Hartlepool History Then & Now

John Mowlem - a general history

Official No. 21511; Code Letters NGQ.

Owners: HB Fowler & Co (Poole) Weymouth; 1857 SJ Fowler (Poole) Weymouth.

Masters: 1846-48 S Fowler; 1849-57 Robert Fowler (C.N. 39230); 1864-74 Harris Besant Fowler (C.N. 76139).

Voyages: 1846 Hartlepool for Weymouth; 26 January 1847 arrived Gravesend from Guernsey; 17 June 1847 arrived Gravesend from Guernsey; 16 July 1860 reported from Gravesend as bound from Guernsey; 29 April 1868 from Shields for Poole; 1874 Weymouth for Poole.

On 21 October 1874 when bound from Shields for Poole with 240 tons of coal & a crew of seven, during high winds, John Mowlem was struck by a heavy sea which carried away her bulwarks. She began to make water & although the pumps were used the water gained rapidly & she was abandoned 20 miles east of Whitby where she was seen to founder a short while later. The crew were rescued by the Solferino of Blyth.

Crew October 1874:

Bartlett, Edward, mate

Bartlett, William, boy

Fowler, Harris, master

King, Robert, seaman

Olliver, Isaac, seaman

Sticklen, John, seaman

Tripping, George, seaman