Hibbert, Purrier and Horton facts for kids
Hibbert, Purrier and Horton was a big business in London that started in 1770. It was a company that bought and sold goods, and it also owned ships. This company was deeply involved in the business of transporting enslaved people during the late 1700s and early 1800s.
The company was a "partnership," which means several people worked together to run it. The people involved and the company's name changed over time. It was the main way the Hibbert family managed their business in the West Indies for many years.
How the Company Started
The Hibbert family's business journey began with Robert Hibbert (born 1684). He was a linen draper, meaning he sold fabric, in Manchester, England. Robert had three sons.
Two of his sons moved to Jamaica and started large sugar farms, called plantations. Thomas Hibbert (born 1710) went to Jamaica in 1734. His brother, John Hibbert (born 1732), lived in Jamaica from 1754 until he passed away. The third son, Robert (born 1717), took over his father's fabric business in Manchester.
Later, some of Robert Jr.'s sons joined the family business. In 1770, Thomas Hibbert (born 1744) teamed up with two London merchants, John Purrier and Thomas Horton. This is how the "Hibbert, Purrier and Horton" company began. Thomas's brother, Robert Hibbert (born 1750), also joined them. In 1780, George Hibbert (born 1757) became part of the partnership. George eventually became the leader of the company, which had its offices at 9 Mincing Lane in London.
Company Name Changes
Over the years, as different people joined or left the partnership, the company's name changed many times. Here are some of the names they used:
- Hibbert, Purrier and Horton (1772–1781)
- Hibbert, Fuhr and Hibbert (1791–1799)
- Hibbert, Fuhr and Co (1800–1802)
- Hibbert, Fuhr and Purrier (1802–1818)
- Geo, Rob, Wm Hibbert (1804–1805)
- Geo, Rob, Wm and Sam Hibbert (1811–1818)
- G W S Hibbert and Co (1820–1838)
- Hibbert and Co (1839–1863)
Many other members of the Hibbert family, from the next generation, also worked in the business. John Purrier's son, John Vincent Purrier (born 1773), and his grandsons, Edward Purrier (born 1802), John Vincent Purrier (who passed away in 1849), and Thomas Purrier (born around 1809), were also involved.
Company Ships
The company owned several ships that carried goods and people across the seas. One of their merchant ships was named Mary Ann.
In July 1772, a man named Maurice Suckling arranged for his nephew, Horatio Nelson, to sail on the Mary Ann. At this time, Horatio Nelson was a young boy who would later become a very famous British admiral. This trip was Nelson's first experience at sea. He sailed from Medway, Kent, on July 25, 1771, traveling to Jamaica and Tobago in the West Indies. He returned to Plymouth, England, on July 7, 1772. This journey helped him learn about sailing and life on a ship.
