Ludovicus Technical Specification

Dixon Taylor Sharper, and his son of the same name, owned a number of small sailing ships, all of which were pre-owned. Very few of these vessels were re-registered at Hartlepool and many came to grief under their ownership. Dixon senior had shares in ships from about 1869 and owned his first ship in about 1879.

The list of the vessels below are those currently known to have been owned at some time by Dixon Taylor Sharper senior and junior.

Family History:

Dixon Taylor Sharper (Senior), was born at South Shields in 1825 to parents John and Mary Ann. He became a sail maker. He married Barbara Ridley Allen on 23 August 1847 at St Hilda’s Church.
The Durham County Advertiser of November 30th, 1849, records the death (on the 24th), in Shadwell Street, South Shields, of Andrew Allen (aged 4 months), infant son of Mr. Dixon Taylor Sharper, mariner.
By 1861 Dixon and Barbara had moved to Hartlepool and were living at Harbour Terrace with their son and three daughters. By 1871 they were living at Tower Street, West Hartlepool with their son and two daughters. Barbara died in 1880 aged 55. Dixon was remarried in 1881 to Susannah Fox and by the time of the 1881 census they were living at 17 Thornton Street. On the 1891 census they were visitors at Doncaster.
Dixon died aged 69 at Doncaster on 18 March 1895 leaving effects of £1,409.

Dixon and Susannah’s son, John Henry Sharper, joined the Royal Garrison Artillery and was killed in France on 22 March 1917 aged 31.

Dixon Taylor Sharper (Junior), was born on 19th April, 1855, at West Hartlepool to parents Dixon and Barbara. Following the trade of his father he became a sail maker.  He married Mary Alice Burgess at Hartlepool in 1874. In 1881 they were living at Brunswick Street, Stranton with their daughter. By 1901 the family were living at ‘Ardrossan’ No. 40. Clifton Avenue.
Dixon died at Hartlepool aged 58 on 16 April 1913 leaving effects of £7349.

Voyage details:

Shields Daily Gazette, Tuesday, March 26^th, 1895:
Arrived West Hartlepool, March 24^th, Ludovicus, Orford.
Royal Cornwall Gazette, Thursday, September 26^th, 1895:
FALMOUTH. On Monday the ketch Ludovicus, 44 tons, Captain Smith, from Par to Portsmouth, with granite, arrived at Falmouth leaky. When she got into Custom House Pier she sank.
Lloyd’s List, Thursday, May 21^st, 1896:
Sailed Hartlepool, Ludovicus, Smith, Maldon.
York Herald, Tuesday, September 29^th, 1896:
HARTLEPOOL: Arrived, 26^th, Ludovicus (returned w.b.- weather bound?). Sailed, 24^th, Ludovicus, Turner, Lowestoft.
Lloyd’s List, Friday, September 4th, 1897:
Sailed Deal, Ludovicus, Perry, Falmouth from Hull.
Lloyd’s List, Monday, December 20^th, 1897:
Arrived Hartlepool (Dec. 17^th), Ludovicus, Perry, Lowestoft.
Eastern Daily Press, Saturday, July 1^st, 1899:
SAILINGS [Yarmouth]- Ludovicus, ketch, Hartlepool, for Stockton, wheat.

East Anglian Times, Friday, January 31st, 1896:
William Henry Smith, of West Hartlepool, master of the ketch Ludovicus, was brought up in custody charged with stealing four pieces of breast of pork, and half a pig’s head, weighing altogether 17lbs., and value 8s. 6d., the property of James Lewis, master the schooner English Rose, on the night of January 27th, Woodbridge.
Prosecutor said his ship was lying at the Ferry Quay, Woodbridge, and prisoner's ketch had been lying in the same dock. Prosecutor had about two stone of pork in a cask standing on the quarter-deck, and on Monday last he also put in it two halves of a pig’s head. On Tuesday morning prosecutor went to the cask, and then missed four pieces of pork and one half of the pig’s head the same evening. Witness saw the missing meat at Woodbridge Police Station, and identified it. George Disbrey, of Boyton, who supplied the pork, also identified that produced as the same kind sold to prosecutor.—Francis George Dean, of Liverpool, one of the hands on the English Rose, stated prisoner came board about 11 p.m. on Monday, and remained below with witness some ten minutes. When prisoner left witness turned into his hammock, so could not say what prisoner did when he got on the deck.
Supt. A. Hubbard and Police-constable Smith went to Bawdsey Ferry, and saw prisoner on his ship. The Superintendent told prisoner some meat had been stolen the previous evening, and that he was suspected of stealing it. Prisoner replied he knew nothing about it, and gave the police-constable permission to search where he liked. Police-sergeant Smith went down the cabin with prisoner, who pulled out of a tub some mutton and beef, also the four pieces of pork which had been stolen. The constable asked prisoner if hadn't also half a pig’s head in the tub, and prisoner replied “No,” but the constable found it quite at the bottom. Prisoner, after being cautioned, told the Superintendent that he bought the pork at a shop in Woodbridge, between the Cross corner and the Market Hill, and the half pig’s head was given him by his father at Snape last Sunday. Supt. Hubbard stated that after prisoner was remanded on Wednesday, he made a different statement, namely, that he bought it from a man on the Quay, who had nine or ten pieces his basket.
George Robinson, the cook, said there was no pork (except salt meat) in the tub on prisoner's vessel on Monday. Prisoner, who elected to have the case dealt with summarily, pleaded not guilty, and asserted that he bought the pork of a tall man on Woodbridgo Quay; the man had a dark moustache, a very thin pale face, and was wearing light grey trousers; the man had seven or eight pieces in his basket, and some herring; he had not seen him since, but he believed he came from Bawdsey.
The Chairman said the Bench were unanimous in convicting prisoner, and he was sentenced to one month’s hard labour.

Lloyd’s List, Friday, December 3rd, 1897:
LUDOVICUS –Deal, Dec.2. 2.22 p.m.—Ketch Ludovicus, of West Hartlepool, at anchor in the Downs, hoisted flag this morning, but no boat could launch to her. She is supposed to have parted from her anchor as she is now riding with only one anchor down; her flag however has been lowered.
LUDOVICUS —Deal, Dec.2. 3.31 p.m.—Ketch Ludovicus, of West Hartlepool, has just parted from her anchor and is driving to leeward flying flag for assistance.

Hartlepool Northern Dail Mail, Thursday, March 31^st, 1898:
HARTLEPOOL KETCH IN DISTRESS. A Deal telegram stated yesterday that the ketch Ludovicus, of West Hartlepool, had parted from her anchor and was driving to leeward, and flying flag for assistance.

Evening Star, Friday, March 25th, 1898:
ALDEBURGH. A DREADFUL NIGHT. Thursday night will long be remembered at Aldeburgh, both by those on land as well at sea. A heavy sea got up with the gale, and great havoc was wrought along the coast… soon after daylight the news arrived that help was wanted, a vessel being in distress off East Lane, south of Orford Haven.
Rockets were at once discharged over the town to call a crew for the lifeboat Aldeburgh. These having arrived, no time was lost in getting into oilskins and cork belts. Coxswain Cable was in charge, supported by second coxswain Mann, and the crew was composed as follows:—Latchtway, W. Fuller, K. Thorpe, H. Gooding, E. Burrell, H. Pearce, A. Easter, A. Wilson, J. Peade, J. Chatten, J. Green, D. Mann, J. Fisher, and another. Considerable difficulty was experienced in getting the boat off, owing to the on shore wind, and the low state of the tide. One hundred men were dragging on to the hauling-off line, and Cable set his mizzen and foresail. Their efforts were at last rewarded, the gallant boat bounding off into the tremendous sea, with the crew clinging on to the man-ropes. Eager eyes from the shore watched the boat's progress until ahe was lost to vit'w round Orfordness.

Our Harwich correspondent writes: “At nine o’clock this morning, in the face of a blinding snowstorm, the Aldeburgh lifeboat landed at Harwich three men, the crew the ketch Ludovicus, of West Hartlepool, which they had taken from that vessel at eight o’clock. The men’s names are Captain Bement, Frederick Brown (mate), and Charles Grylls (A.B.).
In interviewing Captain Bement, he stated his vessel was on a voyage from West Hartlepool to Orford with coal, and left Hartlepool on Saturday last. He had a fair passage, until he arrived at Orford Haven at one o’clock on Wednesday afternoon, when he encountered the full force the gale. He put out one anchor, but his vessel was driven by the force of the wind to East Lane, Woodbridge Haven, where he hoisted signals of distress, fearing that his vessel would go to pieces. The signals were promptly answered by the Aldeburgh lifeboat, as before stated. On interviewing Coxswain Cable, he stated that on the way to the ketch he had passed through some very bad weather.
The crew of the ketch received every attention at the hands of Mr. W. B. McLearon, agent for the Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners’ Society.

Hartlepool Northern Dail Mail, Thursday, March 31st, 1898:
THE KETCH LUDOVICUS. The Aldborough lifeboat, which went to the rescue of the crew of the ketch Ludovicus, of Hartlepool, in the storm on the 25th inst., as reported in the Mail, landed the men at Harwich in 3½ hours after a voyage of 25 miles.

The Ipswich Journal, Friday April 1st, 1898:
KETCH ABANDONED OFF BAWDSEY. Soon after eight o'clock a telephonic message announced that the lifeboat had reached the object of her search, which proved to be the ketch above referred to [Ludovicus]. A huge sea was running at the time.
There were many volunteers to accompany the lifeboat on her errand of mercy. A large crowd assembled on the beach, and the boat was launched amid enthusiastic cheering. It was an exciting scene to watch her as she bravely dashed through the surf on the outer shoal, where the seas were raging, and at one time it was thought she had foundered.
ALDEBURGH LIFEBOAT SERVICE. Our Harwich correspondent writes: The crew of the three hands of the ketch Ludovicus, of East Hartlepool, from the north of Orford Haven, with a cargo of coals, were landed at Harwich on Friday by the Aldeburgh lifeboat.

Daily Gazette for Middlesbrough, Thursday, July 13th, 1899:
FOR SALE, 32-64 Management Shares in the ketch Ludovicus ; built at Ostend, of oak, d.w. 80 tons on 9 feet. Both the vessels [also the ketch Contender], are in first-class condition, and will be sold a bargain to ready buyer. For price and particulars apply Dixon T. Sharper, West Hartlepool.

Shields Daily News, Tuesday, November 13th, 1900:
MYSTERY OF THE NORTH SEA. Fears are entertained for the safety the ketch Ludovicus, of West Hartlepool. The last news of her is nearly three weeks old, when she was homeward bound on a coasting voyage. The only boat she carried was picked up in the North Sea fourteen miles east of the Cross Sand on October 24, and was brought into Yarmouth by a Scotch fishing vessel. She carried a crew four, including Capt. Norton.

Evening Star, Tuesday, November 13th, 1900:
The West Hartlepool ketch Ludovicus, of which no news has been received for three weeks, is supposed to have foundered in the North Sea. Her only boat was picked up, with the bottom stove in, 20 miles east of Yarmouth, on October 24th.