The Countess Of Lonsdale

Infamous as the commander of the last invasion of England, John Paul Jones was actually born in Scotland in 1747. The young John Paul did not add Jones to his name until 1773. From an early age he wanted to go to sea, and in 1759 he was sent to Whitehaven by relatives to serve out his time. Although still a mere boy, John Paul obtained the appointment of third mate on the King George of Whitehaven, a vessel engaged in the slave trade. In 1766 he became chief mate of the Jamaican-owned The Two Friends, another slave ship. By 1768 John Paul had become sickened with the slave trade and found a passage home, but had to take command when the Captain and first mate died of yellow fever. The ambitious young sailor applied for, and received, a command in the newly-fledged US Congressional Navy. He became first lieutenant of The Alfred under Captain Saltonstall and was given his first command in 1777 on the ship Ranger. The American War of Independence saw John Paul's return to British waters. Sailing from France, he arrived off the coast of Whitehaven on April 22, 1778. That night, he and his crew invaded the town, spiking cannon and setting light to vessels anchored in the harbour. There was no bloodshed, and by early morning he had left, chased by the townspeople. John Paul went on to serve in the Russian and 115 navies. He died in Paris in 1792, and was buried in an unmarked grave. His remains were reclaimed by the United States early this century and re-interred at the Navy Academy in Annapolis. He is always remembered as "The Sailor England Feared."

How To Find Your Way To Whitehaven

This Web Site Is viewed Best With IE4 Or IE5

WELCOME to my homepage thanks for dropping in, you will find out more about me and my interests if you browse through the rest of my homepage. Welcome to the west Cumbrian town of Whitehaven - situated on the coast between the sparkling sea and the magnificent Lakeland Fells. There is a lot to do here. Plenty to see and places to visit and enjoy! .

The founder of Britain's oldest shipping line, Daniel Brocklebank was born in 1742 in Torpenhow, where his father was curate in charge of the parish church. In 1770 he and his wife, Anne Cuppage, whom he had mated in Whitehaven the year before, sailed for America and established a shipbuilding yard at Sheepscutt, Maine, where he built five vessels. On the outbreak of hostilities between Britain and the colony, Brocklebank was faced with the choice between staying in America or returning home. He sailed for Whitehaven on 30 May 1775, arriving 32 days later. Brocklebank then engaged in trade, making many voyages across the Atlantic. His shipbuilding ambitions did not suffer, however. In 1782 he established a yard in Whitehaven then England's second largest port after London - where he built some twenty-seven vessels before his death in 1801. Renamed Thos &Jon Brocklebank the yard continued under his two sons until its closure in 1865. One of the sons, Thomas, opened an office in Liverpool in 1822. The original yard was reopened by the Whitehaven Shipbuilding Company Ltd in 1869, finally closing to shipbuilding in 1891. There being no known portrait of Daniel Brocklebank or his sons, the illustration on the left is of The Countess of Lonsdale, the first steam ship built by Thos &Jon Brocklebank in 1827, taken from an engraving on the lapel badge of the ships purser.

What is The Beacon...?
Opened in July 1996, The Beacon tells the story of Whitehaven's social, maritime and industrial history. The past, present and future of this, West Cumbria's Georgian port, are told using characters, sounds, graphics and audio visual presentations in exciting sets. Displays are enhanced by objects from Copeland Borough Councils museum collection.

A view of the Beacon

You can also monitor, forecast and Broadcast the weather in the Met Office Weather Gallery, and enjoy stunning panoramic views of the town, harbour and Scottish hills.

For More Information If You Are Planning To Visit Whitehaven Contact

The Beacon West Strand, Whitehaven,Cumbria CA28 7LY Tel: (01946)592302 Fax (01946)599025
Whitehaven Tourist Information Centre Market Hall. Market Place. Whitehaven. Tel: (01946) 852939

Hugh Cecil Lowther earned a reputation as "England's Greatest Sporting Gentleman", and donated the original Lonsdale Belts for boxing, the first of which was won by lightweight Freddie Welsh in 1909, Born in 1857, Hugh Cecil Lowther became the 5th Earl of Lonsdale on the death of his brother St. George Henry. At that time the family seat, Lowther Castle, was one of the largest houses in the country, and the Lonsdale estates included Windermere, Grasmere, Haweswater and also the town of Whitehaven, with its rich coalfields. Hugh Lowther became the first mayor of Whitehaven in 1894, and was re-elected in 1895, after which a two-year term became the accepted pattern. Hugh Cecil Lowther died in 1944.

Last Updated  6 May, 2000