Hilhouse
Encyclopedia
Hilhouse was a shipbuilder in Bristol
, England
who built merchantman
and men-of-war during the 18th and 19th centuries. The company subsequently became Charles Hill & Sons
in 1845.
The company, and its successor Charles Hill & Sons, were the most important shipbuilders in Bristol, and taking the concern together built over 560 ships over their 200 years of existence.
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The shipbuilding concern Hilhouse and Company was first established in 1772 by James Martin Hilhouse, after inheriting a fortune from his father, James Hilhouse, a Bristol Sheriff
and councillor
who also ran a successful privateer
ing venture. The company acquired the large Hotwells
drydock, built by the engineer
William Champion in 1765 on the north side of the River Avon
, to build merchantman and undertake ship repair work. From 1778, Hilhouse secured Admiralty
contracts for warship
s following the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War
, including for the fourth rate Trusty.
On 28 September 1785, Hilhouse launched the 1,406 tonne 64-gun ship of the line
Nassau
, which was the largest ship yet built in Bristol. By 1786 they had built twelve warships of 3rd to 6th rates before orders became dominated by merchantmen.
Dock, on Gasferry Lane on the north side of the river in 1820. In 1814 the company built the first steamboat
in Bristol, the Charlotte and Hope. In 1820 the company developed New Dockyard opposite the original site at Hotwells, what was to become the Albion Yard, and built two wet dock
s, a dry dock and building berth
s. This lead within 4 years to the closure of both the Wapping and Hotwells Dockyards. The West Indiaman Weare of 446t was the first launch from the Albion Yard in 1820.
During the 1830s and 1840s William Patterson
launched the ground breaking SS Great Western
and SS Great Britain
steamships in the adjacent Bristol dockyard, and the company subsequently lost out on important subsequent orders.
Major ships built by Hilhouse & Sons and Company:
, eventually leading in 1840 to the name of the business becoming Hilhouse, Hill & Company. Charles Hill subsequently took over running more and more of the business, and in 1845 he took sole control of the business and the firm became Charles Hill & Sons
.
The Hilhouse built Albion Yard has continued in use up until this day, currently as Abels Shipbuilders
.
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
who built merchantman
Cargo ship
A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...
and men-of-war during the 18th and 19th centuries. The company subsequently became Charles Hill & Sons
Charles Hill & Sons
Charles Hill & Sons was a major shipbuilder based in Bristol, England, during the 19th and 20th centuries. Established in 1845, they specialised mainly in merchant and commercial ships, but also undertook the build of warships and governmental vessels especially during the First and Second World...
in 1845.
The company, and its successor Charles Hill & Sons, were the most important shipbuilders in Bristol, and taking the concern together built over 560 ships over their 200 years of existence.
Origins
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
and councillor
Councillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
who also ran a successful privateer
Privateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
ing venture. The company acquired the large Hotwells
Hotwells
Hotwells is a district of the English port city of Bristol. It is located to the south of and below the high ground of Clifton, and directly to the north of the Floating Harbour. The southern entrance to the Avon Gorge, which connects those docks to the sea, lies at the western end of Hotwells. The...
drydock, built by the engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
William Champion in 1765 on the north side of the River Avon
River Avon, Bristol
The River Avon is an English river in the south west of the country. To distinguish it from a number of other River Avons in Britain, this river is often also known as the Lower Avon or Bristol Avon...
, to build merchantman and undertake ship repair work. From 1778, Hilhouse secured Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
contracts for warship
Warship
A warship is a ship that is built and primarily intended for combat. Warships are usually built in a completely different way from merchant ships. As well as being armed, warships are designed to withstand damage and are usually faster and more maneuvrable than merchant ships...
s following the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, including for the fourth rate Trusty.
On 28 September 1785, Hilhouse launched the 1,406 tonne 64-gun ship of the line
Ship of the line
A ship of the line was a type of naval warship constructed from the 17th through the mid-19th century to take part in the naval tactic known as the line of battle, in which two columns of opposing warships would manoeuvre to bring the greatest weight of broadside guns to bear...
Nassau
HMS Nassau (1785)
HMS Nassau was a 64-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 28 September 1785 at Bristol.During the Nore Mutiny she was commanded by Captain Edward O'Bryen. She was converted for use as a troopship in 1797. Nassau was wrecked in 1799....
, which was the largest ship yet built in Bristol. By 1786 they had built twelve warships of 3rd to 6th rates before orders became dominated by merchantmen.
Hilhouse and Company built ships
Major ships built by Hilhouse and Company:- Exeter (1776), 300t West Indiaman.
- MedeaEnterprise class frigateThe Enterprise-class frigates were the final class of 28-gun sailing frigates of the sixth-rate to be produced for the Royal Navy. These twenty-seven vessels were designed in 1770 by John Williams. A first batch of five ships were ordered as part of the programme sparked by the Falklands Islands...
(1778). 611t 28-gun sixth rate frigateFrigateA frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
. - CleopatraHMS Cleopatra (1779)HMS Cleopatra was a 32-gun Amazon-class fifth rate frigate of the Royal Navy. She had a long career, seeing service during the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War, and the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. During the latter wars she fought two notable engagements with larger French opponents...
(1779). 689t 32-gun fifth rate frigate. - CrescentEnterprise class frigateThe Enterprise-class frigates were the final class of 28-gun sailing frigates of the sixth-rate to be produced for the Royal Navy. These twenty-seven vessels were designed in 1770 by John Williams. A first batch of five ships were ordered as part of the programme sparked by the Falklands Islands...
(1779). 689t 28-gun sixth rate frigate. - Mars (1779). 600t privateer frigate.
- Termagant (1780). 26-gun sloopSloopA sloop is a sail boat with a fore-and-aft rig and a single mast farther forward than the mast of a cutter....
. - Arethusa (1781)Minerva class frigateThe Minerva class sailing frigates were a series of four ships built to a 1778 design by Sir Edward Hunt, which served in the Royal Navy during the latter decades of the eighteenth century....
. 948t 38 gun fifth rate frigate. - Trusty (1782). 1000t 50-gun fourth rate ship of the line.
- Serapis (1782). 900t 44-gun fifth rate frigate.
- Charon (1783). 900t 44-gun fifth rate frigate.
- Nassau (1785)HMS Nassau (1785)HMS Nassau was a 64-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched on 28 September 1785 at Bristol.During the Nore Mutiny she was commanded by Captain Edward O'Bryen. She was converted for use as a troopship in 1797. Nassau was wrecked in 1799....
. 1200t 64-gun third rate ship of the line. - Melampus (1785)HMS Melampus (1785)HMS Melampus was a Royal Navy fifth-rate frigate that served during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. She captured numerous prizes before she was sold in 1815.-Design and construction:...
. 939t 36-gun fifth rate frigate. - Severn (1786)Adventure class shipThe Adventure-class ship was a class of eight 44-gun sailing two-decker warships of the Royal Navy, classed as a fifth rate like a frigate, but carrying two complete decks of guns, a lower battery of 18-pounders and an upper battery of 12-pounders...
. 900t 44-gun fifth rate frigate. - Pilgrim (1786). 306t merchantman.
- Marquis of Worcester (1787). 315t merchantman.
- Diomede (1795). 891t 44-gun fifth rate frigate.
- Fame (1801). 492t East Indiaman.
- Hope (1801). 216t merchantman.
- Concord (1801). 317t merchantman.
Hilhouse & Sons built ships
In 1803 the company became Hilhouse & Sons and Company and expansion continued. By 1810, Charles Hill had joined the firm, and Hilhouse had acquired two further dockyards in city, Wapping dockyard, near Prince Street in 1813, and LimekilnLimekiln
A lime kiln is used to produce quicklime through the calcination of limestone . The chemical equation for this reaction is...
Dock, on Gasferry Lane on the north side of the river in 1820. In 1814 the company built the first steamboat
Steamboat
A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
in Bristol, the Charlotte and Hope. In 1820 the company developed New Dockyard opposite the original site at Hotwells, what was to become the Albion Yard, and built two wet dock
Wet dock
A wet dock is a dock where the level of water in the dock is maintained despite the raising and lowering of the tide. This makes transfer of cargo easier. It works like a lock which controls the water level and allows passage of ships.-External links:...
s, a dry dock and building berth
Berth (moorings)
A berth is a location in a port or harbour used specifically for mooring vessels while not at sea.-Locations in a port:Berth is the term used in ports and harbors to define a specific location where a vessel may be berthed, usually for the purposes of loading and unloading.Most berths will be...
s. This lead within 4 years to the closure of both the Wapping and Hotwells Dockyards. The West Indiaman Weare of 446t was the first launch from the Albion Yard in 1820.
During the 1830s and 1840s William Patterson
William Patterson (engineer)
William Patterson was a 19th century engineer and boatbuilder.Born in Arbroath, he moved to London where he learned his craft at the yard of William Evans. He then moved to Bristol where he worked for William Scott. When Scott became bankrupt, he took over his yard...
launched the ground breaking SS Great Western
SS Great Western
SS Great Western of 1838, was an oak-hulled paddle-wheel steamship; the first purpose-built for crossing the Atlantic and the initial unit of the Great Western Steamship Company. Designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, Great Western proved satisfactory in service and was the model for all successful...
and SS Great Britain
SS Great Britain
SS Great Britain was an advanced passenger steamship designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel for the Great Western Steamship Company's transatlantic service between Bristol and New York. While other ships had previously been built of iron or equipped with a screw propeller, Great Britain was the first...
steamships in the adjacent Bristol dockyard, and the company subsequently lost out on important subsequent orders.
Major ships built by Hilhouse & Sons and Company:
- Albacore (1804). 18-gun sloop-of-warSloop-of-warIn the 18th and most of the 19th centuries, a sloop-of-war was a warship with a single gun deck that carried up to eighteen guns. As the rating system covered all vessels with 20 guns and above, this meant that the term sloop-of-war actually encompassed all the unrated combat vessels including the...
. - St Vincent (1804). 493t West Indiaman.
- Fame (1805). 401t merchantman.
- Nelson (1807). 580t West Indiaman.
- Severn (1807). 478t merchantman.
- William Miles (1808). 577t West Indiaman.
- Lady Carrington (1809). 471t merchant ship.
- Sarah (1810). 500t West Indiaman.
- Charlotte (1810). 427t West Indiaman.
- Bernard (1813). 468t merchantman.
- Princess Charlotte (1813). 411t merchantman.
- Charlotte and Hope (1814). Wooden paddle-wheel steamer.
- Kingston (1817). 431t merchantman.
- Henry Porcher (1817). 485t East Indiaman.
- Weare (1820). 446t West Indiaman.
- George IV (1821). 135t wooden paddle-wheel steamer.
- Viscount Palmerston (1821). 188t wooden paddle-wheel steamer.
- Hero (1823). 402t merchantman.
- Elphinstone (1825). 420t merchantman.
- Lord William Bentinck (1828). 564t East Indiaman.
- Elizabeth (1832). 445t merchantman.
- Orestes (1835). 529t East Indiaman.
- Princess Royal (1841). 462t merchantman.
- Duke of Cornwall (1843). 505t merchantman.
- Manuela (1843). 348t barqueBarqueA barque, barc, or bark is a type of sailing vessel with three or more masts.- History of the term :The word barque appears to have come from the Greek word baris, a term for an Egyptian boat. This entered Latin as barca, which gave rise to the Italian barca, Spanish barco, and the French barge and...
, the last ship built by Hilhouse.
Enter Charles Hill
In 1824 the company became George Hilhouse & Company, and the following year a young shipwright by the name of Charles Hill became a partnerPartnership
A partnership is an arrangement where parties agree to cooperate to advance their mutual interests.Since humans are social beings, partnerships between individuals, businesses, interest-based organizations, schools, governments, and varied combinations thereof, have always been and remain commonplace...
, eventually leading in 1840 to the name of the business becoming Hilhouse, Hill & Company. Charles Hill subsequently took over running more and more of the business, and in 1845 he took sole control of the business and the firm became Charles Hill & Sons
Charles Hill & Sons
Charles Hill & Sons was a major shipbuilder based in Bristol, England, during the 19th and 20th centuries. Established in 1845, they specialised mainly in merchant and commercial ships, but also undertook the build of warships and governmental vessels especially during the First and Second World...
.
The Hilhouse built Albion Yard has continued in use up until this day, currently as Abels Shipbuilders
Abels Shipbuilders
Abels Shipbuilders Ltd is a ship and boat builder in Bristol, England. They are now the largest remaining shipbuilder in Bristol.-Business:...
.