Thomas Henry Ismay

Thomas Henry Ismay ( born January 7, 1837 in Ropery House, Ellenborough, Maryport, Cumberland, † November 23, 1899 in Dawpool at Birkenhead ) was a British shipowner.

Life

Ismay was born in 1837 in Ropery House, the eldest son of the shipbuilder Joseph Ismay. At age 16, he began a commercial apprenticeship at the Liverpool ship brokerage firm Imrie & Tomlinson, on completion of which he took a trip to South America. Back in Liverpool, he worked in Australia as a ship broker and trade, in the years up to 1863, together with the captain and ship owner Phillip Nelson. 1867 Ismay acquired the formerly scheduled services between Australia and the UK working and later defunct firm of White Star Line. Together with William Imrie Ismay founded which also operates in Australia trade Oceanic Steam Navigation Company, whose ships sailed since 1871 in the market after the United States. A remarkable business relationship formed out between Ismay and the shipyard Harland and Wolff in Belfast that built all the ships of the White Star Line. In 1892, Ismay withdrew from active management of Ismay Imrie and Company and handed over the chairmanship of the White Star Line to his son Joseph Bruce Ismay.

In November 1899 Thomas Ismay died after prolonged health problems in Dawpool. Ismay was married from 1859 until his death with Margaret Bruce, together they had three sons and four daughters.