Christopher Furness was born at New Stranton, West Hartlepool, in 1852, the youngest of seven children. He became a very astute businessman, and by the age of eighteen was playing a major role in his older brother Thomas’ wholesale grocery business, being made partner in 1872.
In 1882 the two brothers decided to go their separate ways, allowing Thomas to concentrate on the grocery business, while Christopher took over the ownership and management of the four steamships their company was then operating.
This was the beginning of what would eventually become the huge Furness Withy & Co. Ltd. empire. As many books have been written detailing the history of this company, its ships and its many subsidiaries, this section will only feature those ships with direct Hartlepool connections.
Some of the ships that were not built at Hartlepool but owned by Furness are listed below as 'a general history'
Blanche 1863-1901
Built by A. & J. Inglis, Pointhouse, Glasgow: Yard No. 1: launched 8 April 1863 completed May 1863: Official No. 45963: Code Letters VGMD: iron screw steamer; 234g; 174nt; 121.0 x 20.0 x 12.0; 4 cemented bulkheads; engine 50hp C.2Cy 15 & 30 -18 27lb; Wingate & Co, Glasgow; repairs to damage 1865, 1876 & 1882 new deck 1875; lengthened to 146.0 x 20.0 x 12.0.
Owners: 1863 Seligmann, Glagow; 1863 William Gray & Co, West Hartlepool; 1865 Langlands & Son, Glasgow; 1866 Joseph Weatherley (Dunstan’s Buildings) London; 1875 Weatherley, Mead & Hussey, London; 1887 J McDowall, London; 1888 Christopher Furness & Co, West Hartlepool; 1892 Osb. & Wallis, Glasgow: 1893 William A Osb., Bristol.
Masters: 1863 J Moir; 1864 R Mossman (C.N. 11211 Liverpool 1854); 1865-69 J Moir; 1870-74 J Martin; 1880-81 J Bastard; 1882-86 A Cruickshanks; 1887-90 J McDowall; 1891 George Melville Guild (b. 1864 Dundee C.N. 14150 Dundee 1887); 1891-93 RW Fryer; 1893 EL Radford; 1896 RW Fryer.
Blanche left Bristol on 14 July 1901 for Quimper with a crew of ten & a cargo of potatoes. She went ashore at Penmarch on 16 July 1901 & was wrecked. No lives lost. The loss was found to be the fault of a French pilot who did not know the channels. The wreck was advertised for sale ‘lying in 25 feet of water at low tide.’
More detail »A lovely photograph of The Furness, Withy & Co ship repairers. Date unknown.
More detail »Extract from the Northern Daily Mail, April 15th, 1919:
“Local Steamer in Collision. Claim and Counter-claim in the High Court.
In the Admiralty High Court yesterday, Mr. Justice Roche heard a claim and counter-claim arising out of a collision between the steamship Graciana of West Hartlepool [owned by Furness, Withy & Co. Ltd.], and the steamship Tiara of Newcastle [owned by Hall Brothers Steamship Co. Ltd.], in the River Plate, in the early morning of June 3 last.
The plaintiffs – the owners of the West Hartlepool vessel – alleged that the other vessel entered the buoyed channel, wrongly failed to pass port –to-port, and acted contrary to her whistle signal. The Graciana, on the other hand, was said to have been on the wrong side of the channel and to have taken wrong helm action.
His Lordship found the Tiara alone to blame for her adoption of and adherence to starboard helm. He did not think the omission to signal made much difference.”
More detail »Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette, Wednesday, September 28th, 1904:
WEST HARTLEPOOL STEAMER LOST. Lloyd's agent at St. John's, Newfoundland, cables this morning as follows: “The steamer Loyalist is a total loss at Freshwater Cove, Trepassey Bay. The crew were landed." The Loyalist was a steel screw-steamer 2,294 tons gross, built in 1891, and owned by Messrs Furness, Withy, and Co., Ltd., West Hartlepool.
Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail, Wednesday, February 2nd, 1898:
FIRE ON A HARTLEPOOL STEAMER. A TERRIBLE VOYAGE. A most thrilling story of the sea is told by Captain Richardson, of the West Hartlepool steamer Stockholm City, which arrived at Newport News (U.S.A.) on January 21 from Manchester. For three days the ship was a fiery furnace, and the captain and crew, after a fierce fight with the flames, were worn out, hungry, and in rags. The fire was discovered in the coal bunkers two days after sailing.
Officers and men set to work to extinguish the flames, and after five hours of hard fighting it seemed, said the captain, that we had succeeded. Soon after daybreak on Monday morning, December 27, however, the fire broke out afresh, and this time our efforts were utterly futile. The men struggled with desperation until they were completely exhausted. The compass and charts were consumed, and the steam steering gear disabled. All the effects of the crew, with the exception of the clothes they wore, were destroyed, together with most of our provisions. A small supply of potatoes and pork was saved, and we lived on this until we reached port. I lost £40 in money, and the engineer about £340. I knew the latitude we were in, and by the aid of the North Star on Monday night kept the ship on her course. The vessel belongs to the Furness Line.