William Schaw Lindsay

William Schaw Lindsay
Born	Ayr, Scotland
Died	August 28, 1877(1877-08-28) (aged 61) Shepperton Manor, Middlesex, England
Occupation(s)	Merchant, shipowner, politician, author
Years active	1831–1865
Known for	Shipowning, Liberal MP for Tynemouth and North Shields (1854–1859) and Sunderland (1859–1864), maritime trade advocacy, author of History of Merchant Shipping and Ancient Commerce

William Schaw Lindsay (19 December 1815 – 28 August 1877) was a British merchant and shipowner who represented Tynemouth and North Shields (1854–1859) and Sunderland (1859–1864) as a Liberal Member of Parliament, stepping down due to declining health.

Career

Originating from Ayr, Scotland, Lindsay became an orphan by the age of ten and was subsequently brought up by his uncle, a minister in the Free Church. Opting against a religious vocation, he departed home in 1831, journeying to Liverpool aboard a collier and later serving as cabin boy on the West Indiaman Isabella. By 1834, he had advanced to second mate but suffered injuries during a shipwreck. After recuperation, he assumed the role of chief mate on the merchant ship Olive Branch in 1835 and was promoted to captain by 1836. In 1839, while navigating the Persian Gulf, Lindsay sustained wounds during a pirate attack. He ceased active sea service in 1840.

In 1841, Lindsay took up the position of agent for Greenwell's Castle Eden Coal Company in Hartlepool, playing a key role in establishing it as an independent port equipped with docks and wharves. Relocating to London in 1845 to act as the company's representative, he combined coal-fitting activities with shipbroking and managed agency duties for his brother-in-law’s Glasgow-based iron enterprise. He launched W. S. Lindsay & Co., which expanded to become one of the largest shipowning businesses globally before his retirement in 1864 due to health issues.

In 1852, Lindsay commissioned the construction of the 900-ton iron vessel W. S. Lindsay from Coutts and Parkinson on Tyneside, which at that time was the largest iron ship built. Intended for transporting emigrants to Australia, this ship cost approximately one-third more than comparable ships but delivered triple the efficiency with 280 cabins, including 60 designated first-class. Lindsay held the majority of shares; however, during its inaugural voyage, it was caught in a storm at The Downs with 300 passengers aboard, causing it to list heavily and necessitating expensive towing back to London.

After unsuccessful attempts to enter Parliament via Monmouth and Dartmouth in 1852, Lindsay secured election for Tynemouth and North Shields in 1854. He served this constituency until 1859 when his advocacy for repealing navigation laws compelled him to withdraw from polling; thereafter, he was elected as MP for Sunderland. In recognition of his efforts promoting public welfare and education, non-voters from Tynemouth presented him with a commemorative rosewood cabinet in 1859.

During the American Civil War period, Lindsay expressed support for Confederate recognition and spoke on their behalf within Parliament. His correspondence with Benjamin Disraeli as well as Confederate envoys John Slidell and James Murray Mason is preserved at the University of Missouri Library.

Health problems forced Lindsay’s retirement from political life in 1865 after an active parliamentary career advocating maritime trade and naval interests. He also contributed to founding the Administrative Reform Association. Following retirement, he dedicated himself to literary work until his passing at Shepperton Manor, Middlesex, on 28 August 1877.

Family

Lindsay married Helen Stewart—sister of Glasgow ironmaster Robert Stewart—on 14 November 1843; he also traded pig iron produced by her family’s business. Their son, William Stewart Lindsay, was born in London in 1849 and passed away in Timaru, New Zealand, on 28 June 1924.

Literary Contributions

Lindsay sought to influence international maritime legislation by promoting the principles of free trade within the shipping sector. His principal publication, History of Merchant Shipping and Ancient Commerce (four volumes, London, 1874–1876), continues to serve as an essential resource. Additional notable works authored by him comprise:

• Letters on the Navigation Laws, published in London, 1849.
• Our Navigation and Mercantile Marine Laws, London edition, 1852; with a second edition released in 1853.
• Confirmation of Admiralty Mismanagement … with Reply to the Charges of Sir C. Wood, London, 1855.
• Remarks on the Law of Partnership and Limited Liability, London, 1856, featuring correspondence with Member of Parliament Richard Cobden.
• Our Merchant Shipping: its present state considered, London, 1860.
• Manning the Royal Navy and Mercantile Marine … also Belligerent and Neutral Rights in War, London, 1877.

In addition to these, he privately circulated addresses concerning naval expenditure and documented his maritime experiences in Log of my Leisure Hours (three volumes) along with Recollections of a Sailor, the latter remaining incomplete at the time of his passing.

See also

• Shipbroking
• Coaling (ships)
• Panic of 1847

References

Bibliography

Attribution

External links

• Access Lindsay's History of Merchant Shipping and Ancient Commerce via the Internet Archive:
  • Volume I
  • Volume II
  • Volume III
  • Volume IV
• Available also at Project Gutenberg
• View William Schaw Lindsay in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery.