Capt. Stephenson Lawson and shipping

[maribel]

My 3x gt. grandfather Stephenson Lawson (b.1781 Whitby - d.1830 Portsmouth) was master of and (?) part owner of a number (3 0r 4) of small ships I have traced through Lloyd's Register. There is also an R Lawson and a J Lawson involved, as captains, and Lawson & Co. Stephenson married Jane Gale and they had a daughter Alice in 1808 in Whitby, but I have made no progress with them having any other children.  At some time the family moved to Portsmouth as Alice married there in 1826.  Can anyone suggest where I might find more information about Lawson & Co, ship owners named Lawson, or even any other related Lawson family members?  Thank you,  Maribel

[bbart]

There is a death notice for a Thomas Hall, age 24, in an 1862 newspaper, which states he was the grandson of the late Captain Stephenson Lawson of Whitby.  If Thomas wasn't a child of Alice, then she must have had a sibling.   The article states that the father of Thomas Hall is William Hall, Esq. and it says Thomas was his second son, and an officer in the Peninsular and Oriental Company’s Service.

Ship-wise, I've only found an 1818 mention of Stephenson Lawson as master of "a newly copper lined brig called Friends" so far.

[maribel]

Thank you bbart.  Yes, Thomas was Alice's (and husband William Hall's) son. I feel as Stephenson Lawson was mentioned in the news some 30 years after his death, then he must have done something/had enough small ships/... to be remembered for. Answer could be in Whitby where he began or Portsmouth.  I have found an R Lawson, born in Whitby, living in Alverstoke, Hampshire and a mariner, in 1851 - so maybe a relation? I will look at this one a bit more before jumping too conclusions..

Maribel

[hanes teulu]

I have found an R Lawson, born in Whitby, living in Alverstoke, Hampshire and a mariner, in 1851 - so maybe a relation?

Hampshire Advertiser, 4 Aug 1849
On the 21st ultimo, Jane, widow of Captain Stephenson Lawson, of Whitby, age 64

I wondered why only a Hampshire paper carried the death notice? Cannot see a death registration for a Jane Lawson, age 64, Whitby,1849. There's a Jane Lawson, 44, Southampton - wondered if the GRO has the age wrong? Although Alverstoke is a registration district in its own right - if living there in '49.

[despair]

The Robert Lawson in the 1851 census is given as born Whitby 1813,with wife Jane 1800(born Ireland).Thinking this a slight disparity in ages,I checked for a marriage and there is an 1825 Hampshire record of Robert Lawson(of HMS Victory) to a Jane McCarthy.This looks a good fit and must cast some doubt on the 1851 census birth year for Robert.(He is not with the family in 1841)
There is an 1800 record for a Robert Lawson,born Whitby,but his father is a Robert also.

Regards
Roger

[despair]

Given that his parents were Charles and Alice,perhaps a son would have been called Charles,though I can't find one.However,there is a will(level of detail unknown) for Alice Lawson,widow of Whitby,1818 ,(who could be his mother),at The National Archives(£3.50 to download).This might refer to grandchildren.

Regards
Roger

[maribel]

Thank you Hanes teulu. The family were definitely living in Portsmouth some time before Stephenson's death in 1830. Don't quite know why Portsmouth, as his  [SL's] ships sailed from London, and Portsmouth was naval not merchant. His brothers were Charles, John and Daniel, but no R, and I have not found parents of R. The R Lawson who was a Captain of Stephensons (or Lawson and Co's ships)  must have been older than Robert born in 1813.
Alice Lawson widow could be Stephenson's mother in Whitby (thank you despair).

Any idea how I find out about shipping companies? who were Lawson & Co? Where were shipping companies registered ( I know -  all over in various ports - but is there a central place where shipping companies (not ships) were registered?

Thank you despair for  finding the marriage of Robert and Jane and that he served on Victory. Because he was born in Whitby I suspect he must be a  relation - but a bit late for working with Lawson & Co.
I will look at the 1800 birth of Robert.

[despair]

As the only untapped source of info,I couldn't resist downloading the will.The handwriting is the usual difficult one,but sufficient to identify references to son Stephenson,grandson Charles,and granddaughters Alice and Jane.
The following is very tenuous but may just hang together.There are two marriages of a Jane Lawson in Whitby in the 1830s.One is given as of 1830,a non conformist wedding(Roman Catholic or other?,might explain the difficulty finding records?),for a Jane Lawson born 1809 to a Captain William Garbutt.I can identify a Jane Garbutt in the 1851 census in Whitby,as a married mariner's wife living alone.(There are Merchant Navy records for a William Garbutt,born 1831 in Whitby,who might be their son).Even more tenuous might be identifying this Jane as the one in  1861 as a lodger in a Stephenson household,given born 1806).I have not pursued the possible 1837 marriage,nor have I ,yet,looked for Charles.

Regards
Roger

[maribel]

That is exciting Roger (despar). So this lady was Alice Stephenson, who married Charles Lawson and mother of my Stephenson Lawson.
Stephenson married Jane Gale and they had daughter Alice. They may have had son Charles and daughter Jane - but I have not found them. Also Stephenson's brothers may also have married and had a Charles and a Jane.

I will look into those later (I am away from home at present) but am thrilled to have Alice Lawson's will.

many many thanks

maribel