First Floor - Ships and Ship Owners

This section features ship-owning families based in Maryport, including the Ritson’s and the Hine family, who founded the Holme Line in 1873.  Ships such as the Abbey Holme, Myrtle Holme and Isel Holme carried steel rails to Canada and brought back grain and timber.  Several small yards came and went but the big four shipyards in Maryport; Woods, Peats, Middleton's and Ritson's, dominated the industry for decades.