Memorial

Plaque 1939-45 Hall Bros. Shipping Agents

Newcastle upon Tyne

Memorial Name: Plaque 1939-45 Hall Bros. Shipping Agents (NUT231)

NEWMP Ref No.: NUT231

Parish: Newcastle upon Tyne

Original Location:

Hall Bros. Shipping Agents. Newcastle, No 4 Royal Arcade. ( Demolished)
(approx. where Pilgrim Street roundabout is today).

Present Location:

Discovery Museum, Blandford Square, Newcastle upon Tyne. NZ 642244

Which War:

1939-45

Materials Used:

Light oak?

Who Commissioned:

Hall Brothers Steamship Company Ltd.

Inscription:

1939-1945
In memory of those in the employment of
Hall Brothers Steamship Company Ltd. who
lost their lives in the service of their country.
When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee.

Memorial Description:

Plaque with elaborate scrolled top.

At the centre top is a laurel wreath bearing the Company flag and the dates in gold on each side.

At top left is the badge of the Royal Navy, at top right in the badge of the Merchant Navy.

The dedication and the names of the vessels are all in red on white panels.

The quotation at the bottom is in gilded lettering on a blue background.

The names are listed in four sunken panels under the name of the vessels: Royal Sceptre; Royal Crown; Embassage; Empire Webster; White Crest; Bretwalda.

All lettering is in incised gilded Roman capitals.

Names:

116 surnames and initials with some ranks and decorations.
See transcript

Notes:

1. On the back is a label which reads:
“Hall Brothers Steamship Company Roll of Honour. Hall Brothers was a long established Newcastle shipping company with offices in the Royal Arcade. It owned ‘tramp’ ships which moved cargoes all over the world. On 5th September 1939, two days after the outbreak of war, Royal Sceptre became the first tramp vessel to be sunk by enemy action. Further attacks on the company’s ships led to a heavy loss of life. This roll of honour was displayed at the company offices to commemorate those who gave their lives to keep Britain supplied with food and goods.”

2. The firm went into voluntary liquidation in August 1979.

3. The booklet “Travels of the Tramps” contains details of the loss of Royal Sceptre 5th Sept, 1939 (the first tramp vessel and third British ship to be sunk by enemy action) page 52, and the bombing and machine gunning of Royal Crown (page 52).

Sources:

Photos: James Pasby

Tyne and Wear Archives:
Ref: TWCMS 2009-5035 Tyne and Wear Archives Ref. 2010 contains:

Centenary 1854 – 1954 Hall Brothers Steamship Company Private publication.

Travels of the Tramps : Twenty Tramp Fleets; Norman L. Middlemiss; Shield Publications; 1989; ISBN 1871128080.

Photos by J. Cleet of South Shields of Royal Crown and damage Launch booklet

S.S. Bretwalda produced by Massers Studio, Malton, York;

Bretwalda at Sea: Photo by W. Parry and Son South Shields Special launch folder (unknown)

S.S. Bretwalda (2nd album souvenir).

Source of quotation:
“When thou passest through the waters . . .” Isaiah 43:2.

Additional Research Documents

Research Acknowledgements:

James Pasby;
Colin Boyd

Research In Progress:

If you are researching this memorial please contact 2014@newmp.org.uk

Provide Details

If you know more about this memorial, please send the details to NEWMP.

Names Documents:

NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE   Hall Bros.

Centre top:

  

  1939-1945

  In memory of those in the employment of

  Hall Brothers Steamship Company Ltd. who

  lost their lives in the service of their country.

——————————————-

Panel 1                      Panel 2  

  ROYAL SCEPTRE               EMBASSAGE    

  Sunk by shellfire           Torpedoed

  from enemy submarine        and sunk

  5 September 1939            27 August 1941

  J.W. Cair, Master           E Kiddie, Master

  N. Hartley, 1st Mate        J.A. Beauglass, 1st Mate     

                              R. Law, Chief Engr

  ROYAL CROWN                 T.E. Archer

  Bombed by enemy             F. Cassidy

  Aircraft and beached        A. Clarke                  

  near Lowestoft              R.P. Costello

  30 January 1940             F. Cunningham

  Captured and sunk           T.F. Cunningham

  by surface raider           R. Elliot

  Gneisenau                   R.C. Ellis       

  16 March 1941               E. Goodfellow

  H.H. Dawes, Master          T.G. Grimwood

  J. Moore, Master            L. Howard

  J.D. Davison, Chief Engr.   H. Humphries

  S.M. Maxwell, Chief Engr.   W. Kelsey

  H. Abdul                    J. Kennedy

  R. Agar                     H. McCabe

  A. Ahmed                    R.C. McEwan

  A. Ali                      J.A. Mason

  A. Anderson                 H.E. Midgeley   

  W. Banks                    W.S. Morris    

  S. Clappison                A. Owen

  C. Clarke                   I. Parkin

  S. Driver                   L. Power

  S. Hazza                    F. Reed

  V. Jones                    C.E. Roberts

  A. Kahtam                   G. Salkeld

  R. McNaughton               S. Sylvester

  H. Omer                     J.W. Taylor

  I.A. Salem                  F.S. Varley

  A. Salim                    R. Wilstrop

  J. Thornethwaite            A. Wood

  M. Zaid

——————————————-

Panel 3                   Panel 4  

  EMPIRE WEBSTER           WHITE CREST    

  Torpedoed and sunk       Continued

  7 February 1942          J. Parker

  W.C. Allen               K. Peacock

  F.V. Hutchcraft          H.W.F. Pettitt

  L.C. Williams            W. Richardson

                           A. Said

  WHITE CREST              W.H. Stephens

  Missing and presumed     A.A. Syed

  sunk by enemy action     M. Taylor

  14 February 1942         A.R. Teague

  G. Joures, Master        E. Ullah  

  S. Sloane, 1st Mate       J. Watson

  J. Davison OBE           E. Williams

  C.S. Baker

  L.T.G. Bartlett          BRETWALDA

  F. Buckland              Torpedoed and sunk

  L. Calleja               20 December 1942

  D.E. Carter              All our personnel

  W. Cossey                saved

  A. Driver                —-

  C.L. Dugine              Company’s employees

  L.J. Evans               killed 102

  A. Fajorli               H.M. Service personnel 15

  S.J. Gaffray             B. Bloom

  L. Galea  BEM.           J.A. Cherrington

  A. Hasib                 G. Cunningham

  A. Jigar                 L. Elves

  T.R. Jones               D.A. Fry

  A. Kadir                 C. Gravenor

  P. Khan                  J. Hanneh

  P.H. Leete               T.E. Hardie

  J.T. McGrath             P. King

  A. Makatder              C.A. McDonald

  D. Makepeace             C. Ramshaw

  S. Meah                  J.F. Robertson

  F. Merrey                F.L. Thomas

  A.H. Mills               H. Watkinson

  A. Mutakim

  G.W. Mutch

——————————————-

  When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee.

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