Linda Fell Gallery

This section will, in time, contain the stories of more than 450 merchant ships built or owned in the Hartlepools, and which were lost during the First World War. As an illustration of the truly global nature of shipbuilding, these ships were owned by companies from 22 different countries, including more than 30 sailing under the German flag at the outbreak of war.

Hessler Shipping Co., was founded in 1901 with the main owner being Jacob Hessler. He had entered into a partnership with Furness, Withy & Co., in that year. The company was later known as the Swift Steam Ship Co. Ltd., then as the Hartlepools Seatonia S.S. Co.

The original Seatonia S.S. Co., directors were J.K.M. Hessler, Victor Nilson, Thomas Fallows Thompson and Wilfred John Atley.

The company managed ships for the M.O.W.T. during WW1.

Family History:

Jacob Kruse Muller Hessler was born on 3 January, 1859 at Skein, Norway to parents Nils Julius Johansen Hessler and Anne Maria Muller. He came to West Hartlepool when he was about twelve years of age and lived with a relative.
He first worked for Groves, Maclean & Co., shipowners then for V. Nilson & Co., timber merchants. In 1881, living at Stranton, Jacob was listed as a shipbroker’s clerk. He married May Bastow in 1883 at Sunderland and they had one daughter born in September 1884.
He remarried at Oslo, Norway in December 1891 to Christiane (Kitty) Johanne Andersen. They had a further five children. By 1891 Jacob had started his own business as a shipbroker and the family were living in Rium Terrace Stranton. He became a naturalised British subject on 10 July, 1899. At that time he was living at Thistlewood, Clifton Avenue, Hartlepool.
By 1901 the family were living at Wooler Avenue, West Hartlepool, with Jacob listed as a shipowner and timber merchant.  In the 1911 census the family were living at Seaton Carew and Jacob was listed as a timber agent.

Jacob was Vice-Consul for Norway for many years and in 1919 was made a Knight of St. Olav in recognition of his services.

Two of their sons were killed during WW1 serving with the Durham Light Infantry. Captain Jacob (Jackie) Kruse Muller Hessler lost his life on 23 March, 1918, aged 21. Captain Jacob Andrew Norman Hessler lost his life on 27 May, 1918, aged 25.

Jacob died at his home, Esk House, Elm Grove, West Hartlepool, on March 22nd, 1938, aged 79.

Official No. 124320; Code Letters HJRC.

Owners: 1906 Hessler Shipping Co (J Hessler & Co) Sydney, NSW; re registered at West Hartlepool.

Masters: 1906 J Selmes; 1908-09 Thomas W West; 1911 DJ Evans; 1915 Tunwell.

Voyages: from Port Pirie, South Australia, arriving Sydney 14 November 1909.

Crew March 1909:

Adams, CH, 2nd mate, 26, Sydney

Banks, JR, chief mate aged 46 Orkney 

Brace, JW, able seaman, 32, Hull 

Christensen, L, able seaman, 26, Norway 

Davis, A, chief engineer, 39, Dover 

Drinkwater, AB, 3rd mate, 30, England 

Edwards, C, chief steward, 29, Tasmania 

Fitzgibbon, F, 2nd engineer, 27, Cork 

Fenwick, E, fireman, 27, London 

Harvey, A, fireman, 29, England 

Henderson, J, fireman, 34, Kent 

Hood, E, trimmer, 36, Newcastle 

Howard, P, trimmer, 35, London 

Howartson, W, fireman, 46, Sydney 

Hoyle, T, fireman, 36, Liverpool 

Jenkins, W, donkeyman, 39, Wales 

King, John, able seaman, 24, Orkney  

Leraggs, T, trimmer, 32, England 

Louthern, T, cook, 46, England 

McLean, A, 4th engineer, 24, Sydney 

McNeil, Rory, able seaman, 24, Scotland 

Nicholson, D, able seaman, 40, Skye 

Rankin, George, boatswain, 29, Scotland 

Riding, F, 3rd engineer, 26, England 

Roberts, J, assistant steward, 20, Newcastle 

Robertson, A, able seaman, 21, Orkney 

Rosie ?, A, able seaman, 21, Orkney

Smyth, J, fireman, 30, New Zealand 

West, Thomas, master

Crew May 1909;

Adams, C, 2nd officer, 27, Sydney

Banks, J, chief officer, 47, Orkney

Beckenham, P, 2nd engineer, 23, Dunedin

Brace, J, able seaman, 32, Hull

Christenson, S, able seaman, 27, Norway

Cloke, H, 3rd officer, 25, Sydney

Craggs, T, fireman, 35, North Shields

Davis, A, chief engineer, 39, Dover

Duffy, J, fireman, 38, North Shields

Edwards, E, chief steward, 29, Tasmania

Fenwick, E, fireman, 30, London

Henderson, J, fireman, 38, Kent

Gray, A, trimmer, 27, Clunes, Victoria

Hood, AE, fireman, 36, Newcastle, NSW

Jenkins, W, donkeyman, 39, Wales

Kehoe, J, trimmer, 42, Liverpool

Kessler, George, chief cook, 41, Germany

King, J, able seaman, 24, Orkney

Mahoney, S, trimmer, 29, London

McLean, A, 4th engineer, 24, Sydney

McLeod, M, able seaman, 24, Scotland

McNeil, R, able seaman, 27, Broome

McVicor, J, able seaman, 40, Scotland

Rankin, G, boatswain, 30, Scotland

Ridine, F, 3rd engineer, 27, Huddersfield

Nikolson, D, able seaman, 40, Skye

Smythe, J, fireman, 28, New Zealand

West, Thomas, master

Crew August 1909;

Adams, C, 2nd officer, 27, Sydney

Anderson, A, fireman, 31, Norway

Banks, J, chief officer, 47, Orkney

Beckenham, P, 2nd engineer, 23, Dunedin

Brace, J, able seaman, 32, Hull

Chambers, C, able seaman, 25, England

Christenson, S, able seaman, 27, Norway

Cloke, H, 3rd officer, 25, Sydney

Davis, A, chief engineer, 39, Dover

Edwards, E, chief steward, 29, Tasmania

Egan, W, fireman, 21, Newcastle

Geaughan, G, assistant steward, 26, Scotland

Gibson, S, fireman, 32, Newcastle

Jenkins, W, donkeyman, 39, Wales

Kapps, J, fireman, 33, Sydney

Kehoe, J, trimmer, 42, Liverpool

Manderson, J, able seaman, 33, Finland

McAvoy, C, trimmer, 38, Ireland

McLean, A, 4th engineer, 24, Sydney

McVicar, J, able seaman, 40, Scotland

Ollsen, F, able seaman, 27, Sweden

Petrie, W, able seaman, 21, Orkney

Rankin, G, boatswain, 30, Scotland

Riding, F, 3rd engineer, 27, Huddersfield

Rimmer, R, chief cook, 45, Liverpool

Rowe, J, trimmer, 29, London

Stanig, C, trimmer, 36, London

Turnbull, W, fireman, 25, Hartlepool

West, Thomas, master

Crew November 1909;

Banks, JB, chief officer, 47, Orkney

Bell, J, fireman, 45, Glasgow

Brabner, S, 3rd officer, 45, Liverpool

Christenson, S, able seaman, 27, Norway

Chalmbers, A, able seaman, 26, England

Cloke, AH, 2nd officer, 27, Sydney

Davis, AB, chief engineer, 30, Dover

Edwards, E, chief steward, 30, Tasmania

Egan, W, fireman, 21, Newcastle, NSW

Geaughen, S, assistant steward, 22, Scotland

Healey, WO, 2nd engineer, 23, Sydney

Hill, T, fireman, 39, England

Jenkins, W, donkeyman, 40, Wales

Lane, S, trimmer, 20, Newcastle

Manderson, W, able seaman, 34, Finland

McAskill, M, able seaman, 23, Scotland

McLean, A, 4th engineer, 25, Sydney

Montgomery, H, fireman, 24, Sydney

Montgomery, T, trimmer, 21, Sydney

Obburrs, H, fireman, 23, Melbourne

Oliver, J, fireman, 34, Sunderland 

Ollsen, F, able seaman, 27, Denmark

Petrie, W, able seaman, 23, Orkney

Pickering, R, trimmer, 29, West Hartlepool

Rankin, G, boatswain, 29, Scotland

Reynolds, E, able seaman, 25, Ireland

Riding, FW, 3rd engineer, 27, Huddersfield

Rimmer, R, chief cook, 45, Liverpool

West, Thomas, master  

Crew January, March 1913;

Church, Alfred Thomas, 2nd officer

Linda Fellsailed from Philadelphia on 20 September 1915 with a cargo of coal bound for Cienfuegos, Cuba & disappeared. She was posted as missing on 17 November 1915. All lives lost.

Lives lost November 1915;

Anderson, J, mate, 39, Shetland

Brown, Frank Anthony, engineer, Wales

?Tunwell, master

Swain, William, fireman, 45, Belfast