The rise and fall of Robert Chambers?

[hanes teulu]

I've been checking "Lloyds' Registers" and cannot find an "Enid, 1874, R. Chambers" build. The only "Enid" listed was Stockton built.
Those I've checked of those built 1879-1881 show "R. Chambers Jr., Dumbarton" as builder.

[Stanwix England]

Here is another piece of the puzzle.

For the 'Pertusola' which was built in 1881, and seems to be the second to last ship Robert Chambers built, there is an 'Iron Ship Report' available online.

https://hec.lrfoundation.org.uk/archive-library/documents/lrf-pun-gls145-0343-r

At the bottom is the Builders Signature. I think it says Robert Chambers Snr. for Robert Chambers Jnr.

If my interpretation is right, that suggests father and son were working together as late as March 1881. (My handwriting reading isn't the best though)

[hanes teulu]

Lloyds register
"Ship - Pertulosa; Builder's Name - R Chambers jr.; Where built - Dumbarton; When built - 1881 1mth."
The "When built" date fits the launch date 3 Jan 1881 on the report.

The Greenock Telegraph & Clyde Shipping Gazette, 28 July 1882 carries a report of dispute over payment for a sailing ship delivered by "... Robert Chambers Jun., shipbuilder, Dumbarton ... in an unfinished and unsatisfactory condition". It does not name the ship but I am assuming it was the Berwick Law which, according to Lloyd's Register was built "1881 6mths". Failure to deliver was put down to " ... Chambers having become embarrassed in his circumstances".

The court case mentions " ... One of the items of the defender's account is for £53 of wages due to Robert Chambers Sen., and David Law Jun., for superintending the finishing of the vessel" and one of the outcomes was " ... I give Chambers Sen. £25 in all ..."

Lloyd's Register records "R Chambers jr" as the builder of the Berwick Law. 

[scotmum]

https://www.rootschat.com/links/01s3h/ has the following entry which names the yard. Old maps show location. Elsewhere, Lower Woodyard was described as " relatively small and rudimentary". Burrells had about 500 or so men in 1883.

[Forfarian]

Thank you all for all this information.

So it may be that Burrells took over the employees as well as the shipyard. They had connections in northern Ireland so perhaps it was they who sent Robert to Belfast.

I'm slightly reeling from all this because the Burrells are related to me on my mother's side, and Robert Chambers on my father's side.

[hanes teulu]

Greenock Telegraph & Clyde Shipping Gazette, 3 Jun 1881
"Launch - Yesterday afternoon Mr Robert Chambers jun. launched from his building yard, lower Woodyard, Dumbarton ... named the Berwick law. This is the largest vessel** which Mr Chambers has yet launched."
Sad to think the same month he filed for bankruptcy.
Best of luck with the Burrells.

** - price £14,740 (quoted in his 1882 court case).

A newspaper report 8 Dec 1879 has " ... the first launch from the Lower Woodyard, Dumbarton, since it has been occupied by Robert Chambers jun, ... the Jose Perez"

[scotmum]

Does surname Lowey fit anywhere? Five years after Mary died in Belfast, a Charles Lowey was buried in same plot as her at City Cemetery. He was aged 54 and last address and indeed place of death, was Dundalk, so quite a distance from Belfast. Seems to have been a mate on a tugboat and died of an injury to his skull. Coroner's inquest held in County Louth.

[Forfarian]

Does surname Lowey fit anywhere? Five years after Mary died in Belfast, a Charles Lowey was buried in same plot as her at City Cemetery. He was aged 54 and last address and indeed place of death, was Dundalk, so quite a distance from Belfast. Seems to have been a mate on a tugboat and died of an injury to his skull. Coroner's inquest held in County Louth.

I've never come across that surname anywhere before.

Charles Lowey, 23, seaman, Belfast, son of Thomas Lowey, farmer, married Catherine Morrison, 21, Belfast, daughter of William Morrison, labourer, on 9 February 1862 in Belfast. There doesn't appear to be any connection.