STORM AND COMPANY
A voyage aboard Rowland & Marwood's SS VECTIS
This is an account taken from the diary of James Sharphouse Moss JP 1837-1904 who was a major shareholder in tha Rowland and Marwood Shipping Company. Incidentaly his wife launched another of Rowland & Marwood's ships, SS Discovery, in 1888.
In 1890 the second son of James Sharphouse Moss, Herbert, and a friend, Jack Bellerby (son of another R & M shareholder) had a three month trip on the SS Vectis. The mate was Richardson Pearson described in the previous story.
"Feb 1890
Left Whitby for Cardiff with Herbert on the 12th February. At
York joined by Jack Bellerby, and at night found ourselves at
Penarth. The next few days spent in procuring their outfits and
providing Wine Beer and other stores
The boys finally sailed from the East of Bute Dock on Tuesday, 18th February at 6.40pm aboard the SS Vectis, Captain Storm. Arrived Malta on Saturday 1st March at 9.30pm. Left again on Thursday 6th March for Carthagena, there to load Iron Ore for Philadelphia, U States. Arrived Carthagena on the evening of Monday 10th March. There detained by reason of the iron mines being on strike.
Easter Tuesday. Left Carthagena on April 8th and arrived Philadelphia (GIB) on 11th. Arrived there April 30th in consequence lost their charter at (X/3 per..). Rates having now fallen to 2/11 it looked as if a heavy loss was inevitable but in the end the ship was chartered for £2,300 to load grain in the lower hold for Newcastle-on-Tyne, and to take live cattle on the main deck to London. The former to be loaded at Newport News and the latter at Norfolk, Virginia, from which port they sailed on May (blank), their first port of call being London where the cattle were wanted at Deptford.
Heard from Herbert under date May 2nd posted at New York on May 3rd, and crossed the Atlantic in the City of Rome, being delivered in Whitby on the morning of May 13th.
Had another letter posted at Cape Charles City, which explained they had been summoned by Captain Storm to Norfolk and travelled there by train and across the Chesapeke River and on arrivel they found they could have another week given them, so this letter reports they were then on the way back to New York. Afterwards they visited Niagara and returned to Roseville where they were excellently treated and finally left New York for Norfolk Virginia whence they sailed on May 18th Sunday and after a slow and uneventful passage they reached Gravesend at 9pm on Friday June 6th having been 20 days in the passage. They quitted the ship that night and next day being unable to clear their luggage came away without it, and returned to Whitby at 10.30pm of Saturday June 7th having been absent 109 days."
This story was kindly provided by Celia Moss, the great granddaughter of James Sharphouse Moss. Celia has identified the Captain as Jacob Storm 1837-1926, the third mate as Jacob's son, Jacob 1870-1947, and the bosun as probably Jacob's nephew John Storm 1869-1960.
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A record provided by Celia showing the crew members
on several voyages of the SS Vectis including Jacob Storm
snr and jnr, John Storm, Richardson Pearson, and the two
youths Jack Bellerby and Herbert Moss. The latter are
listed on the voyage of February 1890 and being paid a
shilling each. The J.W.Storm, carpenter, on the last voyage is John William Storm 1867-1948, also a son of Jacob snr. He was a carpenter, undertaker, organist, choirmaster and a maker of violins. He can be seen holding a prize winning cup for best choir at the foot of a groups page here. |
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Following the above research it
happened that Alan unearthed this document. It is Captain Jacob Storm's own handwritten record of the officers and crew on the voyage of 18th November 1889. |
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............and this is a photograph of Jacob believed taken during a voyage of the SS Vectis! |