| Title: | John Lemon, Belfast, to Captain R. H. Davis, Belfast |
|---|---|
| ID | 3574 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | lemon, john/29 |
| Year | 1937 |
| Sender | Lemon, John |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | unknown |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Belfast, N.Ireland |
| Destination | Belfast, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Captain R.H. Davis |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | Lemon would like to contribute information about |
| Source | D 2015/3/2: Presented by C. L. Davis, Esq., 59 Maryville Park, Malone Road, Belfast 9 |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland |
| Doc. No. | 9708183 |
| Date | 19/6/1937 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | LET |
| Log | Document added by LT, 29:08:97. |
| Word Count | 639 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | BELFAST POST EARLY 2-PM IN 19 JNE THE DAY 1937 Captain Robert H. Davis Mercantile Marine Office Board of Trade Belfast. Custom House 19 June /37 [1937?] Dear Sir I was interested in your articles on old Belfast shipping in recent issues of the "Evening Telegraph". James Lemon, my Grandfather - had his business in Corporation Square opposite the Harbour Office, where were his offices & the sailmaking floors, he also had a rope works at the Bridge End near Short Strand. He resided at "Ardville" near Holywood, his daughters were Elizabeth & Harriette, hence the names of his ships. One of his ships is said to have been one of the first British ship to go into the Inland Sea, Japan. My grandmother - Mrs Sally Lemon - asked one of her husband's captains to bring home a dozen pots of Chinese preserved ginger: when the ship returned he had brought the ginger & sent it down to "Ardville", but instead of 12 pots, he brought 12 "cases" of 24 pots each. My grand mother was a generous giver of ginger to her friends for a long time, & I can remember some of those china pots of ginger here - my grand mother died here, both are buried inside the old Priory Church, Holywood. I did not know there were so many ships belonging to my G. father [Grandfather?]. There are some details of them here, & such things as wind charts of the Pacific. There was a ship called "Joanna Boag" that went to foreign parts but she may have been her under charter She brought cargo for Wm. McClure & others. The following particulars of the Lemons may interest you. Wm. Lemon born 1735 died 19 Apl. [April?] 1822 was a superannuated Coast Office (sic) at Ballyhalbert, married Jean McKelvey. He is buried in Donaghadee. James Lemon, of Donaghadee, born 1758 died 18 Nov 1851, aged 93. He was the agent <& owner> for the Packet Sailing Ships which went across to Portpatrick. He was [sene s chall?] of Donaghadee & declared 2 four sovereigns there. A large portrait of him is here, painted by Daniel McKnee, who was a pupil of Raeburn, the R.A. - & came from Scotland & painted many of the people of Co. Down in those days, & was president of the Art Society here at the time. There are also smaller pastel portraits of his father & mother & of himself & his wife, she was Elizabeth Lemon, & before marriage was a Johnston of Ballykilbeg. James Lemon, had a business - in crockery, delf & china, & [one?] day of gentleman (sic) & his servant arrived / having ridden hard from Dublin, in the year 1798, & wanted to cross over at once to Scotland, but a ship had to be got ready & he had to wait & stay with Mr. L [Lemon?] until it was prepared. Before he left he asked if Mr L [Lemon?] & his wife had crests & got particulars. sometime afterwards, my G. [Great?] Grandfather received a parchment with the Lemon crest - a lion - & the Johnston one combined - the flying spur - It was sent to him by the Duke of Leinster, at the time he was leaving Ireland after the death of his brother Lord Edward Fitzgerald in Dublin, as the Duke was not quite sure of his own position at the time. We have this parchment here. The old wharf at Donaghadee is still known as Lemon's wharf. I suppose it is where the packet ships came in. I don't know exactly where he lived in Donaghadee. He & his wife are buried in the church yard Donaghadee. He was twice married & had a great many children, some went to America Thomas E Kenhead L. [Lemon?], one of them, was Lloyds' agent in Liverpool. Glad to show you the pictures any afternoon yours sincerely Jno. [John?] Lemon To Captain R. H. Davis Word count: 639 |
