Sailing by

I have, in my writings on Maritime Hull, not really thought about the essential service industries to keep the merchant ships in good repair, provisioned and under sail. 

There was of course a large supporting operation on a commercial basis in the Port of Hull with entrepreneurs and traders experiencing the financial ups and downs of business in what, in the 19th century, was a precarious time to have capital and assets tied up in shipping related concerns. 

One such company in Hull was the partnership of William and Thomas Irving trading as Humber Bank Ropery. 

The company appears to have already been trading in that name prior to their involvement as there is in 1804 a newspaper notification of new owners although it is unlikely that this marked the arrival of the Irvings given that my main research information is from much later from around 1834. 

The two businessmen appeared in Trade Directories as dealers in flax and hemp as well as being the makers of ropes. 

They put an advertisement in the local Hull newspaper of that year and marketed their services and inventory of goods to shipowners and others. 

As well as the premises operating as the Humber Bank Ropery which was at 73 High Street in the Old Town of Hull they had quite a modern sounding concept trading as the Canvas Warehouse which was opposite the Corn Market at address 86 Queen Street. 

This facility allowed the Irvings to offer to accommodate the lodging of ships rigging, warps and lines during the winter months when a number of merchant sailing ships would be laid up to avoid bad seasonal conditions.The service of a rigging shed was adjacent to the Ropery. 

A particular line of goods was the branded products by Robert Campion of Whitby who was a well known maker of canvas sails. 

He had patented a process of starch free sail cloth made out of hemp and flax which made for much more pliant and strong canvas. 

Campions Patent White and Brown Canvas and the Superior Patent and half bleached canvas were highly regarded amongst the maritime customers. 

The advertisements seemed to promise a thriving business for the Irvings in terms of what they could offer in services and in response to a demanding customer base. 

However, this was not the case and in 1840 there appeared a Notice of Dissolution.