The Westrays at Sea

Coming from the area around Whitehaven, as we think we do, it is little surprise that there are links between the Westrays and the Sea. Researching this is currently being undertaken. Here is the information I have to date:

Whitehaven as a shipping center and slave port: (see www.lakestay.co.uk/slave.htm )

Seafaring Westrays that I have traced: This line of enquiry started because of a Westray line in London that I have partially traced but I cannot tie into my direct line as yet.

John Westray (died 1854) was listed as a mariner and a captain. He married Sarah Ladd in 1840, in Saint Dunstain, Stepney, London. Their Children were John (1842-1847), Sarah Ann (1846), Charles Philip Valentine (1848), Martha (1850), John (1854), (another?) Sarah Ann (1854), Thomas James (1854).

Thomas James Westray married Ann Victoria Beechey and had six children. He was listed as a shipowner on their birth certificates.

Charles Philip Valentine Westray married Kate Moss Beck and had three children. He was listed as a seaman and then a painter and laborer.

Martha married Thomas Pope in 1870, he gave his occupation as a gentleman (as did his father).

See Other Westray families 2

John Westray: In 1872 John Westray from England was listed as an Able Bodied Seaman, 31 years old on Native Lass in Sydney. (This the John Westray 1839-1893 who is part of the shipowning Westrays that I have traced)

Benjamin Westray: The 1881 Census lists a Benjamin Westray on the ship Antagonist in port at Plymouth St Andrew. He was listed as unmarried, 39 years old; the Ships Master from Harrington Cumberland. In the same year he was recorded on Annie Story in Ilfracombe in Devon. Here he was listed as a Master Mariner.

Benjamin Westray was Master of a brigg built in New Brunswick called "Alert" registered at Harrington 1840 or earlier (1829)

J. B. WESTRAY

James Brown Westray was christened in St John's Church, Workington in December 1837. He went to Rossall School in Fleetwood, Lancashire 75 miles from his home, one of the new public schools recently established, and completed his education in 1855. Three of James' brothers, John, Robinson and George also attended Rossall.

James had no family connection with shipping, but started his career as a junior of McDiarmid, Greenshields & Company, shipbrokers in Liverpool.

James Brown Westray

James was the second son of Thomas Westray and Isabella Brown, who had a total of eight children. Isabella had a brother James brown who was a wealthy man and when he died in 1851 he left an estate of £90,000 in trust to his wife, who was only 30, with entail largely to the Westray family. The wife married again and lived to the age of 93, so the estate was not settled for many years, but became the basis of many loans.

James' father Thomas was born in Whitehaven, but moved to Workington. He had no profession, but had interests in a coalmine in which he was director and partner of Lord Longsdale. Four maiden sisters, who paid another man to take his place in the Crimean War, brought him up. Thomas has six boys and two girls. Margaret, the eldest, married the rector of Workington, Reverend John Thornley. Robinson and John became engineers and Robinson went on to be part of his brother's company, and eventually become its managing partner. Thomas was a farmer, who had four daughters. George, after a chequered career was sent to Natal to become a farmer. Joseph died suddenly soon after leaving school.

Twin brothers Robinson and John entered partnership as engineers and established the firm of Westray & Forster in Barrow-in Furness in 1866. It changed its name to Westray and Copeland in 1876 and became one of the largest private engineering firms in North Lancashire, employing 400-500 people. The firm failed in the 1890s owing nearly £40,000, which was paid off, over many years, by James Brown Westray. He took Robinson into his London firm and found James a job in the London Docks, but he died soon afterwards of sclerosis of the liver.

The Shipbroker (1)

James Brown Westray had been sent to London to open a new office for McDiarmid, Greenshields & Company. Westray set himself up as a ship and insurance broker and in 1868 formed J.B.Westray & Company, which was to remain for fifty-three years until it became a limited liability company. At this time to role of shipbroker was a comparatively new one. The broker is a middleman providing the owner with cargo and passengers.

Before he reached the age of forty, Westray, who had for some years taken a leading part in the affairs of the Eastern Steamship Co., Ltd, began to enjoy an interest in other related companies. Westray became a director or managing principal in five shipping companies, a dock company, Two lighterage companies, two insurance companies, a canal company and a coal association. He was also official secretary to a marine engineering works and to two other shipping conferences, a trustee of another Steamship Company and had a capital interest in two overseas companies. J.B.Westray & Company also became shipowners.

J.B.Westray opened McDiarmid, Greenshields & Company's at 1 East India Avenue in the City of London, and he later used this office for his own company. The businesses moved to 112 Fenchurch Street and afterwards to 138 Leadenhall Street.

Westray became involved with the new overseas service provided by the Ducal Line, The Colonial Line and The International Line. Some twenty years later he was involved with the New Zealand Shipping Company and the General Steam Navigation Company.

In November 1903, a partnership which had existed for many years between James brown Westray, Sir Edwyn Sandys Dawes K.C.M.G, William Charles Dawes and Robertson Westray was dissolved. A new business co-partnership was made and gave the privilege to each partner of introducing his son(s) to take a share of the partnership. Sir Edwyn assigned the whole of his interest to his son, William, and when Sir Edwyn died a month later William Charles Dawes had the controlling interest. The other partners were Thomas Renshaw Westray and Robinson Westray (son and brother oft the founder). Mr Haycroft became a partner in 1904 and became the driving force of the company. He had been part of the New Zealand Shipping Company and transferred when Westray became their brokers in 1892. He became a director when the partnership was dissolved to form a company in 1906. He partially retired in 1919, and the active management of affairs passed to Thomas Renshaw Westray.

In 1920 the formal brokerage agreement between J.B.Westray & Company and The New Zealand Shipping Company Expired. In 1916 the shares of The New Zealand Shipping Company had been acquired by P&O Company. In 1921 negotiations to were opened with P&O and continued favourably until the death of Tom Westray in January 1922. The old partnership deed protecting the rights of partner's sons became an obstacle. This led to the formation of a private limited liability Company to take over the partnership of J.B.Westray & Company and to the closing of the Westray interest and the continuation in the control of the Dawes family.

The Shipbroker (2)

In the year that Mr Westray founded his own company, the Suez Canal was finished. In 1901 Mr Westray took his seat on the board of the Suez Canal Company. He became a shareholder in the company and attended the monthly meetings held in Paris. He was only one of six British representatives of the thirty-two board members. He also served on the London Board until he was obliged to retire through ill heath four years later.

J.B. Westray was also a member of the London Shipping Exchange. His business developed until he was chartering over one hundred ships a year, and he was also involved in the occasional sale of a ship. These charters were for South American trading.

Mr Westray's experience and reputation brought him the honour of being chosen as an arbiter in many disputes.

In 1887, a new business was started under the patronage of the British India Steam Navigation Company and the New Zealand shipping company. This was the Albert Dock Engineering Works who pursued the business of shipbuilding repair and engineering. J.B. Westray & Co were appointed the first secretaries, holding this position until 1906 when the company was limited and sold.

The Westrays held the agency of the Harrison line for ten years. This was concerned with trade to India. Until the First World War, the Westrays were also involved in the trading route to Fiji. This was discontinued, but started again in 1924.

J.B. Westray had been in business on his own account for three years when at the age of 34 he was named as a principal in the firm of McDiarmid, Greenshields and Company, who were appointed brokers to the Eastern Steamship Company, Ltd. Which was form to trade with Calcutta. Mr Westray held five of the 500 shares worth £1,000 each. Orders were placed for the building of five new ships, including The Duke of Devonshire (launched in 1873), Duke of Buccleau (1873), Duke of Lancaster (1874), Duke of Argyll (1873) and the Duke of Sutherland (1873). Some years later the Duke of Westminster, the Duke of Buckingham and the Duke of Atholl were added to the Ducal Line.

The London to Calcutta route was extremely prosperous in the early years. The Dual Line was only one of nine companies subscribing to the Calcutta conference, who appointed Mr J.B. Westray as secretary.

Towards the end of the century as trade become more difficult the Duke of Sutherland the Duke of Devonshire and The Duke of Portland were on permanent charter to the New Zealand Shipping Company who installed refrigeration and used them for the homeward traffic of meat.

In 1880 Mr J .B. Westray was appointed manager and broker of The EASTERN Steamship Company and McDiarmid, Greenshields and Company withdrew from London. Robinson Westray was introduced into the Company. By the 1990s there were economic difficulties and the trading route of the Ducal Line was transferred from India to Australia. The Queensland trade was never as profitable as the original Calcutta business and the company struggled for ten years. In 1898 the line bought two second-hand ships, the Fifeshire, to become the Duke of Fife and the Nainshire to become the Duke of Norfolk. Trade still deteriorated, not helped by the need to transfer ships from sail to steam. The purchase of two further ships was to be the deathblow of the Eastern Ship Company. These were fifteen years old, but in decrepit condition. Whilst negotiation were carried out for the purchase inspection was not permitted, but the owner gave his word that they were in sound condition. After the purchase they were found to be in a poor condition. The braking of a word was something that Mr Westray had ever encountered before. In 1902 the business with Queensland was still very poor and the business was wound up.

The Shipowner

J. B. Westray & Company had been active for at least four years before the founding of the New Zealand Shipping Company at the end of 1872, but twenty years were to elapse before an association between the two, when Westray became freight and passenger brokers to the company. The opening of the Suez Canal had shortened the voyage time and steamers gradually took over from sail.

In 1886 Mr Westray was invited on the London board of the New Zealand Shipping Company, and soon he acted as deputy chairman. There were boardroom troubles, but the company bought new ships and things got better, the company being the foremost position in the New Zealand trade.

J. B. Westray joined with four other companies to form the Australian Meat Co. Ltd, to acquire frozen meat works in Victoria and New South Wales to provide a cargo for the return trip. Westray was concerned in the Black Coal Mining Company in New Zealand formed in 1892 to provide coal for the ships. Westray also took a share in the African Shipping Agency when it amalgamated with the South African Office of the New Zealand Shipping Company.

New Zealand

In the 1850s gold had been discovered in Australia leading to mass emigration. J.B. Westray acing for McDiarmid's took a leading part in this new service. They also became involved in the new trade to South Africa through the New Zealand Shipping Company.

In 1897 Mr Westray became chairman of the General Steam Navigation Company Ltd, founded in 1820. This company confided its activities to the domestic and continental market.

In August 1889 there was a dock strike that lasted for a month. One result of this was the formation of the London Association of Shipowners and Brokers. Here he came into contact with several prominent people, and in 1911 when one bought the Albert Dock Engine works Westrays were the secretaries. This company acquired or built forty ships, fourteen of which were to be lost during the Great War. In 1902 Westray had to give up the chairmanship due to ill heath.

Busy Business

Mr J. B. Westray was a founder-director of the Union Lighterage Co., Ltd, which was incorporated on the 5^th January 1876 to acquire and use barges and lighters to carry goods on the River Thames. The company grew to become the largest Lighterage Company. The enterprise started with the purchase of 25 craft and by the end of the year it owned 40. In 1877 it stared building its own barges at Blackwall. In the early years of the 1900s the company had 370 craft and 5 tugs. When J. B. Westray retired from the company in 1907, his place was taken by his son, Thomas, who was appointed chairman in 1920 and served until his death in 1921.

Another lighterage company in which Mr Westray was the Irongate Lighterage Company, which was controlled by the General Steam Navigation Company. Mr Westray eventually joined the board of General Steam.

J. B. Westray was invited to join the board of directors of the Marine and General Mutual Life Assurance Company in 1885 and he served until 1905 when he retired. This company offered life assurance to mariners and passengers, a new development for the assurance business. Which up to then had regarded the sea as too dangerous too insure. Thomas Renshaw Westray followed his father until his death in 1921. Mr J. B. Westray was also a director of the Merchants Marine Insurance Co. Ltd., founded in 1871.

Jim Westray

Born in 1911, James Guthrie Westray was only ten years old when his father, Thomas Renshaw died. As the company had been reorganised there was no route for automatic holding in the company, and the family had no further financial interest in it. However he was accepted into the company as a junior member of the insurance department. He worked his way up and became a member of Lloyds of London. He was sent to Australia and New Zealand in 1937 to start a new business. Whilst he was there he was involved in an aeroplane crash, and was one of only three survivors in dense bush. Although badly burnt he went for help and died in the bush, but his colleagues were saved. He became regarded as a hero. A full description of this incident can be found at James Guthrie Westray

Conclusion

Mr J.B. Westray, known as 'Wessie' accepted many small official positions, for example as a trustee to the debenture stockholders of the Australian United Steam Navigation Co. Ltd, and the governor of the village school at Lorton. He was kind and people sometimes took advantage of him.

His brother, Robinson, was introduced into the firm late in life. He was a ken cricketer, being a member of the Workington Cricket Club and boasting that he knew or played with W G Grace. He became treasurer of the Middlesex Cricket Club, and lived in a house overlooking Lords.

Thomas Renshaw Westray, the founders son, was introduced to the company any started in the cash and accounts department. At this stage his father's memory was fading. Thomas took over the company's management in 1919 and became senior partner in 1920. He married his cousin, Miss Guthrie, whose father was the principal of a firm of merchant bankers.

In 1914 T. R. Westray entered the R.N.V.R and was on active service during the Great War, particularly in minesweeping. During his service he received an accidental blow to the head which later set up a brain tumour, from which he died in 1921 at the age of 38.

Thomas Renshaw Westray

During the War the interest insurance developed and T. R. Westray became a subscriber to Lloyds in 1913 and in 1918 a member. In 1920 Westrays were accepted as Lloyds brokers, and a separate section of re-insurance was developed.

The conference department at Westrays is another with roots to J.B. Westray's early involvement with the Calcutta conference.

J.B. Westray had his own sailing barge built that he used to commute between his houses in Chelsea and the Isle of Wight. He became ill soon after the turn of the new century Westray had frequent absences in the Isle of Wight. Gradually he retired from business, and released many positions. During this time he was inclined to lose his memory and could not find his way back to the office. Policemen of each street corner used to automatically direct him.

There is no male line of Westray to carry on, but the company still known as 'Westrays' and was still trading as such in 1956.

Taken from WESTRAYS - A Record of J.B. Westray & Co Ltd. By Alan Fagg Published by J.B. Westray & Co Ltd. 1957

Other Westrays

Westray Owned Ships: These are details of some of the ships that they owned:

DUKE OF PORTLAND - 1898, ex. MORAYSHIRE
Code letters: LPGJ Official Number: 97607
Master: Captain D.C. Duncan, appointed to the Shipping Line in 1894 and to the vessel in 1898
Rigging: steel single screw Brig; 2 decks, steel Upper Deck sheathed in wood; 6 cemented bulkheads; web frames; well deck; fitted with electric light & refrigerating machinery; cellular double bottom 278 feet, 545 tons
Tonnage: 3,822 tons gross, 3,071 under deck and 2,481 net
Dimensions: 350.5 feet long, 47.7 foot beam and holds 24.1 feet deep
Poop 208 feet long; Forecastle 98 feet
Construction: 1890, R. & W. Hawthorn Leslie & Co. Ltd. in Newcastle
Propulsion: triple expansion engine with 3 cylinders of 27, 44 & 71 inches diameter respectively;
stroke 48 inches; operating at 160 p.s.i.; 407 nominal horsepower; 3 double ended boilers;
12 ribbed furnaces; grate surface 210 sq. ft.; heating surface 6,963 sq. ft.;
engine built by the builders
Owners: Duke of Portland Steam Ship Co. Ltd. (J.B. Westray & Co., managers)
Port of registry: Glasgow

Built by Hawthorn, Leslie & Co, Newcastle, she was launched in Feb.1890 as the MORAYSHIRE for Turnbull Martin's Scottish Shire Line and sailed to New Zealand via the Queensland ports. She carried saloon as well as emigrant passengers. Purchased by J.B.Westray & Co (Ducal Line) in 1898, she was renamed DUKE OF PORTLAND and on 28th Apr.1898 started sailings between London and New Zealand via the Cape. On 28th Sep.1898 she commenced London, Suez, Brisbane voyages and started her last voyage on this service on 25th Oct.1904. Sold to the Nelson Line in 1905, she was renamed HIGHLAND FLING and operated on the River Plate frozen meat trade. On 7th Jan.1907 she was wrecked at Kennoch Bay, near Lizard Point, Cornwall.
[North Star to Southern Cross by John M.Maber]
[Merchant Fleets by Duncan Haws, vol.5, Royal Mail Line and Nelson Line.]

MARCASITE - 1875-1882
Code letters: LFWP Official Number: 62655
Master: Captain J. Roberts
Rigging: iron single screw Schooner; 2 decks; 4 cemented bulkheads
Tonnage: 894 tons gross, 777 under deck and 565 net
Dimensions: 215.7 feet long, 30.1 foot beam and holds 15.4 feet deep;
Raised Quarter Deck 20 feet long; Forecastle 23 feet
Construction: 1872, J. Blumer & Co. in Sunderland
Propulsion: compound engine with 4 inverted cylinders of 18 & 37 inches diameter each pair;
stroke 30 inches; operating at 74 p.s.i.; 90 horsepower; engine built by
T. Bates & Co. in Sowrby Bridge
Owners: Coverlay & Westray
Port of registry: Sunderland

OPORTO - 1888
Code letters: JMPG Official Number: 63252
Rigging: iron single screw Schooner; 2 decks; 5 cemented bulkheads
Tonnage: 570 tons gross, 506 under deck and 319 net
Dimensions: 201 feet long, 26.2 foot beam and holds 15.6 feet deep; Forecastle 25 tons
Construction: 1870, J. Reid & Co. in Port Glasgow
Propulsion: compound engine with 2 inverted cylinders of 26 1/2 & 51 inches diameter;
stroke 30 inches; 99 horsepower; new boilers in 1882; engine by J. Jack, Rollo & Co.
in Liverpool
Owners: Coverley & Westray
Port of registry: London

SEA KING / OTARAMA / HIGHLAND GHILLIE / CONSTANTIN / RIVER TYNE / SPA 1890.

Built by Wm Doxford & Sons, Sunderland in 1890. 3,935 gross tons, length365.1ft x beam 47.1ft (111.28m x 14.35m), one funnel, two masts, single screw, 10 knots. Built as the SEA KING for Wm Ross & Co, she was acquired by J.B. Westray who installed refrigerating machinery and insulated cargo space. Later the same year she was purchased by the New Zealand Shipping Co and renamed OTARAMA. In 1902she was bought by Nelson Line and renamed OCEAN GHILLIE and employed on the River Plate Service. Sold to Michael Jebson of Hamberg in 1912, renamed CONSTANTIN, the outbreak of the Great War found her in Varna and she was sold to M Gumuchdjian of Varna, Bulgaria. Renamed RIVER TYNE in 1924 and transferred to British Registration again renamed SPA in 1925and transferred to the Belgium flag and registered in Antwerp. Scrapped at Rotterdam in 1933.

G. D. Tyser & Co

In 1887 J. H. Flint, a quarter owner and manager of the Colonial Line of Australian Packets, died and Tyser's took over the management of that company, acquiring at the same time Flint's shares in the Australian Conference berthings. The other three partners were Gellately, Hankey Sewell & Co., Alexander Howden & Co. and J. B. Westray & Co. Tyser's relationship with John Flint started in the days when G. D. Tyser & Co. acted as agent for Watts, Milburn steamships who loaded cargoes for Flint to Australia via the Cape. This relationship also led to a friendship developing with William Milburn. To overcome his non-membership of the Conference George Tyser chartered his ships to the Colonial Line of Australian Packets who was a member but who was also managed by G. D. Tyser & Co.

G. D. Tyser & Co. were eventually allowed to join the Australian Conference in 1889 but when Tyser refused to increase his rates in line with other members, because he had contracts with his charterers, he left in the following year but still retained a link through his Flint connection.

Tyser's experienced further business traumas in 1890 when Edwin Sandys Dawes of Dawes & Co. became the chairman of the New Zealand Shipping Co. His son was a partner in J. B. Westray & Co. and as a result the London broking services were transferred from Tyser's to Westray's. This in effect cut Tysers off from the Australian market, which amounted to five voyages a year, and the outward bound voyages for the New Zealand Shipping Co. To enable continuance of the Nelson Bros. meat contract the ships of J. P. Corry and Wm. Ross were chartered for the homeward leg only which solved a problem for the shipowner. At that time New Zealand had a far greater demand for goods produced in the United Kingdom so with a considerably lesser volume of exports ships could find themselves without cargoes for the homeward voyage. This problem had been solved in the past by undertaking triangular voyages; goods from England to New Zealand followed by a voyage in ballast to China or India and Ceylon where a cargo of tea would be loaded for the homeward voyage.

The history of G. D. Tyser & Co. and its' ships has been extracted from
Merchant Fleets 21: Port Line by Duncan Haws

Autobiography of Sir John Stokes K.C.B. R.E. deceased 17/11/1902 on the Suez Canal

M. Charles de Lesseps was staying in my house and therefore I knew, day by day, everything that was passing. The upshot of his discussions with the shipowners, which one might almost say were carried on day and night, (on one occasion he only came in at three o'clock in the morning) ended on the 30th of November in a complete understanding being arrived at. It was agreed that the Company should either enlarge the present Canal or construct a second channel as might be hereafter determined. In order to arrive at a proper decision in this matter a Commission of Engineers and Shipowners was to be appointed to go into the question, and not less than half of the members were to be English. In addition to three Directors nominated by H.M. Government, seven new Directors, chosen from among British Shipowners and Merchants were to be admitted as members of the Board. These English Directors were to form a Consultative Committee to meet in London. The last surtax of 50 centimes was definitely to disappear on the 1st. January 1884. from which date also the Company was to abolish all pilotage dues and, from the 1st. January 1885, to reduce the dues by a further 50 centimes. Arrangements were also to be made under which there would be a further reduction as traffic increased, until a maximum of five francs a ton was reached. There were also other points provided for which I need not recapitulate.

The Committee of Shipowners consisted of James Laing, elected Chairman; Thomas Sutherland, Chairman of the P. and O. Company; William McKinnon, of the British India; J.B. Westray, Secretary of the Association of Steamship Owners trading in the East; John Glover and R.S. Donkin.

This proposal was generally agreed to by H.M. Government on condition that the three official directors should form part of the London Committee. The arrangement has proved an eminently satisfactory one. The Commission of Experts named in this first article, (among whom, was my friend Sir Charles Hartley,) visited the Canal in 1884 and made recommendations for its improvement; one half of which have now (1900) been carried out at a cost of four millions sterling, which was raised by a loan on the Paris exchange, and gradually issued as money was required.

As indicated in my conversation with Mr. Gladstone, my part in this matter was that of careful watching, and private assistance to Charles de Lesseps in our discussions. What came out pre-eminently in this affair was, that if Charles de Lesseps had, six months earlier been willing to make to the Shipowners one fourth of the concessions he eventually did make, the agreement with H.M. Government in the month of June would not have encountered the opposition which it did, and the Company would have been in a far better position.

The agreement with the Shipowners was, however, a subject of very acute opposition in Paris. Some of M. de Lesseps' warmest supporters in the Council highly disapproved of the concessions made, and there is no doubt that both his position, and that of his son Charles, were very much shaken by the concessions they had made to English trade. Eventually, however, by tact and verbal explanations, opposition was overcome, and the general meeting of Shareholders held for the purpose, approved the agreement. The concession thus made was of this nature--We had always looked upon the Agreement in the light of a convention strictly binding upon the Suez Canal Company, but, as the de Lesseps explained it to their Shareholders, to make it palatable to them-it was only called "a programme of what was to be done", and in that way it was accepted. I must say that the Company have so loyally adhered to the programme that it has really had all the force of a binding Convention. Although H.M. Government, as the Shareholders of such a very large portion of the Capital, namely two fifths, naturally have very great influence and weight in all the discussions of the Council, they have not, technically, more voting power than any holder of 250 shares, because the statutes of the Company limit the extreme voting capacity of any one Power to ten votes. Any number of shares beyond two hundred and fifty gives no extra voting power.

The agreement was brought before a meeting of shareholders on the 12th. March 1884 and was carried by the small majority of 82 out of 1604 votes. So great was the opposition that the election of the additional English directors could not then be attempted, as a two-thirds majority was necessary for that. At the end of May a further general meeting of shareholders was held, by which time efforts made had won over many of them, and all the questions submitted were carried by large majorities. The original number of Directors, thirty-two, which had been reduced some years before, was restored, and enabled the seven English Directors to be added to the Board.

I had an active share in all these transactions, which took up a large part of my time. My correspondence with the Government and the de Lesseps was very frequent, and entered into great detail, as the public documents of the time show.

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