Caribbean 1889
On 16th March 1889 Joseph E. Robinson signed the Agreement that would see ‘Atossa’ sail between “London and Guadeloupe & any ports or places within the limits of 70° North & 70° South Latitude to & fro for any period not exceeding Two years & back to the final port of discharge in the United Kingdom or Continent of Europe between the Elbe & Brest.” All crew members signed on.
The crew list was: -
NAME |
AGE OR YEAR & |
RANK |
PREVIOUS SHIP |
Joseph E Robinson |
31 - Sussex |
Master |
Same Vessel |
James Grevett |
29 - Sussex |
1st Mate |
Same Vessel |
Robert Ramsey |
45 - N. Yorks |
Bosun |
Lyndon, Windsor |
Stephen McGrath |
21 - Auckland |
Cook/Steward |
Black Adder, London |
Petter Benson |
25 - Norway |
Carpenter & AB |
M Douglas, London |
S A Abrahamson |
33 - Sweden |
AB |
Queens Island, Belfast |
James Flanagan |
21 - Dublin |
AB |
Queens Island, Belfast |
G Glanfield |
39 - Norway |
AB |
Nile, London |
Ole Olson |
23 - Norway |
AB |
Norwegian Ship |
Hugo Wessman |
21 - Sweden |
AB |
Norwegian Ship |
James Field |
18 - Sussex |
OS |
Clarrisa, Shoreham |
Sidney Day Robinson |
16 - Sussex |
Apprentice |
- |
The crew’s wages were: -
CAPACITY |
MONTHLY |
MONTHLY |
1st Mate |
£6 0s 0d |
- |
Bosun |
£4 0s 0d |
£2 10s 0d |
Cook & Steward |
£4 0s 0d |
£2 0s 0d |
Carpenter & AB |
£3 10s 0d |
£1 15s 0d |
AB |
£3 0s 0d |
£1 10s 0d |
OS |
£2 0s 0d |
£1 10s 0d |
Provisions for each man mentioned in the Agreement were: -
| 1lb of bread every day. 1½lbs of beef on Sundays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. 1¼lbs of pork on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. ½lb of flour on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. ⅓ pint of peas on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. ½lb rice on Saturdays. A daily allowance of ⅛oz of tea. A daily allowance of ½oz of coffee. A daily allowance of 2ozs of sugar. A daily allowance of 3 quarts of water. Equivalent at Masters option. |
Sidney Day Robinson became an Indentured Apprentice at Littlehampton two days before joining ‘Atossa’. On 14th March 1889 he became bound to a three year apprenticeship with his father, Joseph. Sidney was the second son of Joseph’s second marriage in 1869; to Harriet Day.
On 18th March 1889 ‘Atossa’ left home waters again bound for Guadeloupe in the eastern Caribbean Sea. She arrived there on 27th April 1889 and was in port until 24th May 1889 when she left for and took five days to reach St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands.
The ‘Dues and Charges on Shipping at Foreign Ports’ manual shows that exports from Guadeloupe included “Usine, sugar, coffee, cocoa, logwood, rum, molasses, annatto, vanilla, etc. all of which may be said to go to France. The principle Imports are – Coal, salt fish, breadstuffs, cement, tobacco, salt and preserved provisions, dry goods, earthenware, hardware, fertilizers, rice, lumber, sugar, shooks and bags, hoops, wire, beer, cheese, butter, soap, olive and kerosene oils, horses, mules, cattle, galvanised iron roofing, matches, etc.”
St. Thomas was shown in the same manual as “in lat. 18.19.22 N., long. 64.55.8 W. Charlotte Amalie, the capital of the island, is the only commercial port of entry. The town is most picturesquely situated along the northern shore of the harbour, and on the sides of three remarkable rounded spurs, which branch off to the southward from the main and mountain ridge. It is the safest and most convenient port of call in the West Indies. Exports – Bay Rum. Imports – General merchandise.
Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas 1890
Courtesy of Caribbean Photo Archive
Courtesy of Caribbean Photo Archive
‘Atossa’ remained in St. Thomas from 29th May 1889 until the 7th June 1889.
On 21st July 1889. ‘Atossa’ reached Wilmington, North Carolina.
On 22nd July 1889 the Acting British Vice-Consul William H. Sprunt endorsed the ships Articles. He wrote, “Agreement deposited on arrival 21st July and this day returned to Master. The within named S. A. Abrahamson, Ole Olson, S. Flanagan, Hugo Wessman were reported to me as having deserted the vessel taking their effects with them. I have seen proper entries of same in ship log. I have sanctioned the engagement of the within named Joseph White, H. Hannaford, Henri Aro & William Riedelmann who have signed the agreement in my presence with a full understanding of its terms and conditions.”
The crew list for the journey from Wilmington to London was: -
NAME |
AGE & PLACE OF BIRTH |
RANK |
PREVIOUS SHIP |
Joseph E Robinson |
31 - Sussex |
Master |
Same Vessel |
James Grevett |
29 - Sussex |
1st Mate |
Same Vessel |
Robert Ramsey |
45 - N. Yorks |
Bosun |
Lyndon, Windsor |
Stephen McGrath |
21 - Auckland |
Cook/Steward |
Black Adder, London |
Petter Benson |
25 - Norway |
Carpenter & AB |
M Douglas, London |
G Glanfield |
39 - Norway |
AB |
Nile, London |
Joseph White |
34 - Chelsea, Massachusetts |
AB |
American Ship |
H. Hannaford |
22 - London |
AB |
American Ship |
Henri Aro |
25 - Finland |
AB |
American Ship |
William Riedelmann |
31 - Germany |
AB |
American Ship |
James Field |
18 - Sussex |
OS |
Clarrisa, Shoreham |
Sidney Day Robinson |
16 - Sussex |
Apprentice |
- |
‘Atossa’ arrived at Millwall Docks, London from Wilmington on the 23rd August 1889. All crew members were discharged that day.
Whilst the ship was in London ownership passed from Joseph Robinson to Henry Langridge.
Henry Langridge was born in Mereworth, Kent and baptised there on 11th May 1836. His parents were Thomas Langridge and Eleanor Langridge (nee Barton). In 1861, Thomas was a Farmer of 194 acres, employing 21 men and 4 boys at Barons Place, Mereworth.
Henry married Flora Jane Pope on 17th September 1861 at All Saints Church, St. John’s Wood, London. At this time he gave his occupation as ‘Merchant’.
The following year, the first of their eight children, George Thomas was born. Their other children were: - Edith (1864); Arthur Bracy (1865); Marion Emily (1868); Francis Barton (1870); Helen Cecile Dorothea (1871); Winnifred (1873); and Gwenllian Maude (1875).
Henry Langridge
ancestry.co.uk
ancestry.co.uk
George Thomas Langridge was born on 27th August 1862 and baptised at All Saints Church, St. John’s Wood, and London on 8th October that year.
On 23rd October 1864 Henry applied to become a Freeman of the City of London. His application read, “I Henry Langridge (son of Thomas Langridge of Mereworth, Kent) occupying premises at 29, Great St. Helens and carrying on the business of a merchant do hereby apply to be admitted to Freedom of the City of London, by redemption, in pursuance of the Resolutions of the Court of Common Council of the 17th March, 1835, 13th July, 1848, 6th October, 1856, 22nd January, 1857, and 16th December, 1858 and some or one of the said Resolutions; and I hereby declare that I am not an Alien, and that I am above the age of Twenty-one years.”
Throughout 1870 proceedings were conducted regarding the liquidation of a partnership between John Anderson Wright and Henry Langridge, who had carried on business as Wright & Langridge, Shipbrokers, Insurance Brokers, Commission Agents and General Agents at 29, Great St. Helens, London, E. C.
At the time of the 1871 census, Henry, described as a merchant and shipbroker, was living at Stafford Cottage, Cheam, with his wife, Flora Jane and children; Marion Emily, Francis Barton and Helen Cecile Dorothea.
In 1879 the ‘Freeman of the City of London’ matter re-surfaced when a document was issued. It read, “A Court of Mayor and Aldermen holden in the inner chamber of the Guildhall in the City of London, on Tuesday, 22nd day of July 1879, and in the 43rd year of the reign of VICTORIA, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Queen, etc. This day, upon reading the application of Henry Langridge and it appearing that the applicant was, on 28th day of October 1864 admitted to the Freedom of this City by Redemption, under the special order of the Court of Common Council on the 6th day of October 1856 without the intervention of a Company, and that he is now desirous of being recorded a Freeman of this City in the Company of Makers of Playing Cards and having produced his admission into the said Company of Makers of Playing Cards. It is ordered that the Chamberlain do accordingly record the said Henry Langridge a Freeman of this City in the said Company of Makers of Playing Cards.”
The 1881 census showed Henry Langridge as a guest at the Exeter Hotel, Holdenhurst, Bournemouth.
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