John Lumsden

Another Mayor of Hull buried in Hull General Cemetery is John Lumsden.

Scottish roots

Originally from Edinburgh, he married his wife, Jane Sinclair Campbell Coghill there in 1836, moving to Hull soon after their marriage. They had 7 children. The family originally lived in Dock Street, where, in 1851, John was recorded at being a carrier and shipping agent.

With the rapid growth in the trade of Hull, John became a member of The Exchange. He was also an advocate of the railways, particularly the Hull & Selby Railway and was a patron of the Sailor’s Orphanage on Spring Bank.

Death of wife

In 1859 his wife Jane died whilst giving birth to their 4th son Sinclair Campbell.

John was obviously successful, and in 1860 he joined partnership with Brownlow, Pearson & Co shipbuilders, formed by William Brownlow and William Hunt Pearson. The company was now known as Brownlow, Lumsden & Co. and they built many ships both in Hull & Hartlepool.

By 1861 John had moved away from Dock Street to 27 Lister Street, where he is noted a ship owner and agent in the census of that year.

Second marriage

In 1862 he married again. This was to a member of his wife’s family, Agnes Auld Coghill.

He became mayor of Hull in 1863. In 1864 William Brownlow died, and Lumsden took on engineer, CD Holmes, who eventually became a partner in the business.

John had Woodfield’s House built in Southfield, Hessle in 1867, which still remains to this day as the Emmanuel Care Home.  His son John died of heart disease there the following year aged just 28.

Brownlow, Lumsden and Co were eventually taken over by the Ellerman Wilson Line.

Death

John died in 1876 aged 71. His 2nd wife, Agnes Auld died in 1899. He is buried with both of his wives and son John, in Hull General Cemetery, where there is a marble obelisk to their memories.