Friday 19 August 2022

The Woods, Shipbuilding at Harrington, Cumberland

 


The Woods, and Shipbuilding at the lost town of Harrington, Cumberland.

Formerly Bella Port.

The Lower Town around the Harbour was almost entirely demolished in 1966.

(Post under Construction).

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In 1772 there were 12 ships registered at Harrington, in 1799 there were 26, in 1810 there were 42 and in 1822 there were 38.

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Ship yards and ship builders at Harrington.

with lists of known ships built - this will change as more information (hopefully) appears.


Messrs Piele and Wood. from 1824 as continued as Piele and Co.

Ship yard and Rope works on the North side of the harbour at Harrington.


William Peile, Mariner married Mary Smith at Workington 16 Feb 1797 (is she related to John Smith harbour master at Workington?)

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Whitehaven Archives, Ref. DCU/4/228 Messrs. Peile, Wood, & Co.


11 Sep 1811,  Colliery, Harbour and Industrial leases from 1758.

Counterpart lease for 77 years by John Christian Curwen to Messrs. Peile, Wood, & Co., of additional premises for their shipbuilding yard at Harrington. Plan attached.


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 Jollie's Directory 1811. - Peile, Wood, & Co,  Harrington - shipbuilders, anchor-smiths, and ropers.

Thomas Peile and William Peile, 1820-1834. Harrington, Thomas Peile launched four boats from 1820-1825, and then William Peile launched a number from 1826 to 1835 under the name of Peile and Co. (info from Niel Scarrow).


Thomas Peile and William Peile. South side of the harbour.

1820-1835.Thomas launched four boats from 1820-1825, and then William launched several ships from 1826 to 1835 under the name of Peile and Co.


1823. Nestor, Brig, 206 tons. Thomas Piele.

1838 Registered Liverpool, Lily, Brig 138 tons, William Peile

Wood, Peile and Co. 1811-1825. Launched the first copper-bottomed boat, the Victory, burthen 219 tons in 1811. Presumably connected with Thomas Peile.



Peile, Wood & Co. Refs from the Carlisle Journal.


Harrington - Yesterday week a vessel called Marquis Wellington of 241 tons was launched from the yard Peile, Wood & Co.:  - CJ 724, 5 September 1812.

Harrington - On Saturday se’nnight a vessel called Harmony of 152 tons was launched from the yard of W Peile, Wood, Co  - CJ 756, 17 April 1813.

Harrington - Last week a vessel called Traveller of 330 tons was launched from the yard of Piele, Wood, & Co: CJ 857 (sic), 4 March 1815.

Harrington - On Saturday last a copper bottomed vessel called Martha of 200 tons was launched from the yard of W Peile, Wood, & Co. for Captain John Moordaff in the foreign trade: CJ 993, 1 November, 1817.

Harrington - Last week a vessel called Ann of 130 tons was launched from the yard of Peile, Wood, & Co.: CJ 1022, 30 May 1818

Harrington - On Wednesday week a copper bottomed schooner called Cherub of 133 tons was launched from the yard of W. Peile, Wood, & Co. for Captain Winder in the Mediterranean trade : CJ 1043, 24 October 1818.

Workington? - On Saturday a brig of 150 tons called Sprightly was launched from the yard of Peile, Wood & Co.: CJ 1079, 3 July 1819.

1816. Jun Tuesday last, a beautiful new copper-bottomed vessel was launched from the building yard of Messrs. William PEILE, WOOD, & Co. at Harrington, called the Mary; burthen 237 tons per register.


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Messrs Askew, Ellwood of Harrington.

North side of the Harbour, see plan of 1807 (below)



Askew, Ellwood and Co. 1784 -1810. This company introduced shipbuilding to Harrington, and their first ship, Content, was launched in 1784 (info Niel Scarrow – verify).

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Refs to Askew Ellwood at Whitehaven Archives.

Whitehaven Archives ref. DPW/3/1 - Dates 1668 – 1778. Askew Ellwood.

Deeds relating to properties in Harrington, Workington, Dean, Cockermouth Borough, and Staburn; also to the ship Fearon of Workington, and to Horsegills in Kirklinton; owned by  Askews of Harrington and their predecessors in title, including: 1668/9, 1725 - 1778 -

 Attested copy will of John Lambert of Harrington yeoman, 1773 - Bond re sale of the ship Fearon of Workington for the Tiffins of Workington, 1772 - 

 

Whitehaven Archives   -  DPW/3/3   Vouchers and letters, relating to the Askew family of Harrington, and to the firm Askew Ellwood & Co.

Including: - Captain's letter to Richard Askew forwarding vouchers and bills of lading for homeward voyage of the brig Eliza from Bordeaux: cargo details, 1790 –

 Accounts of the parish of Harrington with the Askew family for rates, paupers (named), and bridge repairs 1800 - 1810 - Builders' vouchers for work at Harrington and Dean 1803 - 1805 - Commission from the King to John Askew of Workington gent., to take affidavits in the Northern Counties of England, 1811 - Papers re the estate of Mary Askew deceased, widow, 1814-1816 - Plan of Stainburn, n.d. [early C19th]

Dates - 1790 - 1848, undated.

For Related material see also DPW 6/1

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Askew Ellwood,  Harrington, launched the Jane 5 November 1788.



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1801, 8 August. Harrington. On 2 August a ship called Atlantic was launched at the yard of Askew & Co for Mr Race: Carlisle Journal. 146, 8 August 1801.


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Daniel Brough and John Brough. 1787-1811.            

Daniel Brough, launched Ulysses (1787) and Albicore (1791). 

1811 John Brough launched the brig Maria 192 tons (Forsyth).


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Tubman Carter. 1809-1818.  

In 1828 - Tubman Carter was the manager of the Colliery Office at Harrington in 1828 (Pigot's Directory).         


1817. Albion Brig 186, tons, Built Henry Millward.

1820. Constitution, Brig, 231 tons (Thomas Peile?), Forsyth.

1809.  Elizabeth, 172 tons Brig, Tubman Carter

1809. Henry Brig, 174 tons, Tubman Carter

1814. St George. Brig,  owner John Inman Father in Law of Kelsick Wood, wrecked 1882.


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Henry Millward between 1811-1817. Launched four vessels including Blucher of 224 tons in 1814 and Albion of 186 tons in 1817. Joseph Scarrow (1st Mate, Master) and William Scarrow (1st Mate) sailed in both these vessels.


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Key, Carr and Co. 1811-1822. Launched the brig Harrington in 1813 and the brig Eleanor in 1814.

James Carr. 1818-1822.  Launched four vessels, including the Quebec Packet, Brig 167 tons. (1820) in which William Scarrow sailed.

1822, Jessey Brig, 185 tons (Forsyth).

1818. Manley Brig, 166 Tons (Forsyth)

1820. Planter, Brig. 232 tons

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Williamson & Co. 1839-1879. Located on the South side of the harbour.


Founded by Richard Williamson, they launched their first vessel from Harrington in 1839, the Union, of 64 tons burthen. 

He was later joined by his younger brother William. Williamsons had two covered sheds, allowing work to continue during poor weather. Williamsons produced 73 vessels until the firm moved to Workington in 1879. The move to Workington was driven by the evolution of ship construction from timber to iron and steel, and Workington had several iron works.

 



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Cumberland Pacquet, 25 Feb. 1783.


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Maps and Plans of the Harbour at Harrington.









Excellent detailed early 19th century Plan of the North Side of Harrington Harbour - 

dated 1810. 

Showing Ellwood and Askew's Ship Yard - with detail crop of heading.

Images provided by Neil Scarrow. Source unknown.


For Neil Scarrow's excellent website see http://www.cumberlandscarrow.com/index.htm

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I have so far been unable to locate any 18th Century maps or plans of Harrington. 

A trawl of the Curwen Papers might produce more.

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The Curwen Papers at Carlisle Archives.

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/22905c20-22e6-4daf-8bac-648239eb758b

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/browse/r/h/22905c20-22e6-4daf-8bac-648239eb758b




Harrington Town - 1842.

Extract from the Tithe Map of 1842, showing the fully developed planned town. 

North is at the top of the image.

 Whitehaven Archives YPR16/135.

Low res image of the tithe map .


https://cumbriapast.com/cgi-bin/cwaas/cp_main.pl?action=cp_transactions#loaded




Harrington Harbour, the South Side

 Ordinance Survey Map - 1861.

Image Courtesy National Library of Scotland.




Harrington Harbour.

Showing the ship yard (timber yard).

1865, Ordinance Survey.

Courtesy National Library of Scotland.

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Harrington Harbour.

Surveyed in 1865.

Image Courtesy National Library of Scotland.

Peiles, Peiles and Wood etc were on the South side of the harbour. 

Askew Ellwood on the North side.




Image Courtesy National Library of Scotland.






Ordinance Survey Map of Harrington Harbour, Surveyed 1864.


Image Courtesy National Library of Scotland.


Harrington Harbour –

The settlement of Harrington grew around a creek where the River Wyre entered the Irish Sea. About two miles south of Workington. 

The private harbour originally called Bella Port after Henry Curwen's wife Isabella, was established in about 1760 by Henry Curwen of Workington Hall, whose lands included the Manor of Harrington.   

Several coal measures underlay this part of the Curwen estate and were already being exported before the harbour was extended.

 Around 1770 the pier and harbour structures were completed and its principal trade was coal from the Curwen pits to Ireland, and agricultural lime brought by the ‘Lime Road’ from Barfs Quarry near Distington.

Shortly after the completion of the improvements to the harbour a wooden wagonway was constructed to convey the coal from the pits on high ground a little over a mile south-east of the village. The wagonway was believed to have been of about 3 ft gauge and coal was carried in horse-drawn chaldron wagons.

The final approach to the harbour involved a 500 yard descent at a gradient of 1 in 17 over what later came to be known as the Rose Hill incline. Four pits were then in production, together raising 30 tons of coal daily. The estimated annual cost of operating the waggonway and hurries is recorded as being £426.


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As early as 1776 a ropery existed on the north side of the harbour where shipwrights Askew, Ellwood & Co. were in business from 1784 to 1810.

(see map above).

South of the harbour the company of Peile operated, the principal yard became Williamson & Son who began ship building in 1838. 


 Williamsons took over the patent slip at the south-west corner of the harbour to enable vessels to be hauled out for repairs. Operations at the shipyard after 1857 came to be impeded by the activities of the Harrington Ironworks which was set up a short distance to the south of the harbour. Finally in 1879 James Bain, owner of the ironworks, bought out the Williamson yard beside the harbour and their shipbuilding operation transferred to Workington.



This entry requires some editing.

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The Principal Inhabitants of Harrington in 1811.

In the original text in Jollie's Cumberland Guide and Directory  of 1881, these entries are contained in two lists, "Persons in Business" and "Butchers Who Attend Harrington Market"; these have been combined into this single list, and sorted by surname, forename and trade.

From the website of Steve Bulman

http://www.stevebulman.f9.co.uk/cumbria/jollie_harrington_f.html


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Harrington Harbour, Cumberland.

1841.


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Harrington Harbour. 

Pub. April 1816.

William Daniell.





Crop from the Daniel engraving above.

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Some old photographs of the harbour and town at Harrington.

All Gone!














































The once open arcading of this building suggests that it might have been some sort of  market building.







Christian Street, Harrington. Pre First World War.

Image courtesy Niel Scarrow at - http://www.cumberlandscarrow.com/harrington.htm


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Harrington in 1948 with the magnesite works dominating the surrounding area. 

Copyright Cumbria County Council.

For Harrington Magnesite Works see;

 http://www.lakestay.co.uk/whitehavenmininghistory.html

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Another interesting early photograph of shipbuilding at Harrington.
c. 1850.
unknown original source.

from Niel Scarrow - http://www.cumberlandscarrow.com/harrington.htm

This shows the covered sheds at the yard of Williamsons who were at Harrington from 1839 to 1879 before moving to Workington Harbour docks.


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 Shipping registered at Harrington 1811 from Jollie’s Cumberland Guide & Directory, 1811.


This list to be adjusted with builders and dates of construction as time permits.

Vessel                   Rig.           Tonnage           Master           Owners

 

 

Albicore               brig           114                          J. Glaister               Captain and Co

Active                  br            154                            H. Piper                 W. Fisher and Co

Acorn                  br              82                             H. Pearce             Captain and Co

Askew                 snow      157                              M. Moore           Askew, Ellwood & Co

Belfast                 br            107                           J. Mitchinson          W. Jefferson and Co

Broughton Tower    br            62                          W. Campbell      J. Wilson and Co

Content               br            110                            W. Wildridge      H. Temple and others

Countryman       br            172         T. Irving J. Hodgson and Co.

Castle                 br            78           W. Wilson            Captain and Co.

Dido                  br            80           T. Elliot  W. Fisher and Co.

Diligent            br            72           J. Gibson              Captain and Co.

Eagle               br            112         J. Kay     T. Charters and Co.

Elizabeth         sn           172         J. Winder             Captain and Co.

Fisher              bk           170         J. Ditchburn        J. Fisher and Co.

Grace               br            112         J. Douglas            Captain and Co.

Harmony         sn           170         W. Curwen         W. Piele and Co.

Henricus          br            141         R. Piper Captain and Co.

Hebe               sn           115         E. Irvine                Captain and Co

Henry             br            175         B. Crosthwaite  Captain and Co

Jane                br            81           P. Donahoe        Captain and Co

Jackson          br            66           J. Huddart           J. Huddart and Co

Liberty          br            122         T. Littledale         Captain and Co

Lord Kilwarlin     br            85           G. Gibson            Captain and Co

Lark               br            71           A? Raney             Captain and Co

Mary-Ann      br            98           W. Nicholson     Captain and Co

Mary & Betty     sn           156         J. Taggart             Captain and Co

New Industry     g              64           W. Smith              W. Smith

Nile                   br            138         J. Ray     J. Ray and Co

Nancy               br            158         W. Douglas         Captain and Co...................

Nelson             br            137         J. Donahoe         Captain and Co.

Nancy               br            91           J. Ellbeck              Captain and Co.

Oeconomist       br            95           J. Alexander       M. Alexander and Co.

Roberts             br            152         R. Craig              Captain and Co.

Saltom             sh           196         W. Blake              W. and J. Kay and Co.

St. Peter           br            94           J. Hodgson          Captain and Co.

Sally                br            183         A. Grayson          Captain and Co.

Success           sn           145         I. Kay                    Captain and Co.

Sally               sl             27           C. Graham           J. Grave and Co.

Three Brothers  sn           73           J. Jameson          Captain and Co.

Union              br            169         W. Craig               Captain and Co.

Vine                 br            102                                      J. Irwin  Captain and Co.



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Documents relating to Askews and Ellwoods at Whitehaven Archives.

Askews - at Harrington.

Whitehaven Archives DPW/3/1  - Deeds relating to properties in Harrington, Workington, Dean, Cockermouth borough, and Stainburn; also to the ship Fearon of Workington, and to Horsegills in Kirklinton; owned by the Askews of Harrington and their predecessors in title, including: 1668/9, 1725 - 1778 - Attested copy will of John Lambert of Harrington yeoman, 1773 - Bond re sale of the ship Fearon of Workington for the Tiffins of Workington, 1772  Dates  1668 – 1778.

 

Whitehaven Archives    -  DPW/3/3   Vouchers and letters, relating to the Askew family of Harrington, and to the firm Askew Ellwood & Co

Including: - Captain's letter to Richard Askew forwarding vouchers and bills of lading for homeward voyage of the brig Eliza from Bordeaux: cargo details, 1790 –

Accounts of the parish of Harrington with the Askew family for rates, paupers (named), and bridge repairs 1800 - 1810 - Builders' vouchers for work at Harrington and Dean 1803 - 1805 - Commission from the King to John Askew of Workington gent., to take affidavits in the Northern Counties of England, 1811 - Papers re the estate of Mary Askew deceased, widow, 1814-1816 - Plan of Stainburn, n.d. [early C19th],

Dates - 1790 - 1848, undated.

For Related material       see also DPW 6/1

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The Kelsick Wood Journals.

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