Jesse Lilly & James Wilson operated eight ships from 1883 under Lilly, Wilson & Co., until their partnership was dissolved by mutual consent on 31 July 1891. Jesse Lilly continued operating ships under J. Lilly & Co., which then became Lilly Shipping Co. Ltd. In 1907 the London Gazette of January 18th, 1907, ran the following article:
LOBELIA STEAM SHIP CO. Limited. At an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Members of the above named Company, duly convened, and held at the registered office of the Company, No. 61, Church-street, West Hartlepool, in the county of Durham, on the 24th day of December, 1906, the following Special Resolutions were duly passed; and at a subsequent Extraordinary General Meeting of the Members of the said Company, also duly convened, and held at the same place, on the 9th day of January, 1907, the following Special Resolutions were duly confirmed :— (1.) That the Lobelia Steam Ship Company Limited be voluntarily wound up with a view to its amalgamation with the Lilly Shipping Company Limited, and that Mr. Jesse Lilly, of West Hartlepool aforesaid, Shipowner, be and he is hereby appointed Liquidator of the Company for the purposes of such winding up. (2.) That the said Liquidator be and he is hereby authorized, pursuant to section 161 of the Companies Act, 1862, to enter into an arrangement with the Lilly Shipping Company Limited for the sale to it of the whole of the business assets and liabilities of the Company in consideration of the allotment of shares in the Lilly Shipping Company Limited, upon the terms' of the scheme which has been submitted to the Meeting, and is, for the purpose of identification, signed by the Chairman of this Meeting. 093 J. LILLY, Chairman.
PETUNIA STEAM SHIP CO. Limited. At an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Members of the above named Company, duly convened, and held at the registered office of the Company, No. 61, Church-street, West Hartlepool, in the county of Durham, on the 24th day of December, 1906, the following; Special Resolutions was duly passed; and at a subsequent Extraordinary General Meeting of the Members of the said Company, also duly convened, and held at the same place, on the 9th day of January, 1907, the following Special Resolutions was duly confirmed :— (J.) That the Petunia Steam Ship Company Limited be voluntarily wound up with a view to its amalgamation with the Lilly Shipping Company Limited, and that Mr. Jesse Lilly, of West Hartlepool aforesaid, Shipowner, be and he is hereby appointed Liquidator of the Company for the purposes of such winding up. (2.) That the said Liquidator be and he is hereby authorized, pursuant to section 161 of the Companies Act, 1862, to enter into an arrangement with the Lilly Shipping Company Limited for the sale to it of the whole of the business assets and liabilities of this Company in consideration of the allotment of shares in the Lilly Shipping Company Limited, upon the terms of the scheme which has been submitted to the Meeting, and is, for the purpose of identification, signed by the Chairman of this Meeting. J. LILLY, Chairman.
POCKLINGTON STEAM SHIP CO. Limited. At an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Members of the above named Company, duly convened, and held at the registered office of the Company, No. 61, Church-street, West Hartlepool, in the county of Durham, on the 24th day of December, 1906, the following Special Resolutions were duly passed; and at a subsequent Extraordinary General Meeting of the Members of the said Company, also duly convened, and held at the same place, on the 9th day of January, 1907, the following Special Resolutions were duly confirmed : (1.) That the Pocklington Steam Ship Company Limited be voluntarily wound up with a view to its amalgamation with the Lilly Shipping Company Limited, and that Mr. Jesse Lilly, of West Hartlepool aforesaid, Shipowner, be and he is hereby appointed Liquidator of the Company for the purposes of such winding up. (2.) That the said Liquidator be and be is hereby authorized, pursuant to section 1GI of the Companies Act, 1862, to enter into an arrangement with the Lilly No. 27987. D Shipping Company Limited for the sale to it of the whole of the business assets and liabilities of this Company in consideration of the allotment of shares in the Lilly Shipping Company Limited, upon the terms of the scheme which has been submitted to the Meeting, and is, for the purpose of identification, signed by the Chairman of this Meeting. J. LILLY, Chairman.
VERBENA STEAM SHIP CO. Limited. At an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Members of the above named Company, duly convened, and held at the registered office of the Company, No. 61, Church-street, West Hartlepool, in the county of Durham, on the 24th day of December, 1906, the following Special Resolutions were duly passed; and at a subsequent Extraordinary General Meeting of the Members of the said Company, also duly convened, and held at the same place, on the 9th day of January, 1907, the following Special Resolutions were duly confirmed:— (1.) That the Verbena Steam Ship Company Limited be voluntarily wound up with a view to its amalgamation with the Lilly Shipping Company Limited, and that Mr. Jesse Lilly, of West Hartlepool aforesaid, Shipowner, be and he is hereby appointed Liquidator of the Company for the purposes of such winding up. (2.) That the said Liquidator be and he is hereby authorised, pursuant to section 161 of the Companies Act, 1862, to enter into an arrangement with the Lilly Shipping Company Limited for the sale to it of the whole of the business assets and liabilities of this Company in consideration of the allotment of shares in the Lilly Shipping Company Limited, upon the terms of the scheme which has been submitted to the Meeting, and is, for the purpose of identification, signed by the Chairman of this Meeting. 096 J. LILLY, Chairman.
Family History:
Jesse Lilly was born in April 1847 at Croft, Lincolnshire. He was married at Hartlepool to Elizabeth Ann Fleetham in October 1872 and, by 1873 were living at Musgrave Street, West Hartlepool. By 1901 the family were living at Billingham Hall.
In 1871 he was awarded his second mate's certificate and in 1873 his master's certificate having sailed firstly on the Agenoria of Boston aged 15 as a boy. He then went on to sail on the Florist, Levant and numerous other vessels.
Jesse died aged 60 at Billingham on 25th July 1907 at Stockton-on-Tees leaving effects of £30,678.
More detail »John William Crosby & John Magee formed their shipping company in 1891 with the purchase of the Larch. In 1904 they took over the ships & company of Stainthorp, Kitching & Co, Stockton. The company then traded to Gulf ports, US Eastern Seaboard & St. Lawrence. John Magee retired in 1927 & the company was re-named Crosby, Son & Co. Ltd.
In 1937 the directors were William Noel Crosby, Walter Cooper, John Middleton and William John Davies.
In total they owned 16 ships throughout the company's history. They sold their last ship in 1954 & the company was wound up in 1958.
Family History:
John William Crosby was born in 1858 at Woodbridge, Suffolk to parents William and Sarah who were both born at North Shields. John became a shipbroker and auctioneer before branching out to owning ships. He married Elizabeth Metcalfe at York in November 1886. From 1891 to 1901 they were living at Brougham Terrace and by 1911 at 'Norville' in Hutton Avenue. John and Elizabeth had a daughter and two sons. Their eldest son, John Metcalfe Crosby, was killed in action in France in 1917.
John died on 24 December 1933 at Lightwoods, Egglescliffe aged 75. He left effects of £55,641.
John Augustine Magee was born at Hutton Henry in c1857 to parents Edward and Mary Ann. He married Elizabeth Stephenson at Easington in 1887 and they had three sons and a daughter. By 1891 the family were living at Castle Eden.
John died on 9 January 1928 at Burnside, Castle Eden leaving effects of £98,779.
Fleet List
Larch 1878-1900
Brunswick 1881-1895
Glen Dochart 1882-1914
Paola 1882-1914
Edinburgh 1883-1913
Nettleton 1891-1916
Hannah M. Bell 1893-1911
Bainbridge 1894-1916
Teesbridge 1905-1929
Wearbridge 1911-1937
Eskbridge 1912-1940
Tynebridge 1925-1940
Hartbridge 1927-1960
Levenbridge 1928-1958
Forthbridge 1928-1936
Ousebridge 1929-1940
More detail »Completed February 1882; Official No. 92909: Code Letters KJHT: Code Letters JLQT.
Owners: 1882 A.C. de Freitas & Co., Hamburg; 1886 Lily, Wilson & Co, West Hartlepool; 1891 J. Wilson & Co, West Hartlepool; 1893 North of England S.S. Co. (John W Crosby, Magee & Co) West Hartlepool; 1900 Otto Banck, Helsingborg, Sweden-renamed Carma.
Masters: 1882-85 Witschwsky; 1889 J Jones; 1890-91 DA Davies; 1891 T Sawyer; 1892-93 J Humphreys; 1894-98 JW Howling; 1909 J Lindell.
More detail »