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T.H. Ismay’s father, Joseph started business on his
own account, as a shipbuilder and timber merchant. He was also
Maryport’s first shipbroker, and had a share in four ships that traded
with the port. At that time he traded with the firm Imrie,
Tomlinson
which his son Thomas would eventually be apprenticed. This is a letter
from them to Joseph.
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LIVERPOOL.
To Jos. Ismay Esq.
MARYPORT.
Sir,
We were favoured with yours of the 21st
June, The Middleton ought to be in, but we suppose she has met
with northerly gales, the Chaico that sailed after her is up some
time since. But another vessel that sailed with the Middleton
also keeps out, which is well – we are sorry that the vessel is ordered
to London.
What has Captain White done with his new ship? We
should recommend him to take over a River Plate voyage, it would season
his vessel well and surely, and we could fix him out and home, if he
wished. We also want a vessel to load a cargo of coals at a Cumberland
port to proceed to Barbary and there load a cargo of sugar for Liverpool
freights for his run. The coals £3 10s odd per ton and 5/- extra for
sent to London 60 days abroad. How would this suit her? We could do
better for her here, but then it may prevent her changing ports. We are,
Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
IMRIE, TOMLINSON.
P.S. We could take the vessel as a packet to Rio to sail in August
for about £525. Will you or Capt. White write us.
When T. H. Ismay was twelve, his father was very ill and went to the
fashionable spa of Malvern for treatment, leaving the boy to look after
his mother, younger brother and sisters. During this time he received
this letter from his father.
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Malvern, June 30th 1849
My dear son,
I have received your and was glad to receive it, and
hope you will improve in writing. This letter is very well wrote and
spelled. I am very glad there is going to be plenty of fresh herrings,
as they will assist the working people, work being so slack. I notice
Jos. Middleton sale day and should like to be home that day, but they
say I am to stay eight weeks. The illness being so long on me it will
require time to remove it. But it is so expensive; eight weeks will cost
£40. Rather over much but my health is above all consideration else. I
shall try to make a shorter time serve here, and try to carry it out at
home. I have been a fortnight here and am sometimes like to lose heart.
I hope you are assisting Mr. Fearon to take and calculate stock up, so
as all will be ready on my return. Hope you have a good crop of potatoes
and that you are using them. Also you water the flowers and plants every
night Francis can help you in keeping the garden in good order. Remember
me to all my friends, your mother Sarah and John and you can say if you
have had any letters from C. Jackson. Hoping you are all enjoying
yourselves at home, I remain, my dear son,
Your affectionate father,
Jos. Ismay.
Sadly, Joseph died suddenly at the age of only forty-six.
Thomas was aged thirteen.
In 1856, Thomas set about putting his fathers affairs
in order. When Joseph died his mother’s brother, John Sealby was made
trustee of Joseph’s estate.
It appears that John Sealby had delegated some of his
business to his son John, and one of the things he had taken over was
the management of two of the ships part owned by Thomas Ismay; Mary
Ismay and Charles Bronwell. Thomas visited the latter in
Liverpool; he was very shrewd even at nineteen and a half years of age
and he did not consider his cousin a suitable person to manage the ship,
and said so in no uncertain terms to the Captain of the vessel. This
brought an angry letter from John Sealby, which is reproduced here.
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Saddle Hotel,
Dale Street,
Liverpool
Thomas H. Ismay Esq. October 30th 1856.
Sir,
On my arrival in Liverpool I find that you were aboard of the
Charles Bronwell, in the presence of Mr. Jackson and Captain
Metcalf, a party in no way interested in the vessel.
You put what I consider a very impertinent and improper question to
Captain Bexfield, viz.: -- did he consider me a fit person to have the
management of the vessel? Until I have your reply, refrain from making
any comments upon.
Hoping to hear from you immediately, an explanation of what you
meant.
Yours, etc.,
John Sealby.
On getting no reply he sent off another letter, even
more indignant.
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Liverpool.
November 1st 1856.
Mr. Thomas H. Ismay.
Sir,
I wrote to you on Thursday last to which you have not
replied, as a man of business leaving common courtesy aside I consider
you ought to have answered it.
I now beg to inform you that unless I have what I
consider a sufficient explanation I decline holding any further
communication with you either personally or by letter, as the manner you
have conducted yourself in ever since I have had anything to do with the
Charles Bronwell has been in plain terms sneaking and
underhanded.
I did intend when I last had an interview with you in
our office that on my return from Liverpool to have so arranged matters
that we would in future have worked together in the matter of the
Charles Bronwell, but now I am sorry to say that from what has
transpired I never can work with you as from what I have seen and heard
my confidence in you is so shaken that I would never know how to believe
you.
You may and most likely will consider the tenor of my
letter too strong, but in my opinion I have not said one word too much,
in fact, scarcely sufficient for the manner in which I have been
treated. But allow me now to tell you so that in my cause any further
annoyance on your part to cease, that so long as the vessel is in the
position that she now is, that I cannot on any consideration (so long as
I am interested in her myself and on behalf of my father Joseph) give
you into her hands, as I know perfectly well that is what you are
fighting for.
A copy of this letter I have sent to my father not
wishing to keep anything I have said from him.
I remain,
Yours obediently,
John Sealby.
Thomas’s reply was brief and to the point: --
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Maryport.
November 5th 1856.
John Sealby,
Saddle Hotel,
Dale Street,
LIVERPOOL.
Sir,
Your letter bearing the date 30th October
was duly received by me. I put the question to Captain Bexfield as to
whether he considered you fit to manage the vessel.
You ask an explanation of what I meant by what you
consider a very impertinent and improper question. By a fit person I
mean one, who if the captain requests to have the vessel supplied with
sails, ropes, etc., can judge they are actually wanted or not.
In my opinion you are not capable of judging. Your
letter of November 1st came duly to hand with contents duly
noted.
I remain,
Yours, etc.,
Thomas H. Ismay
This was acknowledged by John Sealby as follows: -
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Liverpool.
November 7th 1856.
Mr. Thomas H. Ismay.
Sir,
I am in receipt of your letter Of the 5th, and I am
obliged to you for your opinion, at the same time I will thank you if
you have any charges to lay against me as to my unfitness to manage the
vessels to favour me with them, so as I may lay before the owners at the
next meeting along with the letter I have just received, as I cannot
succumb to your individual opinion.
The said charges I will therefore thank you to favour me with in
writing against my return home.
I remain,
Yours etc.,
John Sealby.
Followed up by another letter from John Sealby on 25th
November, enclosing a copy of the letter his father had sent to the
owners of the Charles Brownell:
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Maryport,
November 25th, 1856.
Mr. Thomas H. Ismay,
Messrs. Imrie, Tomlinson,
LIVERPOOL
Sir,
Your letter of yesterdays is to hand enclosing bond in favour of the
Cumberland Union Banking Company, for your attention I am much obliged.
The owners could not be liable solely for their own individual share,
I certainly thought that you would have known that each and every owner
is liable so long as he is worth anything whether he signs or not. By
placing a mortgage on the ship it would improve our position as our
liability would be the same. With respect to an advance by the owners
the means adopted was deemed the best.
The sum you offered was too little, therefore I cannot entertain it
at that money, as soon as we have our account from Imrie, Tomlinson, a
statement showing the position of the ships will be forwarded to each of
the owners of the Barque Charles Brownell.
I am requested by my father to inform you, that it is his intention
to sell the Brig Mary Ismay on her arrival in Liverpool, and from
the tenor of the letter sent to the owners of the Charles Brownell
you will see that his intention is the same in respect of her.
On accomplishing the sale of the two vessels to withdraw from the
trusteeship, it is needless to make any comment as to his reasons to so
doing, as you well know the cause.
I remain,
Yours obediently,
John Sealby.
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Maryport.
November 25th 1856.
Dear sir,
On the other side I hand you a copy of a letter received by my son
from Mr. T. H. Ismay (one of the owners of the Braque Charles
Brownell).
I must explain that although the management of the Charles
Brownell is still and long has been in the hands of myself as acting
trustee for the Estate of the late Mr. Ismay, for some time my son has
taken an active part in looking after her, I finding myself unable to
look after her as I like.
I think it quite unnecessary to offer any remarks upon the letter as
it speaks for itself, but I have to inform you that on account of the
annoyance I have had from Mr. Ismay for some time back, (he having tried
all in his power to get the vessel into his own hands, which of course,
I could not allow particularly taking into account the position the
vessel is in), and as I find that there is going to be nothing but
unpleasantness with him.
I have after mature deliberation decided with the sanction of the
owners representing the majority of shares to sell on her arrival in
Liverpool.
In conclusion I beg to state that I have offered my shares to Mr.
Ismay for the purpose of his buying me out, but his offer being
inadequate, I have now determined upon adopting the before mentioned
steps.
In justice to myself I must state that at the time I offered him my
share, it was with the distinct understanding that I had the sanction of
all the owners before I could sell, as I deemed it wrong to sell out
myself without the sanction of all concerned.
Hoping the steps decided upon may meet with your approval.
I remain,
Yours obediently,
John Sealby.
It can be seen from these letters Thomas successfully
rid himself of his trustees
© Clifford Ismay 2003
