 22 different countries, including more than 30 sailing under the German flag at the outbreak of war.

Shields Daily Gazette, October 26^th, 1904.
LAUNCHES ON THE TYNE, Yesterday afternoon there was launched from the shipbuilding yard of Messrs. John Readhead and Sons, West Docks, South Shields, a steel screw steamer built to the order of the Doughty Steam Shipping Co., Ltd., West Hartlepool, of which the managing owners are Messrs. H. Doughty and Co. The vessel has been built to Lloyd's highest class on the three deck rule, and designed to carry about 5,300 tons deadweight on a light draft of water. The machinery and boilers, also constructed by John Readhead and Sons, are of ample power to drive the vessel at a good speed. The vessel was named the Wathfield, by Miss Taylor, of Wath.

London Daily News, January 13th, 1905.
South Shields, Jan. 12 - British steamer Wathfield, when undocking last night, collided with steamer Freeland, lying at tier. Latter received damage to bridge, stanchions, and davits. Former undamaged.

Yorkshire Post & Leeds Intelligencer, November 6^th, 1907.
The West Hartlepool steamer Wathfield, bound from Antwerp for Barry, collided with and sunk the lighter Tafna in the  Scheldt to-day. The Wathfield, which is of 3,012 tons burden, owned the Doughty S.S. Company (Limited), of West Hartlepool, is being surveyed.

Yorkshire Post & Leeds Intelligencer, January 24^th, 1911.
The West Hartlepool steamer Wathfield, on her voyage from West Hartlepool for Charleston (S.C.), has gone ashore near Charleston, and is lying in an exposed position. Efforts made to refloat have so far been entirely without success. The Wathfield is of 3,012 tons gross register, built in 1905. and is owned by the Doughty Shipping Company (Limited), West Hartlepool.