A
Biographical Profile of 18th & 19th Century
Merchant Families & Entrepreneurs in Trinity.
Written & Researched by Dr. Gordon Hancock
Lester’s Newfoundland Shipwrights
William Masters, James
Warren, William Cool, Wm. Hookey, Thomas Newell, William Newman, Charles
Newhook, William Newhook, William Pittman, Samuel Finch, Richard Gleed.
Sea-Captains employed
by the Lester’s included:-
Anstey, Thomas; Akerman,
John; Andrews (from Devon); Ash; Barter, Wm; Bartlett, John; Barnes;
Barry, John; Besant, John; Best; Blake; Bloomfield; Blundon; Bignile,
J.; Bishop, Thomas; Brixey, Wm; Brinson; Cashin (Irish); Fitzherbert;
Forbuck, Ceo; Fisher; Frederickson (dismissed for theft); Frampton
(George, Oliver and John); Galton, Thos; Gaylor, Thos; Gregory, John;
Goff (died on a passage 1801); Grey; Hall; Honeybun; Hosier; Hunter;
Hussey; Jenkins; James; Jones; Keates, Thos; Larag; Lake; Lander; Lemon,
John; Linthorne; Larcombe; Lundridge, Joseph; Masters, Wm; March (fired
for drinking); Mugford (from Devon); Miller (Joseph, Thomas); Martin;
Morely; Moore, Geo; Northover; Newman, Wm; Parmiter; Palmer (Pamer);
Penney; Pearce, Charles; Pile; Pimer; Pittman, Wm; Pudner; Ryder, Geo;
Roberts, James; Sabbin, John (from Devon); Salter (from Devon); Sampson;
Simpkins; Spencer; Sparke; Spicer; Stephens; Taverner (Joseph and
Andrew); Tanner (from Devon); Thompson, Benjamin; Thomas; Thombes; Tite;
Tucker (from Devon); Vivian (from Devon); Warren (John and James); Way,
James; Wanhill (from Devon); Waterman; Whitewood, Wm; Whittle, Geo;
White; Wise, Thomas; Wooland (George and Caleb, Devonshiremen);
Williams, Henry.
The importance of
shipping to an overseas trade such as the Lester’s developed and
sustained during the second half of the 18th century is
illustrated by the large numbers of sea-captains they employed. In
various documents, mainly the Lester diaries, some 110 different masters
of ships can be identified, and associated with over 60 different ships
which the Lester’s owned (see list below). Many of the captains were
bred to the sea and the Newfoundland fishery from Poole; others came
from Christchurch, Lymington, Ringwood and Fordingbridge in Hampshire,
from Bridport and Sturminster and other places in Dorset, and these
generally rose from the ranks of raw recruits engaged as fishermen and
sailors. A significant proportion of captains, however, came from
Devonshire and was recruited mainly to take command of vessels that
fished on the Grand Banks. A smaller proportion were Irishmen and these
also almost invariably were men whose initial apprenticeship and later
sea experience was gained in the Newfoundland fishery. Some captains
during the fishing season served as agents and boatmasters. During the
late 18th century, many of Lester’s captains established
their main domiciles in places such as Trinity, Bonavista and Greenspond,
and began to include voyages to the spring seal hunt as part of the
yearly round of activities. Many were inclined in their latter years to
become resident boatkeepers and schooner owners and established their
patrilines in Newfoundland. Among these were Anstey, Akerman, Ash,
Barnes, Best, Blake, Bloomfield, Blundon, Cheater, Collins, Cheeseman,
Gaylor, Goff, Hall, Hosier, Hunter, Jenkins, Jones, Keates, Lander,
Miller, March, Martin, Pearce, Pittman, Ryder, Tucker, Vivian, Way,
Waterman, Whittle, and Whites-names that from the late 18th-early
19th century were established either in Trinity, Bonavista or
Notre Dame Bays. The list of surnames that were associated with the
Lester’s first as sailors and fishing servants and later with residents
on the Notre East coast is considerable more extensive for the Lester
family was probably responsible for employing, transporting and trading
with over half of the families who settled in Trinity and Bonavista Bay
in the period from 1750 to 1800.
Most of the vessels owned by the
Lester’s been in the 100 to 200 ton class, and were built by the firm in
Trinity. In the 1750s Lester’s operated 4-5 ships but they added new
vessels to their fleet year by year and by the early 1770s the firm was
annually fitting out 10-12 vessels large enough to making trans-Atlantic
voyages.
Names of Ships Owned by
Lester’s 1753-1801
Amy
(several)
Joseph and Francis (100 tons)
Betsey
(several)
Labrador
Benjamin
Lester
Beaver
Little Benjamin (107 tons)
Bonavista
Lord North (229 tons)
Bingley
Lukey
Brittania
Maria
Brothers
Mercury (172 tons)
Bonavista
Minerva
Cabot
Ocean
Catherine
Polly
Ceres (167
tons)
Pond
Charmont (173
tons)
Providence
Caractacus
Rachael
Columbus
Reliance
Earl
Selkirk
Resolution (105 tons)
Elizabeth and
Ann
Rowland
Fame
Sally (several)
Fly
Susan (166 tons)
Fogo
Thomas
Halifax
Thomas and Betsey
Henry (152
tons)
Triton
Harriet
Tupper
Hope (200
tons)
Two Brothers
Horse and Shoe
Club Two
Sisters
Industrious Bee (at least three)
Victory
Industry
William (several)
John (several (173 tons)
Source: Trinity Historical Society |