A Cumberland Endeavour Sample

A Cumberland Endeavour
burning ship next morning and endeavour to
save her. However, just as they were
preparing to set forth the hatches of the
“Cereal” blew off and the vessel was quickly
enveloped in flames. This was on 28th
September 1872, in Lat. 4.30 S., and Long.
27.45 W.
The “John Ritson” was outward bound, so
my father (and mother, who was with him at
the time), his officers and part of the crew
were transferred to the first homewardbound
vessel sighted, and she bore the
Cumbrian name of “Portinscale”. Surely a
chain of Cumbrian coincidences.
The “Portinscale” was returning to Ireland,
having rounded the Horn from Pisagua in Chile. She
arrived at Queenstown on November 20th with
Capt. and Mrs. Ritchie and the mate of the “Cereal”,
while the “John Ritson” made port in Montevideo
with the rest of the crew on the 27th. A postscript
to the adventure can be found in the Maryport
News of May 16th 1873:
Captain George Curwen of the “John Ritson”
has been presented with a handsome gold
watch by Capt. Ritchie of the “Cereal” for his
gallant and humane conduct towards Capt.
Ritchie and his crew whom he rescued from
the ship when on fire at sea.
On the domestic side, 1872 had seemed to be a
fortunate year for the family in Maryport: in August
Barbara Hine was married to John Robinson, a local
master mariner, while in April Alfred’s wife Isabella
bore him another son, christened John McLennan
Hine.
However, 1873 began tragically with Isabella’s
untimely death in March at the age of only 30.
Alfred was left, at the age of 32, to bring up his two
sons – one still a baby, the other only four years old
– having lost daughter and wife in rapid succession.
His mother and sisters doubtless supported him in
this difficult time, and his strong Christian belief
would have sustained him: the family’s staunch
Baptist faith and Alfred’s capacity for hard work
seem to have kept him going. Perhaps it was this
tragedy that decided Wilfrid and Jane to return to
Maryport, as on July lst 1873 Wilfrid combined his
shipowning and shipbroking business with his
brother’s insurance and mercantile interests to form
‘HINE BROTHERS OF MARYPORT’, based in Alfred’s
office in Custom House Building.
Such then were the beginnings. The town –
Maryport – entering what was to be the most
prosperous and exciting period in its whole history;
the age – Victorian England – when men with
imagination and the capacity to work hard could
turn opportunity into reality; and the brothers –
Wilfrid with his commercial experience and contacts
in the wider shipping world, Alfred with detailed
local knowledge and standing in the community.
Wilfrid and Alfred Hine set about combining these
ingredients to produce their success story.
12