The story of Charles Steels who created the 'Pocklington Steamship Company'.

He was born 2nd Feb. 1852 in Chapmangate the son of Richard and Mary Steels and died 22nd Mar.1896 age 44. He never married and had no children. Richard was a Currier and a Tanner and had 13 children. Charles is found in the 1861 census as a scholar aged 8 years old. He was later sent out to learn the trade of a grocer before returning to Pocklington to start his own business as a grocer which he did very successfully.

In the 1881 census he is shown as living above the shop (19 Market Place) with his sister Mary who is shown as a grocers assistant and Laura Sessions a general servant. He must have been a popular man as in 1893 there was an election for newly constituted Local Board for Pocklington. He was one of the successful candidates but his brother William did not receive enough votes.

Charles (pictured right) was involved in the setting up of the 'Pocklington Steamship Company' along with other investers. They had two ships, one was named the 'SS Pocklington' after the town and the second was named the 'SS Charles Steels' named after himself. It was commissioned in 1890 and was built in Hartlepool Yorkshire. It was approximately 1600 tons. The company had mixed results for the two ships, the SS Pocklington being the more profitable. This came to a head at a shareholders meeting and resulted in Charles having to go to court to defend a libel case against him.

After various incidents including saving another ship in a big storm, after two other ships failed after their hawsers (Ropes) snapped and they had to leave her. The SS Charles Steels stood by until morning and took it in tow, again the hawser snapped but the managed to get it back under tow and get it safely into port. In another incident the SS Charles Steels was sailing from Catania when sulphur took fire after reaching Oporto. The fire took days to finally to put out. The ships last voyage was when it set sail from Leith going to Hamburg with a load of coal but a storm blew up and the ship was reported missing with all hands (18-20). After six years a bottle was found containing a message from one of the crew saying that they had collided with an unknown ketch and was sinking fast.

Charles Steels shop in Market Place was taken over by his brother William after his death in 1896. This is now Age UK charity shop and Specsavers. Still visible today in the central keystone of the three windows are C - 1887 - S. So Charles Steels recorded the date he built the shop and used the Victorian trend for shop building of 3 storeys with top floor as store (for security), middle floor as accomodation and ground floor as shop.

Charles died in 1896 leaving around £8000 (a lot of money in those days). The will caused a rift in the family ending up with brothers George and William going to court. On the base of Charles headstone it says erected by George Steels and his sisters which I assume was snub to William. Perhaps this is what the argument was about, the cost of the headstone. George became a taxidermist in London Street, Pocklington. Still it all seems to have been sorted and William took over running the grocers shop and George later attended William's funeral. The story was kindly provided by the great grandson of George Steels and namesake of his notable great uncle Charles Steels.

The photographs provided by Andrew Sefton and copyright 2024 of the Pocklington and District Local History Group.

Left: William Steels had children so the shop photograph must have been taken after Charles had died and he took on the shop, as the sign says "Steels & sons".

Right: (The Steels memorial in Pocklington cemetery)

This research is being sponsored by Hull Maritime.